Fay grew up in Acomb, a village nestled in the Northumbrian countryside of North-East England. Surrounded by forests and hills, she spent her childhood imagining adventures filled with faeries and dragons. Writing was always a beloved hobby, and her first attempt at a full-length novel came as a teenager. However, her passion for storytelling was set aside as she focused on education and her dream of working in wildlife research.

In 2019, after living in Malawi, Fay rediscovered writing as a way to navigate the reverse culture shock of returning to the UK. Determined to see her stories through, she completed Of Light and Leaves.

Her love of adventure has taken her far from her Northumbrian roots. She’s lived in Mauritius and Malawi, and since 2021, she’s called Kyoto, Japan, home. There, she is pursuing a PhD in bat ecology and conservation at Kyoto University while finding inspiration for her next literary endeavors.