I was talking to one of my authors last week and she said she couldn't believe that book editors also worry about things - we likely all know that authors do worry about the publishing process, understandably so, as they are giving over their work to a publishing house and essentially relinquishing a lot of… Continue reading What editors worry about…
Category: reading
On submissions…
I thought I'd write a bit about submissions, after an interesting article in the Bookseller the other day. Starting with the basics, what IS a submission? (Most people reading this might know, but I actually don't think everyone does - nor should they!) Submissions are what editors call unpublished manuscripts that are sent to them… Continue reading On submissions…
A day in the life of an editor
As part of continued attempts to de-mystify the publishing process I thought I'd write about a typical day as an editor, inspired by Juliet's brilliant post about her day as a literary agent. The wonderful thing about working in books is that each day is genuinely different, and working across a range of titles and… Continue reading A day in the life of an editor
Launching a book in the time of Covid
On Thursday, my third book was published. Speaking to my Mum on the phone, she said: 'well, you said you didn't want a book launch this year - now you haven't got one.' She was right - I had a big launch party for my second book last year, at the beautiful Hatchards bookshop in… Continue reading Launching a book in the time of Covid
Writing in a time of Covid
I'm writing this sat at my kitchen table, which is now where I spend the vast majority of my time. Occasionally, I move to the sofa, and once a day I go outside - into the streets of North London, with their shuttered up shops, their chalked warning signs, and their strange silence that descends… Continue reading Writing in a time of Covid
Introducing…The Babysitter
This week I revealed the cover of my third book, The Babysitter, over on Twitter and have had such a lovely response! Thank you so much to everybody who has shared it, it really does mean the world. This is actually my favourite jacket of my three novels - designed by the brilliant Anna Sikorska… Continue reading Introducing…The Babysitter
The Girl Next Door
I am finally able to reveal the cover for my second book, The Girl Next Door! I love this jacket so much - the designer Anna Sikorska has done an amazing job. It's always so nerve-wracking seeing your cover for your book (and this was actually not the first one I was shown) but I'm… Continue reading The Girl Next Door
Why reviews are so important for authors
My favourite review I’ve ever received from anyone was from a lady named Margaret, who gave The Doll House one star because ‘she hadn’t read it yet.’ While it did make me laugh, reviews like this are surprisingly common and of course they’re frustrating for authors because they can pull down your star rating. In… Continue reading Why reviews are so important for authors
Digital-first vs paperback publishing
As some of you might know, I am a big fan of digital publishing - my Kindle is my prized possession, it goes everywhere with me and the day my old one broke was a very dark day indeed (luckily, I got a new one WITH A BACKLIGHT)! As a commissioning editor, I have to… Continue reading Digital-first vs paperback publishing
My reads of 2017
As Christmas approaches (who am I kidding, in publishing Christmas pretty much begins in July!) I've been thinking about all the books I've read over the year, and what my favourites are - the ones I'd recommend to everybody, the ones I'll be wrapping up and putting under the tree. With my job as a… Continue reading My reads of 2017
Halloween giveaway!
The lovely folks over at With Love for Books are hosting a guest post from me, all about what Halloween means to me. They're also giving away a free bound copy of The Doll House, plus some Halloween sweets that I will send to the winner! If you want to check it out, and see… Continue reading Halloween giveaway!
Pigeonhole – the book club in your pocket!
I'm so excited to be partnering up with Pigeonhole, a digital serialisation company that will be giving away sections of my book, The Doll House, for FREE! It's very simple to join up and they will then deliver the full book (in sections) to your phone, along with extra content from me and the opportunity… Continue reading Pigeonhole – the book club in your pocket!