life of a street dancer

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...

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 ...

We're almost at the end of 2020 and I realised this is my last blog before I do my annual year review blog! I'm finally in the Christmas spirit and ready to eat all that food. The amount of chocolate goods in my house is very disturbing and the fact more is coming today is...anyway let's not get into that! It's weird because it doesn't feel like Christmas and I think it's because I haven't been out loads and been around the Christmas lights and my Starbucks Gingerbread Latte, which I heard isn't even around this year. What is going on?! We're now in Tier 4 which is just lockdown, so God knows why they don't just say lockdown *rolls eyes* but luckily I'm not really affected because where am I going anyway?  I'm on the last season of Orange is the New Black and this famous shit season, I thought was pretty good! I randomly was watching this Arianna Grande doc on Netflix. I have no idea why but I didn't hate it. I've gone pink! I...

It's almost Christmas!!!!!!!!! I don't think I've been this excited about Christmas since I was a kid. The fact that I can sit down, eat, watch Netflix and all my movies, read books and NOT HAVE TO WORK, I can't actually wait.  I met this kid in Tesco and I ended up talking to him and his mum about my book. He asked me to tell him what my book was about and I said, “If Harry Potter, X-Men and Dragon Ball Z were rolled into one person it would be Emily Knight.” He told his mum to buy the book for Xmas!  I'm praying that 2021 is a better year for everyone and just less dramatic. That presidential campaign got me all kinds of stressed and I don't even live in the States. But there is a female vice president. The first ever and she's Black/Indian—I just love that so much. I think we all need some calm so Lord please bring calmness. A few weeks ago I felt so stressed and was trying so hard to keep it together. Last week was shit as well. Our Christmas book got ca...

Next week we will be in 2020. How crazy is that? I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Mine was good. I got stuck doing the cooking again! But there was no arguing so a success! It's always so strange that gap between Christmas and New Years because I feel like there's all this stuff I want to do before the year is up and yet just chilling out has been the best. This break has been so overdue and I am really loving just moving at this glacier speed. I told myself I would have finished my new book by the end of the year...yeah I love how ambitious I am! I haven't worked on it since I've had my break. I just clocked this morning that my third book is out in just over 9 months. Why that gives me anxiety I have no idea! I am debating whether to have a book launch party. I just don't know if I can be asked to organise it. Next year is already looking full on. Grrrr I just need another me really. I was thinking about my highlights for the year and one of them was de...

Can you believe Christmas is almost here? This year has seriously blown by. I feel like I was just in Wakanda for my birthday literally the other day. So one of the exciting things I wanted to mention in my last blog is...my book is shortlisted for London's Big Read 2019! Emily Knight I am...Awakened has been doing so well and now it's up against 14 books and it's up to the public to vote for their fav book. Voting starts World Book Day 2019. We had the launch party for it, with the other authors, family, friends and press. I had to do some interviews and I got to go on London Live to talk about my book! I have no idea why I thought London Live was radio and not live TV. All Helen told me was not to be late. I totally forgot that I had my first BookBrunch committee meeting but thankfully they were fine with me missing this one. Of course this was the day when there was diversions and cancelled trains. I had to be there at 5 and the building was next to the station. At 4....

Happy New Year All! I hope everyone has had a great start to the year. I was re-reading my old posts and this time last year, your girl was going through it! All my contracts were drying up and I was trying to stay chirpy but it was an epic fail. Thankfully my start to the year has been pretty good. My first press is........ Cosmopolitan!! I'm still pinching myself. Such a cool way to start the year. Here's some screen shots of my interview but read more at the link below. http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/worklife/careers/a14471156/changing-careers-tips-advice/ New Years Eve was fun! Church this year was at 4pm so we were done from about half 6 and all of us didn't know what to do. All the boring people decided to just go to bed lol. Me and Ebru went to VQ in Tottenham Court Road and celebrated with of course food. She was late meeting me and I had to be seated next to a table with all these guys who thought I had been stood up! We asked the manager if they do a c...

