When you’re ten seconds from throwing your manuscript out of a window and then your beta-reader emails you a whole mountain of encouraging notes in SHOUTY CAPITALS. I am now convinced that I may actually be able to do this.

What I should be doing:

What I’m actually doing:

and:

This, while knowing that I have three chapters to write, and a book to edit for tomorrow...

Fingers Crossed

Sorry I’ve been so absent recently! I guess that’s what a huge dose of final-year does to you. Definitely hitting that ‘I’m not sure this is even English’ stretch of the dissertation.

Buuuuut, I have some pretty amazing announcements too. Firstly. my fencing team have been super busy, and thanks to the brilliant talent of our captain [and a looooot of optimism and coffee] we even won ourselves some medals. It’s a shame I haven’t been able to make training recently, but the aforementioned final year stuff is definitely priority. Eek.

   And, the next announcement... I got an email back from an agent the other day who is now asking for my entire novel. I obviously can’t name names, and I don’t want to jinx it but OMG I am so so excited. There’s every chance that it might not go anywhere, but at least it is a little step closer on the road to being published. It’s also a ton of stress. I’m taking this weekend to basically polish my novel off and get in in perfect condition. Thankfully, my housemates have offered me Dominoes pizza, and I have the most AMAZING beta-readers I could possibly ask for. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d be doing without them. :D They definitely deserve a ridiculous amount of cookies for agreeing to scan over my whole novel this weekend, and I just can’t help but feel like the luckiest person right now. Ditto for all the friends who are crossing their fingers or bombarding me with support.

   So yes, that’s about all I have time for, since I have another 30,000 words to read and tweak before Monday. But I shall try and keep everyone updated :D

Just created a little bit of typography art for The Heir of Ink and Magic 😊 I felt the need to muck around with some paints and I'm rather happy with the result. #theheirofinkandmagic #THoIaM #typography #creative #amwriting #darkness #quote #dreamers #magic #watercolours #kabeestone #writing #novel #ya #youngadult #book #books #art

happy new year

Just wanted to say Happy New Year to all of my wonderful followers. I'm so glad for all of the support with my continued ouat, books and writing obsession 😊

Book merch?

Heyyyy booklrs,

I’m looking for a few book treats, since I have some money left over from Christmas. The only problem is that I live in the UK, so I don’t want to spend a tonne of money splashing out on huge shipping fees from the US or Canada.

If anyone has any links to UK based stores [or US ones with shipping fees that don’t double the price of the item] please let me know. I love buying from independent artists and shops, and I have a few birthday presents to buy in the next few months too.

Basically, any ideas on book-themed candle stores, bookmarks, pillows and cushions, tapestries, mugs, quote artwork and jewellery would be appreciated :D Especially if it has any links to books by V.E. Schwab, Maggie Stiefvater, Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Sarah J Maas, Susan Dennard, Marissa Meyer or Marie Lu :D

Lovely Christmas present from the parents, courtesy of @bookboxclub I'll wait a few days to show what I got but very excited 😃 might have to order again in the future with the money I got. In the meantime, merry Christmas everyone 🎄 🎅 🎄 🎅 hope you all have a wonderful day #bookboxclub #bookbox #books #bookstagram #instabooks #instabook #bookworm #magicbynight #Christmas #Christmaspresent #merryChristmas #happy #cute #magic #kellyreads #happiness #ya #youngadult

Author Tours?

I guess this is directed at the booklr community, but feel free to weigh in :D

I’m trying to spend more time going to YA conventions and signings this year, but being based in the UK, it’s a little hard to keep tabs on signing and tour dates, since most of my favourite authors are over in the US. I know it’s probably a little early to be asking or planning anything, but I wondered if anyone knows any possible/likely/definitely tour dates for YA book signings or conventions in the UK? I’m a huge fan of YALC and I totally plan to go again, but I’d also love to try and attend a few more in general this upcoming year.

:D :D :D :D :D :D

Starting chapter 20 like...

Sappy Post Alert:

Sometimes I am simply bowled over by how awesome my friends are. Many of them know that I am in the last stages of writing my novel, and that I’m preparing to send it to agents. So many of them have given me kind words of support and encouragement, or have told me they’re happy to beta-read, or have offered me tips for approaching agents.I can’t believe how not-annoyed my best friends have been at my 3am hysterical omg-I-have-a-plothole-should-I-just-toss-it texts, and have even replied at all those silly hours.

 I’m genuinely just feeling so much love towards them all, both my IRL-friends and all the people who have messaged and helped online too. I would have given up a long time ago if I didn’t have people behind me every step of the way, and I just wanted to gush and say thanks to every single person who has helped shape this novel. I owe every one of you an infinite cup of coffee :D

Okay, and now I’m going to bed before I turn into even more of a sap.

When a chapter is proving almost impossible to write because there are TOO. MANY. FEELS:

Rumbelle?

So, I haven’t been watching the series recently, because I wanted to see if it got any better before I continued. But, am I right in basically assuming that Belle essentially took away Gideon from Rumple, Gideon got taken by the dark fairy and now Rumbelle will be ‘working together’ to get him back from some uber dark realm?

  Because A. OH GOD WHERE DO I START WITH THE RUMBELLE MESS THEY’RE IN? FIX IT, FIX IT PROPERLY. PLEASE DON’T GLOSS OVER THE FACT THAT BELLE HAS BEEN ASSUMING RUMPLE WILL HARM HER AND HER CHILD ALL SEASON. DON’T BRUSH THIS UNDER THE CARPET A AND E.

B. Why why why?

C. Let me predict the rest of the season: Rumbelle will work together to get him back. Nobody else will help them unless, by some miracle of miracles, Gideon and the dark fairy threaten everyone in SB in which case they will all suddenly band together like the brilliant ‘heroes’ they are and yet somehow it will still end with Rumple doing something good, which will be misconstrued as bad, and everyone will turn on him and stop going after the actual problems so they can deal with the super duper very evil dark one Rumple again. And along the way, Belle will be conflicted and will end up assuming the heroes are right before realising they’re not and we’ll have about two arguments and one almost-kinda romance scene before the end of the season? Am I guessing right? I think I have heard this one before...