Fiona Erskine

Engineer. Writer. Swimmer.

Women in Engineering

Space

Exciting news

Posted on December 10, 2025

Apologies for the radio silence – work has been hectic.* But hey, you’re not here to find out about the double day jobs (that’s what LinkedIN is for) and I …

Read more
Students at Sheffield University

Q&A in Chemical Processing

Posted on August 11, 2025

I had a lovely chat with Traci Purdum which was published this week. 5 Quick Questions Aug. 11, 2025 Engineering professor discovers joy in teaching, hypothetically tackles Bhopal cleanup and …

Read more

It’s easy to point out what’s wrong – it takes ingenuity to fix it

Posted on June 3, 2025

I was interviewed by Hannah Dolman at the University of Cambridge for the Alumni Magazine of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. You can read the full text (with …

Read more

Interview in E&T

Posted on May 18, 2025

I was delighted to be interviewed by fellow author Nick Smith in Behalf of the Engineering and Technology Magazine E&T. We talk about pen names, the world of work, tools …

Read more

Review of Losing Control

Posted on April 3, 2025

The Chemical Engineer (TCE) published a glowing review of Losing Control in the April 2025 issue, pairing the book review with recent TV shows (Toxic Town, Last Breath) and a …

Read more

Phosphate Rocks to be serialised

Posted on March 24, 2025

Exciting news. The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) have acquired the rights to serialise my novel about a fertiliser factory in their member magazine (TCE) and website. Phosphate Rocks: A Death …

Read more

The one thing we can all agree on

Posted on August 11, 2023

1 Book Review Why are women still so poorly represented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths? Does it matter? What are the obstacles? How do we change things? Athene Donald …

Read more

Women in Engineering

Posted on June 22, 2018

#SmashStereotypesToBits In a recent campaign to encourage careers in engineering, a group of female engineers stage an epic pillow fight involving catapults, explosions and drones. I watched the IET video and found …

Read more


Sunny southern sojourn with friends and family and a stonkingly good book. London looking stunning!


In Houston for the day job, I went back to visit my old house and primary school from when my dad had a sabbatical at Rice University. Fleming park is much smaller than I remember but the fire ants are still there! Highlight was a full Tex-Mex with Theresa and Bhopal expert Kenneth Bloch - plans afoot for a new book.


I swam 24km in 5 days. Hard work?

Try tuna canning, salt drying or sulphur mining...

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/sulphur-and-salt


Goodbye #egadiislands and thank you @swimtrek for an amazing week - 24 kilometres with wonderful guides, fellow swimmers and multicoloured fishes!


This week #PhosphateRocks e-book is only £0.99 in UK

Who doesn't love a story about a demolition gone wrong? @raine_clouds_writes @lesleykellyauthor 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phosphate-Rocks-Death-Ten-Objects-ebook/dp/B0CTRRXKNY

PS: The audio book narrated by @rain.goblin is pretty special too


A quarter of my sales this month were overseas for the very first time!

Massive thanks to all those fine Canadians for topping the list. Say Hi if you see this.

https://fionaerskine.com/


On my way to Harrogate today

https://open.substack.com/pub/fionaerskine/p/harrogate

Say hello if you'll be there


What makes the perfect handbag and how much is it worth?

https://fionaerskine.substack.com/p/the-perfect-handbag


Follow me on Instagram

I have news!
Stellar thanks to @SFcrowsnest for a stirring introduction - to #TheLye and to #agentjarrold for his immense courage. Watch this space…

Novelist Carolyn Kirby discusses the apparently radical shift in men’s fashions during the late 18th century and the invention of the ‘masculine’ style that still dominates menswear. https://historiamag.com/invent-masculine-fashion/ via @HistoriaHWA

I have news. Exciting news...
https://fionaerskine.com/news-item/exciting-news/

Have you had a look at the brilliant Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby yet?

Following a gender fluid character making their way in 1700s Whitehaven, this emotional and beautifully written globe trotting adventure is available with 25% off this Christmas!
https://share.google/AvrhJUHaVtFa9TVnK

Happiness is a train journey with a seat and a good book #lner #thesaltoracle

Excellent post - thank you @GalleyBeggars @GonzaloCGarcia

Ongoing serialisation of
#PhosphateRocks continues as the mystery deepens
Chapter 27: Broken Sunglasses - Features - The Chemical Engineer - https://goo.gl/alerts/EVCA3x #GoogleAlerts @IChemE

Follow me on X

All my books