Articles and blogs

The Power – a dystopian classic in the making
Around this time last year, I was lucky enough to attend a Society of Authors

You don’t scare me
When the TV series Dr Who first screened in the early 1960s, the props departments

Quotes from inspiring women
Three of my favourite quotes have been featured in the That’s What She Said project run

Yuyoi Kusama collaboration
What a joyful evening visiting the Kusama / Louis Vuitton collaboration at London’s Harrods with

University recommends Rockstar Ending
Goldsmiths University has included Rockstar Ending on the reading for its Ethical Computing course. I did my postgraduate degree on

I made the grown-ups cry
My final author engagement of 2022 was an interview with the ‘Look Mum, No Hands!’

Seasonal chillers
It is almost three years since I took my first tentative steps to becoming a

They’ll Never Allow It
On Tuesday this week, I asked a question to Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Secretary of

Share the book club buzz
October has already delivered another fun first in my author career. A local book club

Do you want to go to the moon?
How do you see the future of the human race? I had to give that

Ten, Nine, Eight… performance
Ever since I first heard David Bowie’s 1969 album Space Oddity, I have been haunted

Barnhill – where Orwell’s 1984 was born
I’m just back from the trip of a lifetime to the far-flung Scottish Island of

Dynamite Gerry Anderson documentary
On Saturday I was privileged to attend the premiere of a new TV documentary about

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
If you think an author’s life is all about being stuck in front of a

My Wigan Orwell Weekend
We recently celebrated the 85th anniversary of George Orwell’s ground-breaking piece of social journalism, The

My bookish brunch with @Jaffareadstoo
I was recently interviewed by friendly and prolific book blogger Jo for her website Jaffareadstoo.

Signed books at beautiful Broadhursts
Author’s perks. What better excuse to visit a warm and welcoming independent bookshop than when

You Must Write It
Four years ago this Toni Morrison quote changed my life: If there’s a book you

News for the folks back home
It means a lot to me that I made it into the local newspaper in

Radio roundup
Appearing on numerous BBC radio stations over the past month seemed the most pandemic-friendly way to
Memoir
I made the grown-ups cry
My final author engagement of 2022 was an interview with the ‘Look Mum, No Hands!’ podcast. I didn’t intend to make Sarah Sharman and Daniel Confino, the podcast hosts, cry. But that was what happened. If you listen carefully, you might even hear me rummaging for a tissue and passing it over the mixing desk, with those immortal words, ‘It’s
Do you want to go to the moon?
How do you see the future of the human race? I had to give that question some serious thought When Nathan Price (aka @GadgetNate) asked to interview me as part of his mega-ambitious Countdown to the Moon project. I was kindly introduced to Nathan by fellow dystopian author J. M. Tompkins. Nathan has already interviewed more than a thousand people,