about me
Hello! I’m Philippa, the face behind Lexical Peaks. I’m a writer and editor based in Eryri (Snowdonia – in the UK, for any international readers).

Words and books and stories have always been my favourite thing in the world. My degree was a BA English Literature from Cardiff University, with a focus on creative writing. I worked as a literacy teacher, specialising in interventions for pupils with dyslexia (PgDip, AMBDA), before following my heart to the world of editorial services. Really all I have ever wanted to do was work with books, so I basically feel like I'm living my dream now.

I’ve got a particular soft spot for strong fantasy/fantastical narratives, books about the magic of books or the power of stories, anything about the sea or wilderness or islands, intriguing and complex characters, and – above everything else – beautiful, lyrical writing.
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When I’m not reading stories or writing stories or thinking about stories, I’m generally outdoors. We’re lucky enough to live by the sea and the mountains, so there is always somewhere you can dodge the Welsh weather and get out for a climb/run/scramble/swim. The rest of the time, I’m busy trying to stay one step ahead of my toddler and two cats (and husband).
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A dreamy view! Reading break between ski mountaineering days in Lofoten.

my own writing
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My short stories have been published by Folding Rock and Dark Mountain Project, and I was shortlisted for the Dinesh Allirajah Prize for Short Fiction 2024 and Moniack Mhor’s Emerging Writer Prize 2025. My writing tends to explore the boundaries between civilisation and wilderness, and between solitude and community, often using the fantastical or the uncanny to play around with these themes.

​I’m working on a short story collection at the moment, and then hope to finish off the second draft of a novel.

Qualifications and Memberships
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I’m a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and ​Proofreading (CIEP) ​and abide by their code of practice. I'm also an Approved Partner Member of ALLi.

​Training I've completed includes:
​Jennifer Lawler: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Developmental Editing for Fiction
CIEP: Proofreading One, Two and Three
​CIEP: Copyediting One and Two
​CIEP: Introduction to Fiction Editing