Our Team
We are a diverse team bringing different perspectives into the fold, but we’re united by our passion to promote underrepresented voices.
Leodora Darlington
Leodora Darlington is a writer from London with Ghanaian heritage. She received a distinction for her masters in creative writing from Brunel University of London, where she studied under authors like Benjamin Zephaniah and Will Self. A Bookseller Rising Star in 2021, Leodora also worked as Publishing Director at Hachette Book Group and has published a range of bestselling fiction. Her debut novel, The Exes, is a Good Morning America, Grazia Book Club and Book of the Month pick, and one of this year’s most talked-about releases.
Leodora is always seeking compulsive storytelling, confident narrative voices, and characters you can't stop thinking about. From page-turning thrillers to literary reflections on grief, these three things are the hallmarks of all of her favourite books and guarantee that a piece of writing will feel really special.
Founder & Publishing Director
Kayleigh Murphy
Kayleigh leads the organisation of The Alice Darlington Novel Award and our outreach events, as well as providing editorial support for the wider team. Kayleigh joined the world of publishing through the Orion Virtual Internship, which led to a permanent role in the Orion Non-Fiction team, working as an editorial assistant for Seven Dials and Orion Spring. She also worked alongside the Orion Fiction team on a select number of acquisitions and projects that stemmed from her work on the internship.
Kayleigh’s background is in theatre and performance, having had an extensive career in the West End and across world stages, and her passion for storytelling is what has led her back to her first love, books.
Kayleigh enjoys reading anything that will make her race for the final page conclusion, whether it’s a murder-thriller, hooky romantic comedy or sweeping epic fantasy novel. If it has a character to care for, she wants to read it!
Editorial Executive & Literary Outreach Officer
Our favourite reads right now
