Jodie was born in Aberystwyth and grew up in the wild hills of mid Wales. She had an unconventional childhood, dividing her time between a quiet life on her mother’s farm and her father’s home which was infamous for holding some of the UK’s biggest raves in the 90s.
She attended a Welsh language school, learning to read and write in Welsh before English. She was passionate about books and writing from a young age, winning the crown at her school Eisteddfod and securing a place on the Beacon’s Project at the Hay Literature Festival. Attending University brought an exciting opportunity to escape the quiet rural life when she moved to High Wycombe to study creative writing and video production.
After graduating, she moved to Birmingham with her partner. There she started working for the British Heart Foundation, coordinating their fundraising activity for Wales.
In 2011, she spent six months in British Columbia, Canada, where she took up various jobs including working on a lavender farm, a vineyard, a wild west ranch and a government dock in the Canadian rainforest.
On returning home, she and her partner (Luke) moved to Cardiff, where Jodie continued to work for the charity, this time in their communications team. When her contract ended, she decided it was time for a change and ran away with the circus. She spent two years leading the marketing for NoFit State, a contemporary circus company based in Cardiff.
In 2015 she married Luke and moved on to work for the Wales Cancer Research Centre at Cardiff University, where she still works to this day. By night Jodie is also a burlesque dancer with Cardiff Cabaret Club under the name Vixie Rouge.
She lives in Canton with Luke, her dog and two cats. When she’s not writing she’s usually found playing saxophone (badly), reading, or drinking gin.
Of her first novel Jodie says: 'I’ve always been an avid reader of fantasy. Inspired by some of my literary heroes I finally did what I promised my old English teacher and put pen to paper. The Vagabond King explores what happens to a society when the wealthy can buy their way to immortality. In the story this creates massive levels of inequality in the wellbeing of different factions of society – a theme I have always wanted to write about.'
More about the book:
In a land where immortality can be bought, cruelty thrives...
Exiled and alone, Threon is torn from a life in the palace to scrape a living on the streets of a foreign land. Once a prince whose every whim was obliged, now this vagabond must adapt to survive.
Throwing his lot in with a witch, a rebel soldier and a woman touched by a god, he seeks retribution for the wrongs committed against his family. Slavery and famine are rampant, and the struggle to avenge his kin soon becomes a battle to restore justice across the Empire. Together Threon and his new companions must rekindle old allegiances, face an immortal army and learn to trust one another.
But when the gods begin to interfere with their plans, is it a curse or a blessing?
Pre-order The Vagabond King from Parthian for £9.99 and free P&P
