I swear when I wrote Drake, I literally heard Soulja Boy's voice saying, “DRAAAAAAKKKE!”

If you are reading this that means that you survived January! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Isn't it just the worst month? It's dark, cold, everyone is broke and it drags on for years. Even those born in January are annoyed because no-one can celebrate with them. So glad it's over!

I started 2019 with visuals from Chocolate City Comics. Isn't the Osaki Training School beautiful? Found out some months afterwards that the company is ran by a scam artist who I had to sue BUT the artwork is lovely! Silver lining and all that.

I am about five chapters away from the end of Emily Knight 3. I have no idea why it is taking me so long to do but it is driving me slightly insane. I hate when you know how close you are to the end but yet you are not at the end!! 

I went to Waterstones and saw my book on the shelf and one of the staff asked me to sign it. I was so cool but inside I was like AAAAHHH!! 

We ran our first event for The Author School and did a #Bookstagram class. I thought I knew Instagram but there was still so much I learnt from the session. I totally forgot about the Algorithm's and the best way to utilise it and it's made such a big difference in terms of engagement. Anyone that knows me knows that if I didn't have to be on social media for work, I wouldn't be. I defo wouldn't be on Instagram because I think the weirdest people are on there. I have never so many naked people than I have on Instagram but seeing that I have to be on it, I may as well learn the best ways to use it. Hopefully we can run the class again because it was really insightful. 

This month has been ALOT. I feel like as soon as I started back at work it has just been on another level of manic. I realised that I just need more help running the businesses so Helen and I have hired our first employee for Hashtag Press and The Author School. We haven't told them yet but it will just be such a massive help for us. We basically just need someone to organise our lives. Period. The companies are growing and there is no way we can get it to the next level working as we are. 

Then my bright ass thought let me get back into dance. Not dancing professionally, but teaching dance again. I have no idea why I thought it was a good idea. Only when I started it did I realise that my passion for teaching is gone. One of the jobs actually asked me if it was OK if another teacher came to my class to copy my choreo to teach her class! WTF?! I left that job quick. I think my time of teaching is just done and do you know what? That's okay! I wanted to work in publishing and I am living my dreams working in it and I just need to focus on that. 

Out 11th book came out today and our first for 2019! My Mini-Micro Mindset Manual by Neeta Oza. It's a cute, little A-Z book with tips on how to achieve a positive mindset and Neeta has been so proactive on social media, approaching her local bookstores - doing all the right things! I highly recommend this book. There are signed copies all over the gaff - Foyles, Daunts etc

Buy a copy here 

We launched Hashtag Press 2020!!! We are offering a traditional publishing contract to the best adult fiction, YA or middle-grade book. If you have one, please send the first three chapters to hashtagpress2020@hashtagpress.co.uk Closes September 2019!

I saw that Wireless Festival sold out super quick. As much as I love Cardi B,  I am still pissed that they never replaced her act when she cancelled last year cause she was pregnant. Also, I am scarred by the behaviour at that ratchet festival. Then I figured Wireless is ratchet. Cardi is ratchet. I need to be in the O2, where I can enjoy the ratchet behaviour safely from my seat. 

For London's Big Read, I am doing free monthly panel talks from Feb to June called Girls Can Do Anything. The theme is female empowerment in publishing and writing and I have the BEST speakers! The first session is Feb 6th at Library and it's all about being a girl boss in this crazy publishing industry with guest speakers, Charlie Morris (Little Tiger/Stripes), Hannah Sheppard (literary agent) and Gillian McAllister (author, and she has come to The Author School before). Use code; girlscandoanything2019 and get a free ticket. Get your FREE ticket here! 

Has R.Kelly been arrested yet? I need an update. If you haven't watched Surviving R.Kelly, you need to like yesterday.

The kids at church was showing me these new dance moves and I seriously felt like an Aunty. I have no idea what they were doing, what these songs were. There was one move Tahillah did, and it was this odd twisty type move. 

Me: Oh, it's like the twist.

She looked HORRIFIED!

Me: Hey! Don't make that face, that's not even my era!

I swear these kids get cheekier by the second. 

I really wanted to see the Dragon Ball Z movie and I thought who could I go with? My brother was in London for a few weeks and it was his bday so I suggested we should go. Do you know how he responded? "Meh." That's what he said to me. Please believe this guy practically forced me to watch Dragon Ball Z growing up and now he says, "Meh" to me! 

YOU on Netflix. O-M-G. 

So Drake was selling tickets for his concert for £170! Can we take a second. Those same seats Drake is selling for that price, when I first saw him in O2, I paid £60 and back then I was like, “£60 FOR DRAKE!” I swear when I wrote Drake, I literally heard Soulja Boy's voice saying, “DRAAAAAAKKKE!”