Studio Notes

What happens when the biggest names in children’s books didn’t write them? This blog unpacks the ethics of celebrity authorship, ghostwriters, and rebranded classics.

From the Net Book Agreement to audiobooks, AI authors and supermarket shelves - how British publishing transformed over five decades. T...

Whether you’re dreaming of your book being read at bedtime or shared in classrooms across the UK, remember: it’s all about the story.

The Beano and Why Comics Matter Comics have long been the secret weapon of children’s literacy - visual storytelling that hooks reluctant readers, fuels imagination, and delivers complex ideas with clarity and humour. For me, The Beano was not just a comic; it was a portal to mayhem!

Why are publishers rewriting Roald Dahl instead of commissioning new authors? In a world where even the Roman army wasn’t just white and italian, isn’t it time to stop recycling the past and start publishing the future?

New reports reveal a troubling decline in children’s reading for pleasure. Fewer children are being read to, and reading is increasingly seen as schoolwork—not joy. From misused reading programmes to celebrity book distractions, we urgently need a smarter, more joyful approach.

"Make America Great Again."Simple. Punchy. Repetitive, like a nursery rhyme or a drumbeat. But pause for a moment - just a moment - and ask:When exactly was America great?And, more importantly:

Donald Trump is at it again. Again.This time, he’s furious that Amazon might (note: might) have dared to show American shoppers how much his tariffs are adding to their bills.How very dare they!

Book prizes used to be rare honours. Now they’re everywhere - from international juggernauts to niche gongs for every genre and age group. In this insightful (and slightly cheeky) blog, I explore how this prize culture reshapes publishing, boosts authors, powers marketing machines like The Bookseller, and raises the question: are we celebrating excellence - or just addicted to applause?

While creatives can value originality, art, and the emotional resonance that is in their work, some CEOs and business leaders prioritise metrics, scalability, and efficiency. Originality can be seen as time wasting. This divergence of points of view can lead to creative contributions being dismissed as "generic," undervalued, or treated as interchangeable. 

Learn how to write a children’s publishing press release that sounds human, not hysterical. Practical tips, common pitfalls, and why "thrilled" is the biggest giveaway of all.

Today, The Great Gatsby is enshrined as the Great American Novel. It's not just literature - it’s a cultural metronome, ticking through the decades with unnerving relevance. Every generation rediscovers Gatsby, and in doing so, sees itself reflected in the mirrored surface of Jay Gatsby’s champagne-soaked lifestyle.

In 1919, as tensions exploded in Amritsar, a young Sikh barrister rode into a furious crowd on horseback to stop the violence. Educated in Dublin during Ireland’s rebellion, Gurdial Singh Salariya risked everything to prevent bloodshed—then was erased from history. This is the forgotten story of a man who stood between empires.

I created and designed the You Wouldn’t Want To Be... series in 1999, the world, and the world was completely different.

Misery, Marketed There was a time when memoirs were quiet things - stitched together in notebooks or typed out slowly at kitchen tables.

How AI trained on pirated books is fuelling a cultural heist – what UK authors and publishers must do to fight back.

Discover why graphic novels are essential reading for children – boosting literacy, critical thinking and visual comprehension.

Think signing a book deal means instant riches? Think again. This blog breaks down how authors are really paid – through advances, royalties

World Book Day is a global celebration of books and reading. But did you know that it’s celebrated in different ways all over the world? From books and roses in Spain to manga and poetry in Japan, each country has its own unique way of honouring the power of stories

In 1495, Gutenberg’s printing press rewrote the rules of power, religion, and knowledge - fueling revolutions and reshaping Europe.