The Annual Event is a month long celebration of all things UKYA, highlighting books by British and Irish authors (resident and national) and asking their views on topic affecting the community. All views are the author’s own.
About the Authors:
Steven Camden aka Polarbear is from Smethwick near Birmingham. He makes stuff up for a living, by himself and with others. He has travelled the world sharing his stories and collaborating to make more. Some of the things he makes up become books. So far he has written nine.
Triona Campbell is a two-time Emmy-nominated producer and winner of two Kidscreen Awards. She is the creator of Ireland’s first TV series on video games Gamer Mode (RTÉ) and a producer on the ground-breaking and iconic UK teen drama Sofia’s Diary (SONY Pictures Television).
Triona has a Master’s in Creative Writing from Trinity College, Dublin. She is also the writer of the award-winning podcast series Adventures of a Young Pirate Queen and a best selling novelist for A Game Of Life or Death (named one of the best YA novels of 2023 by Waterstones, winnner of the 2023 Great Reads Award).
Sue Divin is a Derry (Northern Ireland) based writer and peace worker, with Armagh roots. With wry humour and emotional punch, her writing often touches on diversity, reconciliation, borders and the legacy of the Troubles.
Sue got her break into writing through the Irish Writers Centre’s Novel Fair in 2019. Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in many literary journals.
About their books:
Title: STAND UP FERRAN BURKE
Author: Steven Camden
Pitch: A 1990s period drama about one boy’s secondary school life as tries to find out where he fits
Find on Goodreads. Find on Bookshop.org (affiliate link).
Title: ENTER THE ENDGAME
Author: Triona Campbell
Pitch: Reeling from betrayal & loss Asha and Dark find themselves forced to enter a deadly eSports tournament for one final battle. The stakes have never been higher as they fight to stop the plans of Lydia Rock, the creator of a game you don’t play – but one that instead plays you. But as Asha struggles to keep the people she loves alive, the body count rises, and a chilling secret isabout to change everything.
Find on Goodreads. Find on Bookshop.org (affiliate link).
Title: TRUTH BE TOLD
Author: Sue Divin
Pitch: Tara has been raised by her mam and nan in Derry City. Faith lives in rural Armagh. Their lives on opposite sides of a community / political divide couldn’t be more different. Until they come face-to-face with each other and are shocked to discover they look almost identical. Are they connected?
Find on Goodreads. Find on Bookshop.org (affiliate link).
In your opinion, how has social media helped foster the UKYA community?
Steven Camden: Seems like it’s been integral. Peer support. Blogs, pages and channels championing what mainstream press often overlooks
Triona Campbell: I think social media has become a vital tool for authors to both find their tribe (& stay in touch with fellow authors in a supportive way) and in terms of allowing them to connect with their readership.
Sue Divin: Social Media, when used positively, can help connect readers and authors across wide geographies. I’ve loved it when readers have connected with me through Bluesky or Instagram or Twitter for example. Living in the NW of Northern Ireland, I’m based away from a lot of the epicentres of publishing, but social media can help me to still feel part of a wider world of readers and writers.
In which ways do you think we can responsibly use social media to introduce YA titles to teenagers? How can we go beyond social media to reach them, given conversations in several countries around re-thinking current legislation on such platforms for minors?
Steven Camden: More open dialogue perhaps? Partnering with librarians and teachers to frame and introduce books to young people appropriately? Open forums with young people led interviews and author Q&As to allow teens to connect and claim agency?
Triona Campbell: Schools Libraries with dedicated librarians and projects such as author visits / writers in residence are I think vital ways that could support and foster a love of reading along with further investment in public libraries and public (free) e-lending and audio book services.
Sue Divin: As an author, I find there are many ways teenagers hear about books. Yes, social media plays a part, but bookshops are amazing places, as are libraries (in schools and in public places), and other media like podcasts. Friends, family, teachers and parents all play a role too. Word of mouth is still a powerful tool in people hearing about good books.
How do you think the YA market is going to change thanks to emerging technologies like AI?
Steven Camden: I think every market already is.
Triona Campbell: I believe in Readers – AI is generating content based on previous works and adds nothing ‘new’ to the readers experience. I think readers are smart enough to know that. I don’t believe AI content can compete and secondly I think AI generated books will be a copyright nightmare for anyone who tries to sell them. Who owns the original idea if its AI generated?
Sue Divin: As one of the authors who had my work taken without permission for use in training AI, I feel strongly that there is value in human-produced creativity. I’ve no idea what the future brings, but I think creatives should be properly recompensed by the big IT companies for any of their work which is used to train AI.
What steps would you like publishing needs to take in response to the rise of AI?
Steven Camden: Raise awareness of pitfalls and celebrate/champion genuine and exciting human creativity
Triona Campbell: Government needs to start legislating at the speed of technology – leaving tech giants in a vacuum to make up the rules for and act in everyone’s best interest is never a good idea. If a tech company or any company/individual wants to trade a generative AI service or AI content (for profit) – then they should be legally obliged to provide proof that they had both permission and have paid for the data used to train the generative AI. Publishers should be putting pressure on legislators to ensure this happens.
Sue Divin: Again, I’m no expert, but writer’s unions like the Society of Authors, and the large publishers will no doubt have strong approaches to this. I think that lobbying governments and promoting awareness around AI is essential.
Thank you all! For more interviews, check here and don’t forget to check instagram (here) for book recommendations from these authors and more!
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