About the Authors
Annaliese Avery is a former library manager and children’s book editor who lives in Suffolk, England. She has an MA in creative writing and a lifelong interest in physics and astronomy, in 2017 she founded an astronomical society. She currently works for a global conservation charity. Annaliese’s stories are noted for their vibrant worldbuilding, page turning action, and characters that walk of the page. A champion of YA and Children’s writers, Annaliese is supportive of her writing community and can often be found running engaging hashtag games and workshops on how to get the words down. A debut YA author Annaliese’s previous work includes the middle grade series THE NIGHTSILVER PROMISE.
Kathryn Foxfield writes dark books about strange things. She blames her love of the creepy and weird on a childhood diet of Point Horror, Agatha Christie and Dr Who. She writes about characters who aren’t afraid to fight back, but wouldn’t last 5 minutes in one of her own stories. She lives in Oxfordshire with her partner, kids and cat.
Bryony Pearce is a multi-award-winning novelist. She has written a mixture of dark thrillers, paranormal adventures, science fiction and horror, for Mid-grade, Young Adult and Adult readers. Bryony also teaches creative writing at City University and works as a consultant and mentor for Cornerstones and The Writing Coach, in order to help aspiring authors achieve their dreams. She currently lives in Gloucestershire and if she isn’t writing, can usually be found proving a taxi service for her teenage children, reading or playing the cello.
About Their Books:
Title: THE IMMORTAL GAMES
Author: Annaliese Avery
Pitch: Every lunar eclipse the Gods of Olympus play the Immortal Games, an epic quest where the gods select teenagers to be their playing pieces. Ara has her own reasons to play when Hades picks her.
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Title: GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER
Author: Kathryn Foxfield
Pitch: A rogue AI traps a group of teenage gamers in a deadly escape room, including two sisters who don’t get on, to see which stereotype lasts longest.
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Title: RAISING HELL
Author: Bryony Pearce
Pitch: A teenager releases dark magic into the world. To atone, she must battle those who desire that power. Ghosts, zombies, witches and a Buffy vibe.
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What do you love most about writing for the YA audience?
Annaliese Avery: I love the passion that they have and the creativity that they express that with. I am constantly in awe of YA readers; they are so smart and clued up and engaged. I love talking to them about The Immortal Games but also about books in general and the things that they are excited about and that are important to them.
Kathryn Foxfield: Writing for people who haven’t decided who they want to be yet
Bryony Pearce: Writing for young people enables writers to convey messages to an audience receptive to hearing them. Young people are absolutely the best fans, the most enthusiastic readers and the most fun to meet as an author.
How has writing YA changed your perspective on the world?
Annaliese Avery: I feel that through writing YA, and The Immortal Games in particular, I found a little bit of myself that I didn’t realise I had. Growing up I skipped a big bit of my childhood and in writing YA I feel like I got a chance to connect to things that I had missed and to process a few things too.
Kathryn Foxfield: Fun books can be just as meaningful as deep ones
Bryony Pearce: Staying in touch with the issues and dilemmas that are important to young people keeps me empathetic. It is easy to think your generation knows it all, but young people constantly inspire me, teach me and keep me thinking and exploring the world, seeing it through their eyes.
What trends are you most excited about in UKYA at the moment and to come?
Annaliese Avery: I’m loving how romance is being embraced by readers, and how writers are fusing it into their writing. As a big sci-fi and fantasy fan and someone who enjoys a great romance I’m loving the fusion of genres and so glad that I get to explore it as both a reader and a writer.
Kathryn Foxfield: I love that YA horror has had an upsurge and hope there is more to come
Bryony Pearce: Fantasy is huge in YA at the moment. I love fantasy and am so excited for all the YA fantasy readers to discover the writers I loved growing up – Robin Hobb, George RR Martin, David Gemmell, Raymond E Feist etc. I think with fantasy having a moment, sci-fi can’t be far behind (I love sci fi too) and there are a lot of fantastic multicultural novels with strong messages and interesting mythologies that are being published that I’m excited about.
What do you think is special about UKYA? (Books and/or community)
Annaliese Avery: Being a debut YA writer I have been made to feel so welcome by the glorious community of readers and writers. One of my favourite things that has happen is readers messaging me while they are reading to share their experience at certain points in the book. I had a reader a few weeks ago who messaged me with a single name of a character from the book and I felt it – I knew exactly what she was talking about and we had a wonderful exchange afterwards. Having that connection with readers has been a joy and writing for them is a complete privilege.
Kathryn Foxfield: Some of the most daring, original books I’ve read in recent years have been UKYA
Bryony Pearce: The community is fantastic – so enthusiastic about reading and in supporting authors. UKYA is constantly fresh, original and exciting, with a wonderful unique voice and I love reading novels that are set in places I know, whether it is Danielle Jawando using the Arndale Centre in Manchester for When our Worlds Collided, Tracy Darnton setting Ready or Not in a holiday home in Cornwall or Anthony McGowan using the North Yorkshire Moors for Lark, the UK gives great setting and atmosphere.
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