Tag: scbwi

Writing Advice

Why Writers Need Friends.

Kathryn Evans

kathy-evans-8101422-smallI’ve been looking through my ideas file for the next thing I want to work on, and  found something I want to share with you, especially if you are an unpublished writer feeling like it’s never going to happen.

It’s from 2010,  the early days of Facebook and it mattered to me so much, I  screenshot the thread and saved it.

I posted:

  Kathryn Evans would like to feel a little more positive about the possibility of ever getting a book deal but, shall instead, be grateful for what she’s got. Honest.

I hope the lovely people who replied don’t mind me sharing their responses, here are a few of them – I’ve redacted their names just in case!

Jxx

It’ll happen, you’re a talented writer! I remember thinking that at Miriam’s Winchester workshop the year before last!

Yesterday at 12:06 ·

Mxx

me too! :o)

Yesterday at 12:07 ·

Jxx

It will probably happen when you least expect it……

Yesterday at 12:10 ·

Axx

And you are allowed a grrrrrrrr in the meantime…..

Yesterday at 12:36 ·

Jxx

oh most definitely… should we have a group ‘grrrrrrrrrrrr’ for you?

Yesterday at 12:37 ·

Kathryn Evans

Group ‘grrrr’ much appreciated and thanks guys……it was something Cxx said about 3 out of 300 subs from agents being accepted by an editor last year… from agents…..I know the talent level out there is phenomenal – which IS great for children’s literature but, but, but….

Yesterday at 13:11 ·

Exx

The book I spent 19 months writing has had 7 rejections to date so I can sympathise Kathryn. Every reason under the sun given from – it’s got a boy as the main protagonist (God forbid!) to – it’s too issue driven and not my usual light comedy. It does start to get me down sometimes but as you say, it’s important to be grateful for the royalties that keep my affloat while I’m waiting! Keep smiling. 🙂

Yesterday at 13:41 ·

Nxx

I will join with you in ggggggggggrrrrrrrrrr-ing! Especially when I hear people wittering on about “trends”…

Yesterday at 14:13 ·

Txx

I wish I could make you feel better but I can’t, except perhaps to say, I’m sure it will happen and I love Shem  and when it does happen I want a signed copy and an interview for my blog and an invite to the book publication party and… well, here’s a virtual hug in the mean time (( xx ))

Yesterday at 14:20 ·

Exx

Positive attracts positive. When you send it out visualise it being accepted. Hold the positive thought in your mind and believe. It works for many things including parking spots!

Yesterday at 14:26 ·

 

Nxx

I wouldn’t stress about probabilities – I mean what was the chance of you getting an agent in the first place? But I absolutely share your frustration. Grrrr, indeed.

Yesterday at 14:39 ·

Lxx

You’ll get there, Kathryn! It’s just taking longer for everyone’s manuscripts to find a home. So many editors have lost their jobs that it’s making them gun shy. But they still need books to publish… 🙂

Yesterday at 15:10 ·

Dxx

You will get there. You ARE getting there. Me too and we shall each have our books in stores at the same time! I shall see your titles and you shall see mine. We shall each have little endcaps. Pact? Intend it, baby!

Yesterday at 16:50 ·

 

Jxx

oh I know i can’t say anything knowledgeable about publishing (except there are some mad ones out there because Dylan and Mouse hasn’t been published yet) but….as soon as it happens, I’ll be first in the queue at Waterstones!!xx

Yesterday at 17:49 ·

Bxx

It’ll happen.
Bx

Yesterday at 18:12 ·

Mxx

We know the odds are stacked against us, but we still do it. Just keep swimming xxx

Yesterday at 18:20 ·

Lxx

and i’ll be right behind you Julie saying in a very loud voice “‘ of course Kathy and i go WAY back….we were at Uni together you know!!”

