Write a monologue or duologue for us

To celebrate publication of the second book in our teen series, Waiting for Callback:Take Two we, together with First News and Simon & Schuster UK, are running a writing competition. All the details are on the competitions page of our website together with links to resources and helpful tips but in a nutshell we want entrants … Continue reading →

Time and Tomatoes by Ruth Fitzgerald

I have exactly 30 minutes to write this. Starting now! I have been talking to my Creative Writing students this week about time management. Time management is one of those things writers seem to struggle with greatly, and I am no exception. Having a new batch of students made me realise this is something I … Continue reading →

How do you choose the next book to read?

I love bookshops and libraries. I can spend hours looking at the different books, wondering which one to buy or borrow. But how do you make your choice when there are so many on offer? Do you go straight to the section that has your favourite author? Do you look at books that are aimed … Continue reading →

Tiny Foxes Lynn Huggins-Cooper

Just lately, my study has started to fill up with tiny foxes. They have come creeping along the bookcases and curled up on the desk. Foxes brought me my first writing success, when aged 4, I won a radio poetry competition with a fox who plagued a farmer. Today, I live next to a huge … Continue reading →

Guest Blogger: JULIA LEE

Julia used to be a regular blogger with GHB and we’re delighted to welcome her back with a fantastic blog about her brand new book NANCY PARKER’S SPOOKY SPECULATIONS, the second in the exciting Nancy Parker detective series! A Lowly Housemaid with Daring Dreams! by Julia Lee It’s lovely to be back at Girls Heart … Continue reading →

Cat Royal Diamond Tour by Julia Golding

To celebrate Cat Royal’s first adventure, The Diamond of Drury Lane, coming out as a Modern Classic this spring, she is going on an international Diamond Tour. If your school would like to take part in the fun, please talk to a teacher or librarian and let me know and I’ll see if her carriage … Continue reading →

Happy (Almost) Birthday, Louie the Unicorn, by Rachel Hamilton

I love birthdays. I particularly love book birthdays. And this time next week it will be the first birthday of my ‘Unicorn in New York’ series with OUP. The first book came out this time last year and I can’t tell you how fond I’ve become of Louie the Unicorn. I liked his dementedly optimistic personality from … Continue reading →

The Joy of Friendship by Sarah Webb

I’ve had the great joy and privilege of sharing my life with two very special women over the years. We first met when we were young teenagers and we’ve been best friends ever since. That’s a lot of time spent together! They are called Nicky and Tanya and they are remarkable women. Tanya works for … Continue reading →

A Monstrous Call?

This week along with many (many) other people, I blubbed, sniffed, and leaked my way through the film version of A Monster Calls. The film is adapted from the book by Patrick Ness (he also did the screenplay) which was inspired by an original idea by another Carnegie Medal winner,  Sioban Dowd. Sioban didn’t live long enough to … Continue reading →

Overcoming Obstacles by E.R. Murray

When you’re creating, things don’t always go according to plan. You can have a great idea that doesn’t work once you flesh it out, a wonderful first draft that won’t develop, or even a story that’s several drafts in yet refusing to behave. Sound familiar? Well, take a deep breath and relax – because this … Continue reading →