2013 = Where To Start?

So another year has gone and it's healthy to reflect on the great stuff that has happened, so we don't get caught in this 'I didn't get etc' attitude, so here are my highlights of the year.

- Getting Beyonce, JT and Drake tickets for 2014
- Being a part of my first ever charity as an Author, the 'Think Christmas, Think Books' Campaign
- Starting a creative arts school for young people, Co-Star ARTS
- Filming my first ever dance video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTPmzehxBLQ
- Getting the best press for Emily Knight, interviews and awesome reviews
- Almost reaching 10,000 likes on Emily FB Page, I think I'm 400 likes away
- Getting in trouble with security for being too close to Buckingham Palace
- Signed to Raimondi and Campbell Literary Agency. Dream!
- Going to my first ever festival, Wireless and seeing Jay-Z, Iggy Azalea, Miguel, Kendrick Lamar, Calvin Harris and getting through the whole day only spending a tenner.
- London Book Fair
- The CBBC showing interest in adaption of Emily
- Getting screen time in 'Street Dance AllStars The Movie'
- Receiving a copyright certificate from Library of Congress, USA
- Meeting publishers from HarperCollins at work, who were amazing to me
- Meeting a Les Twin (Laurent, i think)
- Seeing one of the best musicals ever, The Bodyguard
- Royalty cheques
- More dance work
- Seeing The Rain Room at The Barbican

This year has been very cool and I'm excited to see what 2014 brings for me. One thing for sure, will be a traditional publishing contract so watch this space. Thank you so much for the support!

Have a great New Years Eve and see you next year!!

Comments

I have a new book out!

That's right book 4 is out! This is my first anthology and it's absolutely gorgeous. I was asked to be part of The Very Merry Murder Club maybe a few weeks after my dad and I remember just thinking why is this opportunity coming now?! And it's with Farshore and imprint of HarperCollins. There's no way I can do it. I literally couldn't write. My agent Gemma spoke to me and the editors knew what had happened to me so it was really up to me. I prayed on it and God said to me you're not going to feel this way in October so I said yes. I won't lie I was worried that I really couldn't write this book but thank God for his strength and amazing agent and now it's here! I've been ill all week but I saw loads of pic on social and my copy hasn't come yet so I dragged myself to Waterstones Islington to take pics of the book on the shelves. The booksellers were looking at me like are you going to buy this book. HA! The amazing thing is I have even more ...

In the words of Carrie Bradshaw and just like that I was a YA author

It feels like the right time but this will be my last entry. I know! I've been writing in this blog for TEN YEARS but this year it just felt off. I couldn't pinpoint why that was but the other day I realised I started this blog because I was a dancer who was trying to understand the publishing world. I also was so scared of anyone reading my work hence why I started a blog. Ten years later I have fulfilled my goals! Back in May I had finished my first YA book, a love story based around a Black owned bookshop in Stoke Newington. How I wrote this book when I was heartbroken I have no idea. I vaguely remember sitting on the couch with headphones on playing O Holy Night on repeat at 3am writing. I made my deadline and I wasn't sure if the book was good. My first round of submission for another book had very conflicting feedback and honestly I didn't have it in me to experience that again. I just wanted a deal. Fast forward to September 21st and my book was sent on submissio...

My meeting with an agent

Those of you who have been following this blog from the beginning will know that I've been trying for years to get an agent. Well I have the best news...I HAVE A LITERARY AGENT!!!!!!!! Omg I was in so much shock when they responded and it wasn't the rejection letter I was used too. You're probably wondering how did this happen right? Remember when I went to The London Book Fair? My PR told me to go through the exhibition directory and message all the literary agents for a meeting. Whilst I was doing that, most of them had links to their sites so I figured why not submit for the thousandth time, you never know. The directory is super long so I got bored doing it and Helen (PR) kept emailing 'Have you finished it?' All I can say is thank Jesus that she did that because that's when I submitted to Raimondi and Campbell. I got a response to read the whole of the novel. Now I've been at this position before and it usually ends there, so I sent the book in. Th...

life of a street dancer

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