It’s been a blast! But, after more than two and a half years of monthly blogging, I’ve decided to hang up my GHB hat for a while to let another author take their turn. I’ve enjoyed writing for you and hearing your comments so much. Looking back over my blogs now, I’m amazed to see … Continue reading
My post this month isn’t really about books or writing (although it concerns a subject that lots of teen books feature). I want to write about an issue which I think is really important to all of us: relationship abuse. This week, a survey came out which revealed that almost half of 1,200 schoolchildren interviewed … Continue reading
Are you a London based GHBer? Then why not get yourself up (or down, depending where you live) to Wood Green in North London this weekend. The first Wood Green Literary Festival is taking place from today, 11th October to Sunday October 13th. There are loads of events for children and teenagers, featuring some of … Continue reading
When you’re a writer, the scariest thing you can imagine isn’t … Or this … It’s this: Yes. The blank piece of paper. With no words written on it. It’s like looking into the void. Sometimes, however hard you try, you can’t think of anything to write about. You simply have no… So what can … Continue reading
Traditionally, writers are supposed to be mysterious and solitary creatures, happiest when they’re hidden away in an attic room, typing frantically and having only sporadic human contact. Nobody is meant to know anything about them, until they die, and then somebody will pen a biography packed full of fascinating facts about their eccentricities and tortured … Continue reading
At seven p.m. on Friday August 9th, I died. And then I went to Hell with Christopher Eccleston (who you might remember used to be Doctor Who) and fellow GHB-er, Tamsyn Murray. Hell, I discovered, is very dark and shaky, and it tastes of lemon sherbert sweets. It’s hot too, but you knew that already. … Continue reading
I’m not going to tell you exactly how long ago I left school (because it’s too depressing to think about, and I’m not even sure I can count that high) but I will say that it’s now more than 20 years since I had a long summer break – those six, seven or even eight … Continue reading
When I was a teenager, I never felt like I fitted in. On the surface, nobody could tell. I was lucky – I always had lots of friends and boyfriends and I was never bullied – but I always felt slightly apart from the people I hung around with. My teenage diary is full of … Continue reading
Before you read my post, listen to this beautiful old song by Simon and Garfunkel… I think the first line is genius. Last week, a school in London announced that it was ‘banning’ best friends in case having them makes other children feel hurt or ostracised. The school thinks it would be better for children … Continue reading
My blog this month isn’t really about books or writing, although it was thinking about a writer that inspired this topic. When I was a teenager, I loved Emily Bronte’s only novel, Wuthering Heights. I remember being shocked to discover that she died, aged just 30, of complications from the common cold. A cold! Virtually … Continue reading
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