Category Archives: bookreview

Spring News

Spring brought a celebratory lunch with the lovely people at Golden Egg who selected me for the Golden Egg Award last year, which meant I won one of their children’s writing courses. I learnt so much, some of which will be incorporated into my MG edits. Submissions have been slow, but I understand the MG market is currently tough. Some speedy rejections, but some were lovely, in particular one praising my writing. Ramadan is a time for reflection when the poet in me is the most active. Four new poems are not bad! I’m working on an adult story at the moment. It’s been a slow writing month, but I hope to pick up the pace this week. Reading has also been slower than I would like. One book I was excited about was a middle-grade book by the lovely Dev Kothari. Bringing Back Kay-Kay is her debut set in India. The heroine is extremely likeable in this well-written mystery. You will also feel the need to find Parle-G biscuits in the supermarket (an Asian supermarket will have them)! I highly recommend it if you have kids of that age or even adult readers that appreciate a well-written, lyrical MG.

My February to May reads are as follows:

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (I’ve read this before but felt the need to read it again!)

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

We Were Liars E Lockhart

Tyger S.F. Said

Leila and The Blue Fox Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Murder Most Unladylike Robin Stevens

Bringing Back Kay-Kay by Dev Kothari

I’ve also been reading poetry and essays around literature.

Has your spring been productive?

Books read July 2023-Feb2024

There are not as many as I’d like, but I’ve been busy doing a children’s writing course that I won courtesy of Golden Egg, and I also started writing an adult/crossover for NaNoWriMo. Over the next few months, the plan is to edit the MG books, finish the adult, and write some short stories and new poems.

The books I have read this year include two by fellow Penguin Writenow alumni:

The Tidal Year by Freya Bromley. “The Tidal Year is a true story about the healing power of wild swimming and the space it creates for reflection, rewilding, and hope. An exploration of grief in the modern age, it’s also a tale of loss, love, female rage and sisterhood.”

The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels. “Margot Murray is a newly single, high-flying businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance. Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays. Together, they make a pact: Margot gets a blissful week away from London in a picture-perfect manor, in exchange for posing as Ben’s girlfriend. The story can only go one way. Margot is sure to fall in love for real. And she does. With Ben’s sister, Ellie. What could possibly go wrong?”

Below are the rest:

Have you read any of these? What did you think?

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (an almost DNF!)

Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

MG/YA

Rebel Skies by Ann Sei Lin

Loki: A Bag God’s Guide to Being Good

Alex Sparrow and the Zumbie Apocalypse

The Apprentice Witch

Nura and the Immortal Palace by MT Khan

Most enjoyed: Lessons In Chemistry

Most disappointing: all the romance. Surprising, considering I’m a romantic! Or maybe I’m not this year. Hmmmm?

Middle-Grade research inspiration: Rebel Skies with the world building.

Bolton Children’s Fiction Awards 2024 Shortlist

I’m a bit late with the list this year! Good job I met one of the fab librarians at an author talk last weekend!

Full details here:

https://www.boltonschool.org/news/2023-11-17/shortlist-announced-for-bolton-children-s-fiction-award-2024

This year’s shortlist is:

(note- the text is copied from the webpage)

  • When I See Blue  by Lily Bailey

    “When  I See Blue tells the story of how, as a young person, Lily Bailey suffered from severe OCD.  She now campaigns for better awareness and understanding of the condition. Lily draws upon her experiences in When I See Blue through her characterisation of Ben, the main protagonist. Ben has what he calls ‘a bully in his brain’ forcing him to count, to go through routines and this makes life very difficult. The library staff felt that this is an important and very relevant book for both those with OCD and for understanding that mental health is as important as physical health.”
  • While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle

    “While the Storm Rages follows other recent books by Phil Earle that have had a Second World War setting and concentrates upon the relationship between people and animals. Based upon a little-known fact that at the outbreak of war, the government encouraged people to euthanise their pets and, as a result, over 750,000 animals lost their lives. Noah – who has just seen his father go off to war, is determined that the same fate will not fall on his beloved dog so with a couple of friends and a menagerie of animals, he sets off on his dad’s rickety barge to find a safe haven for them. There is danger, comedy and a great deal of heartbreak in this adventure story.”
  • Tyger by SF Said

    “SF Said is an award-winning author with a host of prizes for children’s books. His latest book Tyger is set in an alternative London where the fall of the Great British empire hasn’t happened and people live in abject poverty or as slaves next to a wealthy class living in excessive privilege. In this world, we meet Adam, a young boy living in the city who discovers a magical talking Tyger that has the power to change everything. Of course, not everyone wants a fairer world. Library staff loved the illustrations by Dave McKean and the way that the Tyger brings hope to a difficult world.”

