Summertime, in the book world, means getting out there, going to a vast convention centre or a muddy field, and meeting people.
Right now, as soon as I’ve finished the copy edit for Unveiling Venus, I’m off to the Edinburgh Festival to take part in and chair a couple of events. I’ll be there on Sunday and Monday, so if you’re around, please come and see me and Natasha Farrant and say hello. And ideally have some tea and cake.
Later on, starting in September, I’m participating in the fantastic #Stagetopage tour masterminded by Rhian Ivory, the author of Hope, who has banded lots of us boybandlit/YAmusic writers together to go round the country talking about books and music. We’ll be in Waterstones Piccadilly (London) on 22 September and are currently booking dates for Oxford, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Brighton and beyond. So wherever you are, look out for us. The band includes Rhian, Sheena Wilkinson, Chris Russell and Eleanor Wood – all of whose books are perfect summer reads.
And I’ve been so busy planning books (I’ve got some great new ideas I can’t wait to write) and editing that I haven’t said what a wonderful time I had at a history girls panel in Waterstones Guildford last month (THEY ARE AMAZING IN THAT SHOP. GO THERE AND BUY EVERYTHING) with Catherine Johnson and Alison Goodman, all the way over from Australia. We’d all written books set in the eighteenth and nineteenth century and what we can’t tell you about historical research can be written on the back of a Penny Black. Plus, we were wearing excellent frocks. It was a good night.
Then onto YALC at ComiCon in Olympia, for a panel on Heroines. I’ll update this later with a report of what we got up to, but the room was packed, the audience was fabulous and we all had a good time.
Now I really must pack. Edinburgh soon. I’m getting into the Festival mood.