Yesterday at 19:51 ·

Kathryn Evans

LOl – oh you lot are fab –  ….. I so badly want an editor. There, I’ve said it, they make good books great. Yep Mxx, just keeping on swimming :O)

Yesterday at 20:07 ·

 

Pxx

Kathy. “Hi!” Just logged on for the first time today. The editor Cxx is referring to is, I believe, J-H-W and I’ve no reason to doubt her if she claims that she only went for 3 out of the 300 agency-submitted manuscripts… but if every editor chooses a different 3 out of 300, what’s to say that one of your manuscripts won’t be one of them? You have talent. You have an agent and you have perseverance. A winning combination, I reckon.

Yesterday at 22:13 ·

Kathryn Evans

Dxx – most of the time I do, honestly, just now and again, gah! You know…Pxx you are a nice man :O) I hadn’t actually thought that – some of those 300 would be subbed elsewhere, true enough x

Yesterday at 23:11 ·

 

Cxx

oh but i think your writing does stand out. it’s just a matter of finding the right editor … i think getting that yes isn’t like a love-in, the editor has to fall head over heels for all the right reasons. i know people who are disappointed with their writing life because they are taken on for the wrong reasons (eg commercial ideas, exploitable). i have to say though that i felt exactly like you did last year.

4 hours ago ·

Kathryn Evans

I shall print these comments off and stick them to the inside of my brain x

 

I did print them off, and they kept me going until the right manuscript, and my super agent, Sophie Hicks, cracked it.

 

More of Me was published in 2016, my next novel comes out early next year – I’m still not supposed to talk about it but it won’t hurt to tell you that Shem, one of the characters mentioned above, lives again – different story, same boy. Nothing is ever wasted – which is why I’m going back through my old files and why you, if you are still trying to break through, should keep going.

Lean on your friends, join a writer’s group, if you’re a children’s book writer or illustrator join SCBWI,  try and bump over the disappointments and revel in the highs. I’ve said it so many times but if you are a writer, you have no choice so you might as well get on with it and try and enjoy the  ride. Your pals will help. They really will.

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Most of my lovely CHi-SCBWI group!
Books, For Readers, More of Me

And the winner is…Bold, Brilliant and Bonkers.

Kathryn Evans

By Kathryn Evans

Bold, brilliant and bonkers? Me? Well, maybe, but I think Addy Farmer was talking about my book in this fabulous video of the SCBWI Crystal Kite for Uk and Ireland:

And proving that she was probably right about me, this is what I was wearing when I received the award…

Idiot Dressed As Mr Messy
Idiot Dressed as Mr Messy with the Crystal Kite Award!!!

I know, I know but it was fancy dress?! ( Gold star if you know who I was???)

Huge congratulations to the other shortlisted authors, Patrice Lawrence, Eugene Lambert, Ally Sherrick, Peter Bunzl and Sue Wallman – I read and loved all your  books. If it was a Strictly vote I’d have run up quite a phone bill and possibly done myself out of a SHINY THING.

Happy sigh….

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Events

Edinburgh Book Festival: 2017

Kathryn Evans

In which I nearly miss the most exciting event of my writing life.

Last year I was invited to take part in Edinburgh International Book Festival. I was very over excited – it was my first major event as a published author and I had a hard job believing I was actual there….

In my actual life.

Jo Cotterill held my hand and we put on a pretty good show. We laughed a lot. AND THEN…

Thanks to a huge number of wonderful voters, who I will forever be indebted to, More of Me became the very first YA novel ever to win the Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award. Roll on a year…and EIBF invited me back!

You’d think I’d have calmed down a bit after a year wouldn’t you? Well…non. I was even more excited because I knew how much fun I was going to have. I had two events planned, and  it was my turn to hold the hand of a new girl – a real honour  that was too  because I loved Penny Joelson’s unusual debut, I Have No Secrets. But firstly…firstly I was on a panel discussing gender in books and toys, hosted by South East Scotland SCWBI co-ordinators Sarah Broadley and Anita Gallo. And on the panel with me….

JONATHAN STROUD AND DAVID LEVITHAN.

I nearly wee’d myself when I found out.

I know.

I am so not cool,  but it’s true.

I devoured Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood series and David Levithan wrote one of my all time EVER favorite books, Everyday. And I was on a panel. With them both.

