Hazel: the author

Hazel lives in Oxfordshire in an old bakery dating back to the 1700’s with her partner and a cat called Orwell (Ori for short after ‘Ori and the Blind Forest’). People have definitely died in her house, and she has a bricked-up basement.

Growing up on a steady diet of folklore and the unexplained probably fed into the reason she loves her house and its potentially uncanny dark side. It’s also why it’s no surprise her work focuses on the unexplained and fantastical, with many of her pieces appearing in short story collections, placing in competitions and awarding her scholarships.

With an MA in English Literature from UEA, Hazel has worked with the National Centre for Writing, promoting reading and writing in schools, as well as at Latitude. She’s even managed to use her writing skills to get a day job in marketing, with previous roles in publishing, literary agencies and education.

Hazel tweets from @HJCompton, tries to use Instagram, and sometimes pops up on TikTok.