(rehearsals at the Liverpool Empire Theatre 2006 production of The Vagina Monologues)

well, almost all.

I grew up in Burnley, I lived in Liverpool for ten years, and now I'm lucky enough to live by the canal in Todmorden with four cats, a partner and my beautful baby girl.

I've got two brothers and three sisters, and something like eighteen neices and nephews including the famous poet Master Joseph Sebastian Shaw whose work is published on my poetry page.

If you've read my book or seen me perform, you'll know that I spent plenty of time in various psychiatric units across Liverpool. The experiences that I had as a user of mental health services haven't just found their way into my poetry, but also into my day job - I work as one half of a self-harm training partnership called harm-ed. You can read (almost) all about us on www.harm-ed.co.uk

Being in the family way, I'm no longer able to indulge in my favourite past-time of rock-climbing. Funnily enough, I'm scared of heights and used to get quite edgy about going upstairs. I used to be vaguely athletic but now get out of breath walking up the street. These days I spend what spare time I have watching reality shows on telly; reading the Guardian in the bath; and unpacking from our house move in June.

My taste in literature is as mixed as my taste in music; I'm Kate Bush's biggest fan and very fond of Tori Amos too. I love folk music (I play the fiddle) - particulalry Karine Polwart, Kate Rusby and Christy Moore. I'm a big fan of Chumbawamba and danced so hard when they played at Holmfirth folk festival that I was sick and wet myself. In the last three months I've been to see Faithless, Scissor Scissors and Dolly Parton, as well as a hellish five days in Glastonbury which is no place for a lady in a delicate condition.    

My favourite books - "If no-one speaks of remarkable things" by Jon McGregor; "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy; "The Bee Season" by Myla Goldberg, "Cider with Rosie" by Laurie Lee. I'm currently reading Galway Kinnell's "Selected Poems", and have just finished (and very much enjoyed) Michael Donaghy's "Erata" which made me feel sick with envious admiration.

I'm a lapsed vegan, an ex-catholic and an anarchist with very conventional values.