I’m delighted to share this news that THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF LOVE has been signed by award-winning, climate-positive publisher SRL. The book is about a shy tunnel engineer whose best friend is trapped on a reality television show, based in a shiny new country where popularity is prized above all else.
It’s been a strange year – one of those authors go through sometimes – in which novel-writing has been slow or tricky, and instead I’ve done what I term the ‘marginalia’ of a writer’s life – other things that around the margins of writing actual books. So this year, I’ve been a mentor on the…
The premise of my third book – about narcissism and celebrity culture – is potentially controversial. It was when I read The Narcissism Epidemic that I realised there was any scope whatsoever for questioning the mantra – so entrenched – that you have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. While I don’t want to argue against the value of valuing oneself, is this particular statement true? Aren’t there people with low self-esteem who still foster a deep love and admiration for others? If self-esteem really is a prerequisite, then what happens when it creeps towards the other end of the scale… towards narcissism, which is well known to be detrimental to relationships?
This lockdown, I’m taking part in #SignForOurBookshops, a national show of support from UK authors, urging people to keep buying through bookshops by offering exclusive signed bookplates. As you can see below I have some bespoke book plates (stickers that can be signed and attached to your book) designed to match the cover of The…
I’m sure many writers have found that during lockdown they are pulled two ways.
Arlo Knott is finally out in the world, having been launched at a sell-out event at Storysmith Books, Bristol. With fabulous hosting from Hugo award-winning sci-fi critic and publisher Cheryl Morgan, we talked about having an undo button for life, plus the power of hindsight, quantum physics and snakes and ladders. The room was packed…
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is being launched on 1 August 2019 in Bristol.
At last, the beautiful cover of my new book is out in the world! The designer, Ellen Rockwell of Orbit UK, has done an amazing job capturing the surreal, heightened reality of Arlo’s life. The snake is reminiscent of what he grapples with, his powerful, fabulous ego, and the scales seem to disintegrate almost as…
This will be my second appearance at MCM Comic Con at London’s excel centre. This is where I’ll be if you want to say hello: Saturday 14:00pm – 14:45pm – Creator Stage: Literary Young Guns – Writing a novel is tough work. Getting one published is even tougher. Join Moderator and debut author Tade Thompson…
A lovely surprise to find Everything About You mentioned on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book as one of Peter F. Hamilton’s top six science fiction books. Peter F. Hamilton is the bestselling author of numerous sci-fi novels including the Greg Mandel series and the Night’s Dawn trilogy. Everything About You was one of the more contemporary…
Local authors for local people: Forbidden Planet Bristol set up this excellent table display… You can see Everything About You reviewed in the Daily Mail, Sunday Sport and Guardian. One of my favourites is this intelligent and insightful review from Blue Book Balloon. “We can, if we want, keep the option of living our own…
Launch day! Everything About You finally hit the shelves today, and signings took place at Goldboro books in London and Forbidden Planet London and Bristol.
Everything About You by Heather Child exclusive cover reveal! The new title for Smartface is Everything About You We are becoming more familiar with the idea that we are products online, our identity bundled up to allow advertisers to target us with ever-increasing precision. The smartface takes this a step further: knowing everything…
PRESS RELEASE | 18 May 2017 Little, Brown Book Group imprint Orbit is delighted to announce the acquisition of Smartface, an exceptional debut by Bristol-based author Heather Child. Senior commissioning editor Jenni Hill acquired world rights in two crossover novels from Julie Crisp of the Julie Crisp Literary Agency, and Smartface will be published…
