Agents

The proportion of authors of colour writing for young adults in the UK has more than doubled in the last two years.

Research from University College London associate professor Melanie Ramdarshan Bold has found that 19.6% of YA authors published in the UK in 2019 were people of colour, compared with 7.1% in 2017 and 13.25% in 2018.

In 2020, it's easy to feel like we're living in a dystopian tale, and many of us are in survival mode. We naturally look to food, water, safety, clean air, masks, jobs, and healthcare for sustenance. But we also look to stories to keep us going. We at Shondaland understand the power of storytelling because that's what we do. We also know the power of a good book.  Read more

The formats varied, but children's and YA authors and editors cut through any anxiety about digital sessions with candid and powerful discussions about identity, race, mental illness, immigration, history, and art at the combined New Voices New Rooms conference for the New Atlantic and Southern Independent booksellers this week.

National Poetry Day today (1st October) will feature a social media campaign in response to Margaret Atwood's new poem, a 24-hour poetry lock-in previewing Cerys Matthew's new album and guest appearances from poets Inua Ellams, Nikita Gill and Don Paterson.