life of a street dancer

Did anyone else blink and it's June? I can't even believe 6 months has gone and just so much has happened. Apart from my dad it's been a great year so far and for that I'm grateful. I'll honestly take any good news I can get at this point.  I hit a career highlight. I got to chair a panel for The London Book Fair! Now to do this you usually have to pitch and I'm sure I've pitched before but this time the amazing Bec, who was organising it asked me to do it! It was so much fun and I wish it was longer but it made me look at my LBF journey and honestly wow. I went from no one talking to me, to winning Trailblazers to chairing LBF. What's so funny is I've always wanted to chair Waterstones events cause they look like loads of fun so hopefully now I'll get asked :). I was asked to do another LBF event - who am I even? Lol. I had to do a Q and A with Yomi Adegoke, co-author of Slay In Your Lane. So glad that I'm getting these fun opportunities. Ca...

Spring is finally here. I got to leave the house today to finally watch Captain Marvel (how cute was that Stan Lee tribute?) and I didn't have a scarf or my fur on! It's been a very full on month. I finished my forth book!! AHHHHH!! When I typed the last sentence on my third Emily Knight book, I burst out crying and then I started dancing. Writing a book is so damn long. This has taken me over a year and sure right now it's un-printable but in a few months, it's going to be ready. I truly hate the editing process and the re-writes so pray for me. In a few weeks I'm going to start on my fifth novel. Can you believe that? Fifth! It's a book I started a few years ago but I don't know whether to make it YA or Middle-Grade. With the submissions of Beats, all these editors are like where's Abi's MG novels? I just can't with publishing. You write MG then they want YA as there isn't enough but now there's too much. Over it. I do so much better...

It's Black History Month and it is freezing cold. I ordered my fur coat ASAP. I was so lucky that my cousin hooked me up with a weekend packed with The Hate U Give. I read THUG last year. I remember seeing it in Waterstones and picking it up because I saw a picture of a black girl on the cover. When I read the title I was like, didn't Tupac say this? I then read the blurb and literally was in shock that this Black Lives Matter book was in Waterstones ( as it should be but it's not something you see every day). I sat down and read it up to Khalil and the policeman. I couldn't get over the fact that this book had been published by a big publishing house. I brought it straight away and finished reading it the next day. It is one of my favourite books so when Toyin told me she was working the BFI London Fim Festival and THUG was going to be shown and did I want to see an exclusive screening, all I could say was Girl!!!!!! Then she upped it by getting me tickets to hear Ang...

I have finally realised at the age of 29 that just being myself is the way forward in life. Not like I thought I had to be someone else but I guess I wasn't sure whether to be my authentic self. I am loud, funny and opinionated and in an industry like publishing, sometimes I feel like I have to tone it down but since winning Trailblazers and being invited to so many events and getting the best opportunities, I realised that my work and my personality is what people are taking a shine too. The biggest lesson I've learnt? I thought I knew what being busy meant...until I started a publishing house. Being at The London Book Fair as a speaker and an exhibitor - both for the first time - was amazing. I felt so valued. I felt what I had to say and how I thought was important. We had back to back meetings and our main goal was to find a colour printing company for Hashtag, which we did. But what was so fascinating is companies we had approached as we were setting up Hashtag, who w...

So I was ill for pretty much the whole of March. I went from having a cold to a sinus infection to an ear infection. Then dragged myself to the docs, where I saw a new and nervous doctor who tried to tell me to ride it out! I very nicely said, “If you think I am leaving here without any antibiotics you have no idea what kind of person I am.” So I am mentally telling myself if this lady tries to not prescribe me anything, I am going to request to see someone else. I think my vibe was very strong as she excused herself to go and ask my family doctor who told her to of course give me antibiotics! I can't swallow pills. Don't ask me why, I just think I will choke so the pharmacist was like, “Err Abiola is all this syrup for you?” I had an amazing school tour for World Book Day and sold so many books. It was also the launch of The Originals book and I read one of the stories to the reception kids. I read one story called 'The Magic Horse' and when I said the horse was a u...

I was so excited for January to be over. All that darkness and gloom and right now in London, it's snowing. Yes full on snow at the end of February. What kind of foolishness? Then it had the cheek to be really sunny AND STILL SNOW! I really can't with this country.  I started my World Book Day school tour today and was legit caught in a blizzard. Was so happy when my afternoon class was cancelled, was way too cold. The Originals launches tomorrow!! I am always amazed when I am able to get a book done but to get a book done with 27 stories written by kids—the Lord gave me strength. The books  arrived and look sick! All the kids and parents are excited, I'm excited, I'm sure you're excited or if you're not get excited cause The Originals is coming!!! I got an email from The London Book Fair about the Trailblazer Awards 2018. Never heard of it but was open to anyone under 30. I started to write the submission but I can't boast about myself so I asked Helen ...