Two of my writing heroes, Peter James and Peter Swanson, have kindly given me a quote for the book cover of my next thriller, The Stolen Child . And two of my favourite psychological thriller writers Holly Seddon, and Amanda Jennings, have also... Read more
In my thriller, Bone by Bone , there are three generations of female characters – Autumn, who is nine years old, and is being bullied at school; her mother, Laura, who, like her child, is shy and unconfident, and her rather more forthright... Read more
BONE BY BONE SUPPORTS ANTI-BULLYING CHARITY, KIDSCAPE I’m so delighted – Bone by Bone will be out in paperback this week! I’m donating 10 % of any profits I make to anti-bullying charity, Kidscape . Here’s a short video with five tips for children to help them stop the bullies: And here’s a... Read more
WHO AM I? FINDING OURSELVES IN OTHERS Last week I gave the keynote speech at Sidcot School’s Peace Festival. It was a double honour, because it was also the launch of the James O’Connell Peace Field. Named after my Dad, the field is full of wild flowers and several... Read more
LONGLISTED FOR THE IAN FLEMING STEEL DAGGER AWARD! I’m so delighted – I’ve been longlisted for The Crime Writer’s Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award . I can’t quite believe BONE BY BONE is alongside Lee Child’s MAKE ME and Julia Heaberlin’s BLACK-EYED SUSANS. Ian Fleming said there was one essential criterion for a good thriller – that ‘one simply... Read more
Novelist Sanjida Kay has just published her latest book, a psychological thriller called ‘Bone by Bone’. She is donating a percentage of her profits to Kidscape – she explains why. I went to ten different schools and I was bullied... Read more
In my last News post, I mentioned that I was donating a percentage of my profits from Bone by Bone to Kidscape , the anti-bullying charity. I gave five tips for parents who want to help prevent their child from being bullied. This week... Read more
I’m delighted to announce that I’m donating a percentage of the profits from my thriller, Bone by Bone, to the anti-bullying charity, Kidscape. ‘This is a terrific novel which really brings to life the desperate situations families find themselves in... Read more
I recently judged the Bristol Short Story Prize for the second year running. This year there were 2,420 entries from all over the world. My fellow judges – agent, Rowan Lawton, radio producer, Sara Davies and writer, Nikesh Shukla – and I read forty... Read more
All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. Friedrich Nietzsche I’ve just got back from a long weekend hiking in the Lake District. We were blessed with amazingly beautiful weather for the start of April and climbed Scafell Pike. Not... Read more
We’ve just got back from our annual spring holiday in Trelowarren, Cornwall . I love holidays! I believe they’re absolutely crucial for boosting creativity. To be honest, I didn’t once think about the thriller I’m writing at the moment – but I... Read more
There is something sweet and sickly in the air. It’s ten years since my book on sugar, Sugar: The Grass that Changed the World , was published. Next week I’ve been asked to open a conference at Bristol University on sugar – covering many of the topics... Read more
I’m an award-winning thriller & nature non-fiction writer. I teach writing to people who want to be published.