Merry Christmas!!!!!!! I seriously can't believe we are here already. I remember last Christmas like it happened a few months ago. I have already changed my food mentality. Had pizza for breakfast and cake for lunch and I worked out all week for the privilege. So this is my second to last post of the year. I know guys, sad times but I think my 2018 posts are going to be even better than this year. God willing great and hilarious things continue to happen that I can share with you all. I had my mini's do a dance performance to  O Holy Night  for Christmas and I had one of the best ideas I've had all year! I wanted Shiloh, who is about 10 months, to be dressed as an angel and to be sitting in the middle, while the little ones dance around her. See her mum got my vision but some people (Anneliese) didn't and guess what? It worked perfectly! My mini's were super cute and then you had Shi sitting on this little white seat swinging her fat little ...

Happy New Year!! I hope everyone is having a great start to the year. I'm part of the team that is not having the best start. You know when the year starts and you're pumped up with good vibes, and you have this new year, new me attitude? I tried guys, but it's been testing so far. I just feel exhausted. I think last term was way too much. I took on loads of work and I was done with life. Christmas break needed to be at least three months, it went way too quick and I am still not ready to get back on the grind. First week in the new year and some of my contracts came back telling me, “We're not sure if we can re-start the session.” Great bloody start to the year. I decided not to freak out and just let God do what he does best. Thankfully, it worked out and I feel more balanced with the work load, but the hustle of being self employed is so real. I really didn't pick an easy life. On the plus side, I officially have cover art for the re-branding of Emily Knight...

I can't believe that it's Christmas Eve already! This year has flown by and this is my second to last post of the year. This term has been extremely busy and to be honest, I am amazed that I got through it all without getting ill or having a breakdown! It's made me think carefully about next year and what I really want to continue and what I don't. I don't want to feel that stressed and rushed off my feet again - well, at least if I can help it. You can't reach Beyonce level, without a little sweat. All of my classes did their Christmas show and did amazing at that. To be honest, I was surprised because if you saw them in class, you wouldn't know which way the coin would land. Our Christmas Guest service at church was fantastic! There were so many dance pieces including one with my lovely mini's and with the dad's and lads, who performed Men In Black. They all knocked it out of the park and I honestly couldn't be prouder. I think the dad'...

October 13th will be a day that goes down in history. Hashtag Press launched at the same time we found out that we were FINALISTS for The Great British Entrepreneur Awards because of The Author School. I literally felt like I was dreaming! To launch something that has been one of my dreams for years and then to get shortlisted for an award, I had no idea that we even had a shot at was such an incredible feeling. The awards was yesterday and in the end Helen and I didn't go cause the tickets were too expensive, even with the discounts and we needed the money to book our room for March. I was stalking Twitter like a crazy person and unfortunately we didn't win the Micro business category. I am really not a good loser lool and I was so annoyed! I spent 3 hours the night before updating our website as well. I have no idea what you even win–bragging rights? At least we can always say we were finalists, that's still a massive achievement. On a positive note, my cover art for ...

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve. This year has zoomed past like crazy and now this is my second to last blog of 2015. Sad face. I am proud to say that I have the full cover art for Emily Knight 2 and a book title! I am so excited to see it all come to life.The cover art is stunning. I get really anxious when it's time for change and everyone knows how much I love Giles Greenfield's work so not using him for my second book was a bummer. Especially because Emily Knight is a series and so it needs to be consistent in the branding. I used Alexandra Artigas and she is a boss. She slam dunked the cover art. I've been going through the revision notes from my editor - not my fav part of writing a book - but I know that it will only make the story stronger and clearer. Octopus Publishing contacted me because they found this awesome blog and wanted to send me a new dance book that's come out. I was like cool and then they said, we'll just send you others  - al...

There’s a saying ‘Give honour, where honour is due’, so I want to give honour to Nelson Mandela. A true hero and light in our world. What he achieved in his life was so beautiful, if I could make a quarter of the difference he made whilst alive, I would be so honoured. I love how the world is celebrating his life - just full of bright colours, dancing and songs. Beautiful. It's funny, I have heard so much racism amongst black people, which is embarrassing for everyone. This black West Indian man was cussing Africans. He is obviously an idiot as he is cussing himself. It just shows the ignorance of people and their own culture. So sad. R.I.P to Paul Walker. I'm not the biggest Fast and Furious fan but he is one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. I have a major publishing company, like MAJOR reading Emily right now. The story to how this happened is so amazing but I will share and reveal publishers once I know what’s going on. Let's all pray for life changing decis...