YA books

By day, she researches the poetry of John Donne as a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. But in the evening, when Dr Katherine Rundell wants a bit of comfort, she reads Paddington. "As an adult, the thing I love about Paddington is that the structure Michael Bond has built into his books is one of hope. Things which appear to be negative turn out to be just cogs in the greater machine.  Read more

You've written your book, hired editors, produced print and e-book editions, planned a marketing campaign, and are ready for launch -- but have you considered the little things - like your author photo?

Almost anyone who has spent time in the query trenches knows how challenging it is to capture the attention of a literary agent. Most agents, even new agents eager to build their client list, pass on over 90 percent of the queries they receive.  Read more

Being an author is hard. There's no way around it. Some days, the prose will spring onto the page almost without effort. On others, it will be an exercise in stagnation and frustration as you stare at a blank screen in a fit of writer's doubt. Oh, and the actual writing often isn't the hard part. Authors and writers often work from a deeply personal place.  Read more