The big day arrived – I had a comfortable six hours between arriving in Scotland and going on stage. So comfortable I planned to see Tanya Landman and Laura Dockrill’s event before my own.  I arrived at the airport super early, paranoid, as ever, about being late, and checked in my bag (too big for the cabin because it’s full of ridiculous petticoats) – then I settled down with a cup of tea and my laptop and wondered if it’s okay to take a picture of the large number of armed police eating cake in Costa.

Armed Police eating cake
Couldn’t resist…

I wrote a bit, tweeted a bit and then looked up at the departures board. I blinked. I couldn’t be reading the board right. My flight was delayed by three hours. THREE HOURS.  I hurried to the harassed looking woman on the desk – could I get on a different flight?  No – because I’d checked in a bag.

Oh My Actual….AAAARGH!!!!

Three hours. I had no choice, I had to calm down and wait- it still left me a cushion of three hours. We’d be boarding at 2.55. It would be fine. I rang the wonderful Roxburghe Hotel where the fabulous James organised a meet and greet taxi for me. I let the festival know I was running late but I would be there. I repeated, it would be fine. Fine. 2.55 came….and went. With no further information at all. The tiny airport was  crammed with people from other delayed flights. I returned to the harassed airport staff to ask what was happening with my flight. The woman looked at me like I’d spat in her tea and said,

“It’s been delayed.”

“I know that, but can you give me any idea when it will be taking off, I have a really important event I need to get to.”

“No. I can’t.”

“Just roughly? Please? I need to let people know if I’m not going to make it.”

I was nearly crying by this point, and trying very hard to keep my cool. She poked a few buttons other computer –

“There’s been an electrical storm, the plane has diverted, it should be here in the next 30 minutes.”

That had to do, I sat down and waited. And waited. Half an hour came and

…went.

My plane eventually arrived and so did I, in Edinburgh, with 5 minutes to spare.

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Anita Gallo, Kathryn Evans, Jonathan Stroud, David Levithan, Sarah Broadley.

I threw on my frock and raced across the road to the festival. I’d missed Tanya and Laura’s event, I had no time to curl my hair or iron my dress but I’d made it. The event had sold out, the audience were fantastic, the night was one of the high points of my author life – to think I could have missed it…

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Edinburgh Book Festival lived up to it’s reputation in my heart for being a little corner of book heaven. I met up with pals, both writers and not writers; hugged the wonderful Book Witch ( if you don’t follow her blog – you should, it’s brill); had breakfast with Juno Dawson,  opposite Eddie Redmayne’s gorgeous little girl (and her Mum and Dad, also gorgeous);  I met readers.

The festival sold out of my books; I spent more than I should on other people’s books; I fan-girled a bit (a lot);  I went to a drop in workshop run by Jonathan Stroud  where Christopher Edge and I invented a brilliant game of Snakes and Ladders called:

How to Make It Big in Books.

(Rights still available)

And finally, I had my picture taken by the amazing Chris Close.

Genuinely, there is no happier place for a writer and a reader than Edinburgh International Book Festival. If I don’t get invited as a writer next year, I’ll be going as a reader 🙂

Kathryn Evans is the author of More of Me, winner of the 2016 Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award, nominated for the Carnegie medal and  winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award 2017

Books, For Readers, More of Me, Writing Advice

The SCBWI Crystal Kite Award 2017

Kathryn Evans

By Kathryn Evans

Sometimes, when you start on a journey, there are certain dreams that seem ridiculously  beyond your reach but you dream them anyway because they just  keep you going.  And sometimes, ridiculously, no matter how far beyond your reach they seem,  those dreams can come true.

SCBWI_Crystal_Kite_Seal

 

The Society of Children’s Book writers and Illustrators is an organisation I’ve belonged to for years.  Through SCBWI workshops and critique groups I’ve learned my craft, and as a volunteer I’ve grown a hugely supportive network of friends and colleagues.

SCBWI members are a mix of published and unpublished writers all on a journey to produce the best work they can and I think that shows in the standard of entries for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award.  It’s  a peer-given award to traditionally published writers and illustrators ,  recognising great books from 15 regions around the world.

