life of a street dancer

One word. Homecoming. Everyone that knows me knows that I'm obsessed with Beyonce. I just love her work ethic and that she commits 100% to whatever she does AND does it well. I saw online about her Netflix film and please believe, my break from work was re-living Beychella. Just the energy I needed for my day. I love that she dropped it around this years Coachella  - just to remind people how sick she was. But what I really love is how she is showing the world black culture and in it's best light. It just reminded me how far we've come but also how much harder we have to work to be seen in the best light. It just pushes me to do better. Speaking of culture, there's a whole situation with UK YA authors and white authors trying to write stories using Black and Asian people's cultures. Listen it's 2019. How are people still confused about this? Stop trying to make money from other people's cultures! Black people have dealt with this for years but what I was ...

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 cla...

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....

Thanks to those who read my last blog about diversity in publishing. I know it was a more 'serious' tone than my usual blogs but it's a conversation that needs way more action and me and Helen had to get that of our chests. Now....I am 30 on Monday! I literally can't deal. I won't be in my 20's anymore. I am excited about my Wakanda themed birthday party on Saturday, although I have no idea what I'm doing for my actual birthday on Monday but even planning this party has got me exhausted. My skirt that was made for me was too poofy and then the designer was trying to argue with me that it was fine! Err what? Got it amended and then had to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a strapless bra because the bigger the boobs, the more expensive a bra is, which really sucks. A great present would be money and lots of it! I know alot of people hated their 20's but I LOVED my 20's. I admit it started off pretty shit. I was in a bad relationship for years...

In less than a month I will be 30 years old. Oh gosh.  On the plus side I am having a Wakanda themed bash so that should be fun. My only worry is my outfit is being made for me and have been working out more so I'm just hoping the fit is still okay. I am trying to be more positive about turning 30. I think I ain't done too bad in life and it can only get better right? Still waiting for my McMansion but hopefully that comes as soon as 7am strikes on the 6th August. Hey if you don't ask, you don't get! Loving this beautiful weather! I'm sitting in my garden writing this blog and thinking why have I not done that before? I ordered some garden furniture of eBay and then an extra chair from Ikea. Then eBay tells me that the seller that I brought the garden furniture from may or may not be legit. What?! But the latest delivery is 10th July so I have to wait to see if it comes. So now I'm sitting outside with my 1 Ikea chair minus the table and umbrella. I just can...

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 honestly say, hand on heart, that this year has been flipping awesome! I was writing down all of the cool things that have happened and I was so surprised that it was literally double the blessings from last year. 2015, I went into it with big dreams and less fear and it worked. God has been amazing and I have had so many fun and new opportunities. I feel that I have grown a lot and I feel more zen, which is a great feeling. I cannot wait for 2016! I'll be releasing my second book! Can you believe it?? And my aim is to have at least three books out by the time I am thirty. Here are my highlights for the year  - Launching The Author School with Helen, the launch party at Beaufort House, the first session with the amazing speakers  - Launching The Lil' Author Skool  - Finishing my dance story, hopefully to be released by 2017  - Finishing the second book in the Emily Knight series  - Funding from Virgin StartUp and going to Virgin HQ  - The Londo...

Emily Knight 2 has officially been sent off to the editors. The ball is rolling people! I feel excited but nervous. There is something about putting a book out there that is so daunting. I think the story is good and hopefully the editor doesn't come back with 'this is crap' kind of notes. I am defo going to re-publish Emily Knight I AM and I am now in talks with a cover designer to re-brand the books. I am still always amazed that I actually released a book at 23. Talk about some balls. I am still in two minds about who I will publish the books with. I have a company in mind but let's just say that it will be an investment. A pretty big one, that could work out to be life changing but I'm still debating. My other issue was the title. Initially I wanted to stick with the I AM theme but I didn't like any of the other I AM titles so that went out of the window. I have got a name that I think is cool and makes sense to the book but all will be revealed very soon...

First blog of 2015!! Hope everyone has had a great start to the year and over the January blues. The weather was so awful so glad it's warming up a bit. Got lots to tell you lot! One of my new years resolutions was to do less dance and more writing. I really want to get to a point where the publishing community see my name so much they are sick of it! So I have two brand new ideas that's all to help YOU amazing story tellers The first one is called The Author School, which is for three different types of people. 1 - dream of writing a book but  have no idea how to even start their story. 2 - people who have written their book and now their thinking should I self publish? Get an agent? How do I do either of those? 3 - the published authors but what to do once the book is out? There's still so much to do once you're published That's why me and my PR Helen Lewis, want to educate everyone. I'm soooo excited!!! And the best thing is you're getting a truck...

So we've come to the end of another year. It seems to be flying by right? This year has been some amazing highs and low lows. I've had some great opportunities and a lot of situations and people, that are not positive, have gone out of my life and I couldn't be happier. I have never really experienced death before but my Granddad dying was a hard one for the family and then a family friend died as well. Then on top of that a lot of talented people that I looked up to died - Sue Townsend (author), Maya Angelou, Robin Williams, Joan Rivers. I actually had a goal that I would be interviewed by Joan on Fashion Police to play 'Bitch Stole My Look.' I have had a lot of close calls with publishers. Unfortunately I haven't got the deal yet but it seems a lot of people in the industry are starting to know me which is amazing. I even had a publisher come to a reading and say she came just to see me! Also a publisher is interested in Emily as a trilogy. Let's see if I...

One word. Drake. He is amazing!! I wasn't expecting him to be amazing but he was bloody amazing!! Wasn't really looking forward to him but OMG he can shut it down. His energy on stage, from beginning to end and I swear he sang every song he has ever done.  It felt like the best party you would ever go to. I don't even fancy Drake but when he brought a girl on stage from the audience, I felt very possessive of him. Chelsea looked like she was going to explode. It was so hilarious.  I actually don't know what I would do if I was called on to the stage. I don't get embarrassed easily but for Drake..... Jhene Aiko came out and she sang very well, was a shame Rihanna didn't come out. Wanted my 3 for 1 ticket. Our seats were amaze balls. Chelsea did good. There were 3 boys a few rows in front of us. They looked so young maybe 17 ish and they were drinking like crazy. This song comes on, maybe it was Big Sean and there's a lot of the N word. One of the boys start...