Over the last month, I’ve possibly attended/joined more book groups than usual. I’m not sure why it happened like this? Maybe the culmination of it being the ten year anniversay of first getting a book deal, maybe now having had eleven books published, or maybe just because I’m open (always) to meeting readers old andContinue reading “Want me to join your book group? Just ask…”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Trauma is Never an Excuse
One of the most challenging – but ultimately rewarding – books I’ve written in my now ten-year career as an author is my memoir, Eighteen Seconds. It began in the wake of my mother’s shocking bridge jump, at a time when her recovery meant my life was on hold. It was the story that chokedContinue reading “Trauma is Never an Excuse”
After Eighteen Seconds
It’s been a while since my memoir was released. It’s been a while since I wrote anything here. It’s been a while since I assessed life beyond the release of my autobiography. It’s been a while. So here I am. What has happened since I decided to share my life story? I’ll come to that.Continue reading “After Eighteen Seconds”
Tour dates for How to be Brave, the play!
Here are all the dates and venues where you can see How to be Brave when it tours from 22nd October until 16th November. I hope to go to a few performances and would love to see you there. If you enjoyed the book (or if you didn’t yet, do look it up) then youContinue reading “Tour dates for How to be Brave, the play!”
How to be Brave – from page to stage
My debut novel, How to be Brave, was released nine years ago in September. How on earth can that be? NINE YEARS. Since then it has hit Number 4 on the overall Amazon chart, been a Guardian Readers’ Pick, and been called a ‘gentle book, full of emotion, suitable for young readers, and similar inContinue reading “How to be Brave – from page to stage”
How to be Brave – the original short story
Before the novel, there was the short story. And then a script – more on that next year when it comes to an East Yorkshire stage. Want to read how it was back then, when my daughter’s name was still used instead of Rose? Here you are… We trade blood for words. This is ourContinue reading “How to be Brave – the original short story”
Terms and Conditions
A competition should always be a level playing field. Each entrant should have an equal chance to succeed, follow the same rules as everyone else, be treated fairly. Otherise, it’s not a competition, it’s pretending to be. Sadly, in the book world, it isn’t always so fair where prizes and awards are concerned. Because someContinue reading “Terms and Conditions”
Turning negative comments into positive action…
Over the years I’ve had all sorts of writing advice and rejections from people in various areas of publishing, some positive, some negative, but ultimately all of it helpful. The positive is good because it keeps you going, gives you an idea of where your work is strong, and reminds you that you’re in theContinue reading “Turning negative comments into positive action…“
A Bumper Book News Month
It’s been a month of really exciting announcements, one of which – the news that End of Story, my dystopian fiction, has been sold to Hodder – I waited over a year to shout about. Understandably, a few people were shocked that I could keep this mouth shut for that long. I am an enigma.Continue reading “A Bumper Book News Month”
On the hugely supportive #writingcommunity.
After a week of book panels, I came home exhausted but bouyant. It was wonderful to mix with actual humans like it was the ‘old world’ again, to meet new readers and old, to work alongside authors and reunite with loyal bloggers, and to see some fantastic festivals full swing once more, with people millingContinue reading “On the hugely supportive #writingcommunity.”
Louise Beech/Louise Swanson 