Here are the  shortlisted titles  for the UK and Ireland in 2017 – I’ve read and loved them all – anyone of them would be a worthy winner.  In fact, if you’ve gaps in your To Be Read pile, take them as recommendations.

patrice - CopyPatrice Lawrence – Orange Boy

A gritty urban thriller with a powerful family drama at its heart – Winner of the Waterstones Prize for Older Children, Shortlisted for The Costa Prize.

 

 

Peter Bunzle – Cogheart cogheart

A steampunk tale of ambition, pursuit and revenge – The Guardian.  Shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award.

 

eugene - CopyEugene Lambert

‘A thrilling YA sci-fi adventure reminiscent of Hunger Games and Star Wars … a fantastic page-turner with great characters in Kyle and Sky’  Booktrust

 

Ally Sherrick blackpowder

A gutsy  adventure-packed tale of the Guy Fawkes story told from 12 year old Tom’s point of view as he struggles to save his father in a world that’s against him.

 

 

lyingSue Wallman

In intense psychological thriller selected for the Zoella book Club and  a really brilliant page turner.

 

 

 

And  in case there is still space on your bookshelf, here are some previous winners…

2016

Teri Terrmindgamesy – Mind Games

A complex and futuristic thriller that, even at a hefty 433 pages, will leave you wanting more…another stunning example of Teri Terry doing what she does best (The School Librarian)

Teri has won so many awards I can’t even list them all.

 

2015

ratClaire Furniss – The Year of The Rat

Beautifully written and emotionally charged debut about love, loss and families. Would appeal to fans of Annabel Pitcher. (The Bookseller)
Shortlisted for the Branford Boase, Longlisted for the Cilip Carnegie Medal

 

 

And  the 2017 winner…

Me.

Well… More of Me by Kathryn Evans

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Buy at Hive or Amazon

Dreams really can come true if you just don’t give up.

More of Me by Kathryn Evans, winner of the 2017  Society of Childrens’ Book Writers and Illustrators Crystal Kite Award for UK and Ireland.

Pinch Me.

 

Books, For Readers, More of Me

More of Me is One Year Old

Kathryn Evans

By Kathryn Evans

I feel like I should have a little birthday tea. One year ago today, my first book was born. After more than 15 years of trying, I became an actual, real life  published author. My debut YA novel More of Me was released by Usborne  to U.K. readers.

The birth was celebrated by many of my  amazing friends. The tribute below was  lead by Candy Gourlay and Amanda Lillywhite, who encouraged enormous numbers of people to do this to their faces and post it all over facebook and twitter.

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Just a few of the many pals who “MorphedofMe” for Launch day.

I was so moved by this, it’s amazing, don’t you think?  And then very many of them turned out for my launch parties – the first hosted by Daunt Books, the second, by Waterstones. You can see loads of pictures here but this is one of my favourites, because it sums up all the support, kindness and squidging  I’ve had along the way:

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All the hugs for SCBWI pal Addy Farmer

I think it’s traditional  to talk about the highs and lows of having a first bookbaby- and at some point I will be doing a post on that for SCBWI’s Words and Pictures   – I’ll link to it when it comes out.  But not here. Here, in the spirit of new motherhood, I’m going to celebrate my book’s first birthday by inviting  a few pregnant friends over…I think I may be taking this metaphor a bit too far…Basically, I’m going to celebrate my book’s birthday with the

Joy of New Books!

During this last year, I teamed up with four other SCBWI debut authors, my fellow Lost and Founders,  and they all have new books out this year. I’ve read one of them, Olivia Levez, The Circus, and loved it. Sue Wallman’s See How They Lie,  Patrice Lawrence’s Indigo Donut  and Eugene Lambert’s Into The No Zone, I couldn’t quite get my hands on yet but I will! I will!  I’m so happy for them, they give me hope! I’m still writing my book 2 ( slacker).

