Storytelling for the page and the screen
Thanks to @stokeybookshop for hosting our event on storytelling for the page and the screen. We had a fabulous audience of friends, locals and students who had some great questions up their sleeves. @katetaylorldn did the most brilliant job as chair, asking us about authorship, dialogue, adaptation, AI and the future of storytelling, truth telling, who makes the best lunches and takes criticism the best… and so much more. Looking forward to doing it all again @sevenoaksbookshop #thelastweekend
Stoke Newington Bookshop
Stoke Newington Bookshop are hosting a conversation between Tom (screenwriter, husband) and I on the differences between writing for the page and the screen. We’ll discuss all sorts from world building, budgets, differences in working process, ideas generation, inspiration, audience expectation and the role of story-tellers.
9th June at 6.30pm @stokenewingtonbookshop
Netgalley readers
Thanks to all the Netgalley readers who kindly reviewed my book. A few posted here:
In conversation with Emma Jane Unsworth for Margate Bookshop
On Thursday 1st May I had the absolute pleasure of chatting to the brilliant Emma Jane Unsworth about her new book SLAGS for the lovely people at Margate Bookshop. Since reading her article for The Guardian on post natal depression in 2019 I’d hoovered up everything Emma had written for both the screen and the page from her extraordinary memoir AFTER THE STORM to her novels ANIMALS and ADULTS, her brilliant adaptation of ANIMALS for the screen starring Holliday Grainger and Alia Shawkat, and DREAMLAND for Sky starring Lily Allen (which I had the pleasure of doing some work on for a potential series 2)
We talked female friendships, Lynx, physics, 4am starts and so much more. SLAGS is out now. It has one of the best jokes I’ve read in a long time, a perfect passive aggressive tea making scene, and two sisters you won’t hesitate to join day and night on a milestone trip across Scotland.
Sevenoaks Bookshop
From Page to Screen: Storytelling Across Mediums
Thursday 12th June, 7.30pm
Tickets: Sevenoaks Bookshop
Join couple Tom Edge and Hannah Begbie for a lively discussion exploring the differences between novel writing and screenwriting. We’ll dive into the creative processes, world-building challenges, and how authorship changes in collaborative vs. solo work. Discover how audience expectations shape structure and tone, and how evolving reading and viewing habits are influencing storytellers today. Whether you’re a reader, writer, or film buff, this conversation will spark fresh insights into the art of storytelling.
Inner Voices
Sirin Kale, one of my favourite journalists, asked me about how my writerly inner voice manifests but I said it’s the same all the time: if it’s not being interviewed by Jenni Murray, it’s like a pub at closing time. Read the full Guardian article here.
Interviewing debut thriller writers Abby Davies and Allie Reynolds
Authors Allie Reynolds and Abby Davies were kind enough to discuss their brilliant debut thrillers with me. We cover everything from influences, inspiration and bodies preserved in the ice outcrops of the Alps. Abby’s novel ‘Mother Loves Me’ is out now with HarperCollins and has some fabulous reviews already. Allie’s ‘Shiver’ is out early next year with Headline and is set to be a massive hit.
Chatting with author Harriet Tyce
Chatting with Sunday Times best-selling author of ‘Blood Orange’ for the HarperFiction YouTube channel. Here we talk about our newest novels (Harriet’s brilliantly tense ‘The Lies You Told’ is out now) and all sorts of issues from MeToo, women in the workplace and that difficult third album.
Interview with David Nicholls
I’ve been lucky enough to interview David Nicholls twice now and each time 'I’ve been endlessly impressed both by how he talks about his writing and his exceptionally lovely personality. ‘One Day’ is one of my favourite books. His adaptations of the Patrick Melrose novels for Sky is one of my favourite TV dramas. This interview was done for The Great Big Book Club just before Us, adaptation of his Booker long-listed novel by the same name, began airing on BBC One. If you’re watching Us at the moment, you will know it is as funny, powerful and poignant as anything he’s written. Thoroughly recommend.
Clare Mackintosh Book Club
From 20th September the members of Sunday Times best-selling Clare Mackintosh’s Book Club discussed Blurred Lines. We did an author Q and A on 30th September when everyone got a chance to ask their questions. It was a complete joy. You can find the Q and A here:
Standard Issue podcast
I talked about Blurred Lines with the awesome Mickey Noonan. Here’s the clip, but you should check out their whole podcast series. It’s great.
The Great Big Book Club Author of the Week
Delighted to be The Great Big Book Club’s Author of the Week. Watch out for my interview with David Nicholls, coming soon.
#HarperFictionFriday
Follow the discussion and ask your questions about Blurred Lines on Twitter at #HarperFictionFriday this Friday 11th September at 1pm
Blogger review round-up
A big thanks to Anne Cater and Jen Harlow for organising the Blurred Lines blog tour. Here’s a round-up of reviews:
'A twisted chiller dripping with menace and tension that will hold readers in its grip throughout' Bookish Jottings
'I found myself turning the pages without stopping for breath, so engrossed in Becky’s story' Short Book and Scribes
'Engaging and exciting, she’s a writer who needs to be on your radar' My Chestnut Reading Tree
'It was addictive reading … with one of the best twists of 2020' Handwritten Girl
'I am blown away by the brutal honesty of this book. There will be so many women who nod, and feel that this could so easily be about their lives' Book 'n' Banter
'Blurred Lines is highly readable and its subject is, without doubt, important, topical, relevant' The Literary Shed
'An absolute rollercoaster of a read … a fantastic gem of a read' Book Lover
'I devoured it in a few hours because once I started, I didn’t want to stop' The Book Lover's Boudoir
'A well written absorbing read!' Intensive Gassing About Books
Kindle Monthly Deal
Blurred Lines is 99p on Kindle for a limited time only. Buy here: smarturl.it/BlurredLinesEB
Clare Mackintosh Book Club pick
20th August was publication day and the day Blurred Lines was chosen as September’s pick for Clare Mackintosh’s Book Club. I’m a massive fan of Clare’s books and had so much fun interviewing her last year around the launch of best-selling ‘After The End’ in hardback. She spoke brilliantly and touchingly about the ethics and background of the story.
More details about the book club in Clare’s newsletter here: https://bit.ly/2E0WHH5
Buy a copy from her indie partner @MostlyReading here https://bit.ly/31bvBFI
And join the FB reading group here (spoiler-free till 20/09): https://bit.ly/2PBRhEq