The winner will be announced in late June after pupils have voted for their favourite book.  At the same time, the long-list for the 2025 award will be revealed so children can begin their reading over the summer.

Writing Competitions

Is it worth entering writing competitions?

Yes! I think so because it helps you to grow as a writer. Entering makes you write; it gives you a deadline to work towards, and a small idea may turn into a massive new piece of work. But be realistic. The chances are your optimistic submission will turn into a rejection, so make sure you can bounce back from disappointment. Only enter if you are ready. If it’s a free competition, you have nothing to lose! Read the rules and stick to well-known organisations so you don’t get scammed.

This year, my new kid’s story was longlisted for the Times/Chicken House and the Hatchette Kids Award. One of my short stories made the HG Wells Short Story Competition and will feature in this year’s anthology. And I was fortunate enough to win the Golden Egg Award, winning a place on the 12-week Write Your Successful Children’s Novel course. It’s week five and I’m learning lots. So woo! Go me! I’m enjoying the writing and developing as a writer.

How to find your competition
Type: “List of writing competitions” into your search engine and find your comp 🙂

Good luck!

#amwriting #writingcompetitions

Books read Jan-July 2023

The books I have read this year include two by fellow Penguin Writenow alumni:

Too Hot to Sleep – by Elspeth Wilson. “In this brilliant debut collection of poetry, Elspeth Wilson draws on the headiness and sorrow of first love in all its forms to craft a vivid image of a young person learning who they truly are.”

I Don’t Want To Talk About Home – a memoir by Suad Aldarra. “I Don’t Want to Talk About Home is a singular and moving portrait of the chaotic times in which we’re living. Suad provides a unique view into how religion, family, and love mix together into a modern story of losing and finding home in a world torn apart by war and conflict.” — Chris Fabian, co-founder Giga, UNICEF.

And below are the rest, where it looks like I have been sucked into the commercial world!

Most enjoyed: Circe

Most disappointing: Gone Girl

No DNFs though I was close with Gone Girl, and I couldn’t get into White Teeth by Zadie Smith, but I might attempt to read this again one day!

Middle Grade research inspiration: I love the humour in Jennifer Killick’s books.

Have you read any of these?

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Circe by Madeline Miller

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

How I Saved the World in a Week by Polly Ho-Yen

The Last Firefox by Lee Newberry

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

The Last Bear by Hannah Gold

Carnival of the Lost by Kieran Larwood

I am Malala

Fake by Ele Fountain

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri

The Butterfly Room by Lucinda Riley

When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle

The Sun Sister by Lucinda Riley

Crater Lake: Don’t Ever Fall Asleep by Jennifer Killick

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri

The Missing SIster by Lucinda Riley

Black Clover Vol 1 and 2 by Yuki Tabata

Winner Bolton Children’s Fiction Awards 2023

I’m a bit late with the post, but I’m sure you’d like to know who won this year.

Well done librarians! There were some great books on the list:

The Ship of Doom by M A Bennett
The Last Bear by Hannah Gold
How I saved the World in a Week by Polly Ho-Yen
Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick
Carnival of the Lost by Kieran Larwood
The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery
#BCFA2023

Drumroll …

The winner: Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

https://www.boltonschool.org/news/2023-06-29/put-the-work-in-and-believe-in-yourself-advises-winning-author

I used to love guessing who the winner was when my kids used to go to school. This year I was wrong again, but they were all such fab reads that it was hard to call it!

Bolton Children’s Fiction Awards 2023 Shortlist Announced

This year’s shortlist is:

  • ‘The Ship of Doom’ by M A Bennett

    This is a book that has a fantastic blend of fiction and true facts. A time-travelling tale, packed with interesting people – both from real life (H G Wells and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) and a diverse cast of fictional characters.

    At the heart of the book is the theory of the ‘Butterfly Effect.’ Three children are tasked to time travel from 1894 onto a famous early twentieth century ship to steal an invention. They face a dilemma; should they change the future to save lives? And if they do, will it affect their present?
  • ‘The Last Bear’ by Hannah Gold

    This book has already won several prizes including the Blue Peter Award. It’s a story about wildlife, nature and friendship. The descriptions of the extreme cold and life on a barren but striking landscape made the sense of place feel like an extra character.