 

I also want to mention Peter Bunzl’s Cogheart – this book was Usborne’s lead debut in 2016 and made a huge and deserved splash. It’s middle grade with a strong story,  wonderful characters and a gorgeous steampunk feel to it. If you haven’t read it,  do – I can’t wait for the follow up, MoonLocket, out in May..need to get working on my dress ups for that event…

cogheart.jpg

Fellow Slushpiler Teri Terry has a new series launching in May this year, Contagion – I’ve not read it yet but she is consistently good, I loved Book of Lies released this year and I can’t wait for this creepy looking series!

contagion

I am also desperate to read Candy Gourlay’s new book but I don’t know when that’s going to happen – come on Candy, you have readers waiting!! ( I keep nagging int he hope she’ll give me a sneaky peak…sigh…)

I’ve just realised I could go on forever with this list…especially as I want to give a heads up to some brilliant SCBWI authors who have recently been signed to an agent or publishing house and I know are going to produce amazing books: Em Lynas, Sheila Averbach and Lucy Van Smit get on with it gang, I await new treats!

There are so many more, it’s going to be another exciting year for books and hoorah for that.  Now it’s nearly time for cake, but first I must say:

Thank you:

  • Heaps if you were involved in More of Me winning, being nominated for, or long listed or shortlisted for an award. I am beyond grateful. And a bit stunned to be honest.
  • A ton if you read  and reviewed More of Me, or just read  and loved it or  read  and didn’t like it but didn’t slay me in a review – or if you did slay me in a review you did it for the betterment of book kind.
  • A gazillion times if you were involved in anyway in spreading More of Me’s wings worldwide, I love seeing all the foreign editions and hearing from readers all over the world.
  • Mahoosively if you’re a school or library that’s invited me to talk to your children.
  • Endlessly  for encouraging, handholding and being generally fabulous.

And now….CAKE!

Events

#LostandFound in Liverpool!

Kathryn Evans

How to Make the Most of A Book Tour Stop by Kathryn Evans

Liverpool: home of The Beatles; city of friendliness and unity and latest tour stop for the Lost and Founders! And my goodness did we pack a lot in.

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#LostandFound outside Write Blend, Liverpool.

 

I  met up with the rest of the team, and after surviving a road crossing that might give me nightmares for years,  we celebrated Orangeboy author Patrice Lawrence’s amazing Costa shortlisting before heading out to a lovely event at Write Blend, a gorgeous independent book and coffee shop run by the hugely energetic and charismatic team of Bob Stone and Sally-Anne Tapia-Bowes. The audience were warm, friendly and interested and there was a teen identical twin in the audience which made Sign of One author ( and identical twin)  Eugene Lambert, very happy!

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Patrice Lawrence’s Costa Shortlisting deserves champagne!

After the event we had a lovely catch up over a late dinner and more celebrating – well, there was Sue Wallman’s Zoella selection for Lying about Last Summer to toast, and we’d never raised a glass to Olivia Levez’ starred Kirkus review for The Island,  or the Carnegie nominations and EdBookFest prize for More of Me …we had a lot of celebrating to catch up on!

 

The following day we had two school events organised by Sally-Anne and Bob. First stop,  the amazing Alsop High School – boy the energy of those 300 year 8’s! The interactive element of my creativity talk was very enthusiastically engaged in…luckily Sue and Olivia were happy to help  with the tidying up afterwards.

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Olivia and Sue help clear up 300 paper planes!

 

We had time to chat with some of the children as we signed books afterwards and they were great. Also, there was cake, Sally-Anne knows the way to an author’s heart is through a buttercream filling…yum.

 

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Olivia, Eugene and Sue frantically signing books!

In the afternoon we headed to Merchant Taylors’ Girl’s School for a literary lunch with some of their Year Eleven’s. It was such a special session – Year Eleven’s are so often caught up in pre-exam work that they miss out on author visits, and these girls were so interesting and interested, I’d have loved a bit more time to chat with them all.

Next we had a panel discussion with Years Eight and Nine. They were utterly delightful and we had plenty of time afterwards to sign the books they were very keen to buy.  Olivia and I felt a bit like rockstars as they pressed forward with books for signing – it was a wonderful way to round off our Liverpool tour stop.

