life of a street dancer

This blog is a bit different than my usual stuff and it's an issue that really gets under my skin. Don't worry my usually funny blog will be posted by Tuesday but just need to share this. If you're in the book world, you'll know there is a massive issue with diversity. Well this is mine and Helen's (my fab business partner's response to it). If you agree with what we're saying, let us know. There needs to be some serious changes and we are determined to make it happen. My response CLPE reported that last year only 4% of children's books had a Black or Asian character and only 1% was a lead. I honestly read that and felt my heart break. Why are we having so many conversations talking about change and then this is the report we see, based on books just from last year? https://clpe.org.uk/sites/default/files/News%20release%20-%20Reflecting%20Realities%20-%20new%20study%20calls%20for%20better%20ethnic%20representation%20in%20children%27s%20book...

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...

Woo hoo! We are in summer summer summer time! I just hope this warm weather is consistent. No rain or knowing London, no snow! In less than 2 months I will be 30 years old. I don't know how to feel about it. On one side I'm excited to see what this new decade holds for me but on the flip side I feel like I've been in my 20's forever and it's going to be so weird not being in my 20's anymore. It's so funny, I found this diary that I wrote when I was 23 as I was clearing out my room. I only had entries from January to June and my life really sucked! I was working like a beast yet not getting paid on time so I had to get a bar job which I hated. I was in a  relationship, if you can even call it that, with this dancer on and off for years and this is when I was starting to get bored of him. I was in a dance crew and had issues with the choreographer. My book had come out and I was trying to figure out how to push it and it's also when I met Helen! Thank Go...

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 ...

January is over!!! Feels like we were in it for years right? Whoever decided that self employed people should pay tax and NI on 31st Jan clearly isn't self employed. I hate January. It's cold, dark, no one has any money and there are so many birthdays (I still owe my brother his one) At least Feb brings Valentines Day, Black Panther and warmer weather—well I do live in London so maybe forget the warmer part. Do you know what I spent the whole of January doing? Finding Wireless tickets. As you may have seen, they released their line up and it sold out 24 hours later. Now I have been to Wirelesss for years and took a few years off as the line up was rubbish. It has never sold out like that. EVER.  So I'm thinking I'll book in May and obvs that's out of the question. But whoever works at Wireless and  thought it was a good idea to post the line up BEFORE pay day is an idiot.  No joke, the day it sold out, I was thinking should I buy my tickets? How I wish I did. So ...