Horror books occupies a unique place on a children's bookshelf, a genre in which fear isn’t just for scares, but an invitation to emotional discovery, bravery, and empathy. I was spooked by stories in the dark: under the blankets with a torch, the delicious tension of not knowing what might happen next.

Illustrator/Author Jo Surman blends graphic flair, gothic imagination, and heartfelt storytelling. From picture books to middle-grade novels, she creates worlds steeped in colour, character, and curiosity.

Non-Disclosure Agreements in UK publishing protect trade secrets, manuscripts, and confidential deals — but they can also silence victims, bury scandals, and distort public narratives. Here’s how NDAs shape, protect, and sometimes poison the industry.

The rise of AI-generated 'slop' books on Amazon hasn’t broken publishing—it’s simply exposed the fault lines that have been there all along. If we’re serious about defending authorship, we need more than polite concern. We need credits, clarity, and structural accountability - across the board.

Unlike many careers in publishing, the path to becoming a literary agent is rarely linear, and seldom advertised. It’s a role more often grown into than applied for, shaped by instinct, connections, and a passion for reading and for books. Entry routes vary widely: some agents started as agency assistants, others moved across from editorial, bookselling, or publicity. But all develop a finely honed sense of what sells, and a deep familiarity with the publishing marketplace.

For Readers of Short Stories - and Writers Chasing the Magic of Compression (Beyond Neoprene) In the Beginning Was Six Words I’ve stood...

From Queen Victoria’s imagined love children to Princess Margaret’s speculative diagnoses, modern biographies are increasingly blurring the line between storytelling and speculation. But why are journalists letting them?

When Amazon withdrew a string of unofficial biographies of SNP politicians riddled with false claims, it exposed more than one publishing scandal. In an era of AI-generated misinformation, author anonymity, and disappearing credits, how do readers know who to trust? This article explores the new Wild West of publishing — and what parents, teachers and librarians can do about it.

Notorious Autobiographical Fantasies. When truth becomes a plot device… Who is who? Autobiographical Fantasies Memoir is supposed to...

It’s almost poetic: a trauma memoir that ends up traumatising the publisher. Because when a story like The Salt Path begins to wobble, it’s not just the author who falls. The editors, the marketers, the readers—all are caught in the collapse of a narrative sold as unflinching truth. This is the soft lie of emotional truth—and publishing has been complicit in making it a genre.

Whether you dream of writing a picture book, an adventure novel for eight year olds, non-fiction or a chapter book series.

Publishing loves a good diversity panel. But behind the scenes, creators are quietly being erased. If we don’t protect credits, are we building legacy— or theatre?

H.E. Marshall’s Our Island Story was once the go-to tale of Britain’s past, kings, queens, and glorious Empire. But in 2025, what kind of story do we really need to tell our children? This blog revisits the 2005 revival campaign and explores what a more inclusive, honest, and compelling national narrative could look like.

From a speakeasy basement in 1920s New York to a marble-and-brass editorial fortress in Berkeley Square, Reader’s Digest defined 20th-century publishing. I began my career at their London offices in 1979, and watched as the world’s most widely read magazine rose, thrived, and slowly faded. This is a story about illustrated books, prize draws, fine art, forgotten founders, and a publishing ethos that might just deserve a second look in today’s AI era.

AI is no longer a whisper in the wings of publishing - it’s centre stage, and the script is changing fast. From manuscript polishing to audiobook narration and translation, AI is reshaping the entire industry. But while publishers and authors wrestle with questions of ethics, copyright, and consent, one name seems to be quietly storming the stage with barely a whisper of protest: Amazon.

What happens when a publisher decides the creator of a book no longer matters? When authorship becomes an inconvenience and branding takes centre stage? This article explores why the corporate strategy of erasing origin stories is not just ethically questionable—it’s commercially short-sighted. Books aren't toothpaste. And readers, as it turns out, have very long memories.

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.

The business of books in Britain has transformed dramatically from the 1970s to today. The UK publishing industry of the 1970s would hardly recognise itself in 2025. Back then, cigarette smoke filled offices in London’s West End handled typewritten manuscripts delivered by post to a business dominated by gentlemanly agreements and a fixed book price system.

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.

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.