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Five Authors and Merchant Taylors’ delightful girls!

Sometimes I have to pinch myself it’s not all a dream.

 

 

 

The Publishing Process, Writing Advice

20 Author Rejections

Kathryn Evans

From SCBWI British Isles Members.

It’s the 20th anniversary of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

SCBWI

It’s the only largest organisation for published AND unpublished writers in the world and I’ve been part of it for years. Holding hands with fellow writers as we climb through the snowdrift of rejection letters to publication has kept many of us going.

So to celebrate 20 fabulous years this year, the utterly wonderful Candy Gourlay thought it would be cool to share some of those rejections – and boy were there a lot to choose from! Members donated them left, right and center and here they are to inspire you to keep going. Quite a lot of the donated rejections came from authors who are published now…but they shall remain anonymous, as indeed, will the agents and editors from whence they came…

P.S. No agents or editors  were (C)harmed in the making of this video.

P.P.S. We love our agents and editors. Especially the ones who said YES!

P.P.P.S. And the ones that didn’t, they’re so often right…but not always…

Books, For Readers, More of Me

More of Me nominated for Carnegie Medal

Kathryn Evans

By Kathryn Evans

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals. This is because the nominees and winners are chosen by librarians. Only librarians.  And I have haunted libraries all my life.

I’ve blogged about it in the past, this is my post from 2015. I even shadowed the shortlist last year – something I highly recommend – great books and you learn SO MUCH and get to hang out and chat about some of the best books in the country.

It all starts with a list of nominations. It’s usually a very long list and this year is no exception – it is a very long list. But there is one tiny difference this year.

I am on it.

It means so much  I feel like I’ve won already.  I will always be a Carnegie nominated author.

I think I might go and have another little cry.

Congratulations to all the nominees for both the Greenaway and the Carnegie. I am beyond honoured to be on the list with you.

 

 

For Readers

Lost and Found Hamper Giveaway!

Kathryn Evans

 

Updated 09/10/2016: The REVEAL is at the bottom of the page!

To celebrate the launch of the Lost and Found tour and the debut of these fabulous books:

Continue reading “Lost and Found Hamper Giveaway!” →

Events

Edinburgh Book Festival – Unusual and Unexpected.

Kathryn Evans
2016-08-16 08.52.51
Thanks Anji Spangle for the picture!

This weekend  was probably the best booky weekend I have ever had for I was hosted by the marvellous folk at Edinburgh Book Festival.

The Festival takes place in a little corner of  magic called Charlotte Square Gardens. A lovely little green, surrounded by white pavillions and the rather marvellous Spiegletent. There’s a book shop, obviously, and a bar – bonus! And the folk who organise it all take the best care of their authors.  They put you up in hotels where, even the most directionally challenged (me) , can’t get lost. They give you chocolate and make sure your every need is met  – but really, what more do you need? Book lovers, chocolate and books. Can’t go wrong really.

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Spoilt? Moi?

I did an event with Jo Cotterill and was so thrilled to have a full house – Scbwi members GO GO GO! I have kind permission from the Bookwitch to reblog her write up because I can’t put it any better than she did. I even got a picture of her which is RARE INDEED:

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Me and the wonderful Bookwitch

And here’s her write up:

Unusual and Unexpected by Bookwitch

It helps to have authors who are former actors, or just plain crazy. Last night’s brilliant performance – that is the only word for it – by Jo Cotterill and Kathryn Evans was really something. The bright spark who put them together is either quite cunning or someone simply got lucky. Jo and Kathryn felt they were […]

Do read on via Unusual and Unexpected — Bookwitch

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By Chris Close, official photographer – I think he’s captured my inner crazy don’t you?

So there you go, what a weekend. It’s alright this writing lark. Just need to finish the new book and I’ll start to feel like a proper author.

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Beautiful Edinburgh from the top of the castle.

PS. One tiny thing – voting for the Edinburgh Festival First Book award doesn’t close until October so there’s still time, if you feel so inclined, to vote for More of Me, my debut novel, I’d be ever so grateful 🙂