About

I’m Monica.

I’m a writer and lifelong learner. I earned my BA in English from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania, and an MA and Creative Writing Practice-based PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London.

My research explores the intersection of maternity and female bodily autonomy, with a focus on the representation of non-maternal women in literature. My own writing centers on women who do not desire children and reveals the many painful repercussions of both cultural and legal enforcement of motherhood.

I’ve written two novels and am currently seeking representation to publish my debut. Both were borne of my interest in fertility rights and children’s well-being, as well as the often misunderstood “maternal instinct.” The Mother Law was longlisted in the Lucy Cavendish College Fiction Prize and runner-up in the Borough Press open submission competition.

I’ve taught creative writing at the undergraduate and postgraduate level; I’m a fiction reader at Litro; and I chair the Democrats Abroad UK Women’s Caucus.

I am from Washington, D.C., but now reside in London with my husband and dog, Dojo. The oldest of six girls, I travel to the U.S. as often as possible to visit.