    April is sent to Bear Island with her father, a scientist, who is working on a project about global warming. His long days mean that April is left to explore the harsh environment alone. Despite its name, Bear Island no longer has any bears living there. One day, April catches a glimpse of a magnificent creature and her adventure begins.
  • ‘How I saved the World in a Week’ by Polly Ho-Yen

    Survival is the theme of this book, which includes creepy zombies and a mysterious virus.

    Billy’s Mum is a ‘prepper’ which others dismiss as a hysterical overreaction. After she is taken ill and has to go to hospital, Billy lives with his Dad, who dismisses his ex-wife’s behaviour as ‘nonsense.’  When a mysterious virus breaks out, escaping into the wild is the only option. Billy and his Dad begin a frantic dash to safety and his father has to accept that prepping might not be such a foolish idea after all!
  • ‘Dread Wood’ by Jennifer Killick

    This is an age appropriate horror story in the style of the ever-popular Goosebumps series.

    When a group of students are made to attend a Saturday morning detention the last thing they are expecting is their teacher to disappear in front of their very eyes! They are left to investigate the horror whilst trying to stay safe from adults who are not what they seem.

    A desperate few hours ensue as they try to evade capture from terrifying underground creatures and learn more about themselves and each other.
  • ‘Carnival of the Lost’ by Kieran Larwood

    This is a mystery story, set in Victorian London with a cast of quirky characters who are part of a travelling show.

    Sheba and her friends travel to London, a dirty, smelly and dangerous place where children have been disappearing from the banks of the Thames. They must work together to unravel the mystery and find these forgotten urchins.

    Staff felt that the footnotes throughout the book both set the scene and added historical depth to the story.
  • ‘The Last Firefox’ by Lee Newbery

    This is a funny family story about fitting in and standing up for yourself.

    One day Charlie comes across a strangely dressed boy who is nervous, as if he’s being chased. The boy is holding a puppy which he asks Charlie to look after for a few days, before vanishing. With its pointy snout, sticky up ears and bright orange fur, Charlie comes to realise it’s not a puppy but a fox. Not only a fox but a magical fox that gives off flames and smoke when its excited or scared!

    Enlisting the help of his friends, Charlie has to hide the fox, with some hilarious consequences complicated further by his Firefighter father!

Schools interested in joining the Bolton Children’s Fiction Awards should contact library@boltonschool.org to find out more.

Full details here:

https://www.boltonschool.org/i-am-looking-for/school-information/news/book-award-2023-shortlist-announced/?fbclid=IwAR2inlxCLn2KucxLynY8BN1XplnsplPNNVEb_uT6xsQEEMy3x8w7hMULd_0

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Indeed. Busy! Busy! Busy! But still reading and writing.

Writing:

Here is a quick recap (with fanfare). It was the best summer as the Circle of Four made the shortlist of the Hachette Children’s Award (part of the Northern Writers’ Awards) and the longlist of the Times/Chicken House Competition. After another rewrite, it will be back to submissions.

I’m halfway through a new kid’s story, which I would like to finish by January.

Reading (Kids):

Twitch by MG Leonard, Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell, Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy and Boy 87 by Ele Fountain. All were enjoyable research middle-grade reads.

Reading (Adult):

For enjoyment, I targeted the TBR pile and started with A Good Year by Polis Loizou, from my Penguin WriteNow 2020 group, and Take My Hand and other short stories by Trudie Thomas, one of my Super Six writing buddies. Coincidentally they both have a “hand” on the cover!

I also reread some on the shelf for research: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, Great Gatsby and Dune. All very different, I know!

#reading #amwriting #indieauthor

Winner Bolton Children’s Fiction Awards 2022

The books on the list for #BCFA2022:

The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh by Helen Rutter

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicholl

Lost by Ele Fountain

The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr

The Island That Didn’t Exist by Joe Wilson

The Perfect Parent Project by Stewart Foster

Too many good reads to predict a winner!

Drumroll …

The winner was:

An exciting day for all involved. I would have loved to have been there but I had my own exhilarating day in the form of attending a covid-delayed graduation ceremony for my eldest son and finally being able to let people know that I had been shortlisted for the HachetteKids award which is part of the Northern Writers Awards.

Congratulations to all!

#BCFA2022

Winter reads

I don’t seem to have the time to write full book reviews, so a quick summary of some recent reads:

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Brilliant – just read it! My favourite book of the year.

The Taxidermist’s daughter By Kate Mosse

I found it difficult to keep up with some of the characters, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. The author describes the place in a wild and haunting way which stays with you.

It’s also interesting to see that they have adapted this for the stage recently.

#amreading #bookreview

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

Great characters and an interesting read. However, I didn’t realise it was the first of a trilogy so obviously I found the ending disappointing!

#amreading #bookreviews