klkettle

[klkettle]

Haven’t selfied for a while and have some new friends here. So time for an #intro because I have pigtails and I’m feeling cute! Hi I’m Kathryn (also I go by Kitty, Kat or Kate, hence my author name is #KLKettle) I write books, do high powered ‘girl boss’ stuff 9-5, & am attempting to raise 2 audacious humans (who I keep of social media until they will be old enough to consent to sharing pics etc). My debut novel #theboyiam came out from @littletigerbooks in Jan this year and you will find I post a lot about that. There will also be cat posts - Molly (black, tiny sleek ninja ) and Alfie (ginger and mostly floof) . If you want you can follow me on tiktok (which I love). My books are where I ask questions & try to decide how I feel about things. I like to create characters which fee real and rounded, people I can fall in love with because of their faults as well as their journeys. I hope you like them. My second book (also with Little Tiger) is in progress and is harder than growing humans - trust me! I am always busy & often you’ll see the outgoing side of my personality, but I also survive & work with depression. In quiet time’s when I don’t post much I have love and support around me to get through. Occasionally I may post about it but as I don’t believe my mental health defines me, it is something I will only share on occasion. If you have the same condition I am always here to talk. I believe in achieving all you can. So strive to maintain my ‘professional’ life as well as write & be a mum. I don’t intend to be a high flyer at any of these things, but want to achieve my own goals. If I’ve reached just one reader with my books, or inspired one professional in my mentoring & work with them, then I am happy. I believe in equity above all things, so strive to learn about my privilege & spend it wisely promoting other authors and people who I can. I love mentoring and shouting about books & authors & I’m OBSESSED with uk kid lit of all kinds. Check out @thebookchainproject I was shaped by libraries & will shout about every library and librarian I can find. If you are new I’d love to know more about you! Introduce yourself & say hi. Loads of ❤️ K https://www.instagram.com/p/CPp9rNRraN6/?utm_medium=tumblr

[klkettle]

Thanks Ashton on Mersey school for including #TheBoyIAm in the #AshtonBookPrize shortlist among some phenomenal authors - I read am in awe. This is the first time I’ve seen my debut mentioned in the context of a book award and it means so much that it’s from a school library. Thank you! #library #librariansofinstagram #librarians #ya #youngadult #ukya #bookprizes #bookawards https://www.instagram.com/p/COlE2WULk3W/?igshid=xzwvi1a6u4ki

[klkettle]

Today I saw my book #TheBoyIAm for the first time in a bookshop (thanks @waterstoneswot !) and it was fabulous and emotional. Swipe right for a video of my first signing in ‘the wild’! Check out the experience in #tiktok https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeXMpw6c and on reels. (at The Heart Shopping Centre Walton-on-Thames) https://www.instagram.com/p/COQRWveLaDD/?igshid=10wvccbc8bgtt

[klkettle]

Yesterday was a glorious day for many. #bookshopsopenagain The opening of bookshops is an absolute boon for this country which has gone through some of the harshest lockdowns worldwide (NYT) and I can’t wait for the weekend when I get to go out with a big bag to fill it full of books I will struggle to make time to read but I don’t care. I’ll also go out with my gold sharpie in the sneaky hope some bookshops have #theboyiam in stock (I know the situation for smaller shops is hard right now and lots of debuts aren’t stocked unless they are the huge hitters...please everyone #chosebookshops and ASK FOR THAT DEBUT YOU REALLY WANT TO GIVE TO A FREIND!) But (and It was bitter sweet for me as I’ll admit I’ve been going through a tough time recently. lockdown has taken its toll, the mark of the year passing and trauma from the first week my babies arrived has haunted me, working in the same room for nearly 2 years (what with twin pregnancy, then repeated lockdowns) has had an effect on my energy. I miss people hard, But the tinest bit of socialisation exhausts me. Twin sleep regression has also taken its chunk. My depression is taking regular bites behind the eyes... I’m battling through, like those of us with depression do. If you don’t see me often, or alone it’s hard to tell. So when the amazing @notagainben sent me these pics I burst into floods of hot tears. It’s hard to say how impactful it’s been to launch without seeing your book on a shelf in a bookshop, in a store window or on a book table has been, until that moment. I’ll probably be a cast-iron mess when I pop into Kingston this weekend to see if my book is stocked, but to know that the amazing Waterstones and Foyles in the centre of London have #theboyiam out on those glorious book mountains I used to dream of seeing my book of as a kid back in Brum, is a dream come true and gave me a much needed boost. Thank you, Ben; and to all the debuts and bookish peeps who are out on treasure hunts to find our books that have been so virtual and invisible while our libraries and shops have been shut. I can’t express the words any more than that. https://www.instagram.com/p/CNmr_S1rdyK/?igshid=16sd8p3n3q1m7

[klkettle]

I’ll be offering a full read and report back to one mentee as part of this summer’s #WriteMentor The @WriteMentor summer mentorship can be an absolute game changer. And don’t forget, many of us are looking for potential, not perfection. Submit your best, but ignore that voice saying this opportunity isn’t for you. It is. Do it. #amwritingya #amwritingyadystopian #amwritingyascifi #amwritingnearfuture #amediting #ameditingya #writinglife #writersofinstagram #ownvoices #kidlit #ukya #amwriting #writingcommunityofig #writingcommunity #mentoring #mentoringmatters https://www.instagram.com/p/CNLKb_kL6XW/?igshid=knvfeyqp5wla

[klkettle]

⭐️⭐️ Join me here LIVE on Wednesday 7.30pm for the first live interview in #thebookchainproject with @hannahgold_author ⭐️⭐️ Hannah Gold’s #TheLastBear is a hopeful and charming tale about Polar bears and the big difference small people can make. A stunningly illustrated debut from @harpercollinsch I’m reading it now and will be giving it five fluffy bears in every reputable review place! Transporting, beautiful, full of heart and soul. I’m intoxicated by @levi_pinfold s art and lost in Hannah’s incredible characters and the world she captures. April is of adventure, boldness and love. I would adventure with her anywhere. I’m excited to talk about things that unite our stories across genre and styles; about her journey to publication; the thrill of artwork and publishing auctions ! Buy #TheLastBear here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-last-bear/hannah-gold/levi-pinfold/9780008411282 Want to suggest a question go to ... https://anchor.fm/thebookchainproject/message https://www.instagram.com/p/CLzLgeOgwQ8/?igshid=12t38io4jdycw

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A post shared by Kathryn L Kettle (@kl.kettle)

Tune in to my Instagram live tomorrow at 7.30 I’ll be announcing #thebookchainproject, will take questions about #theboyiam and generally try to learn how to use Instagram live while you all watch in horror/amusement #thebookchainproject #amwriting #writingcommunity #amediting #bookstagram #ukmg #middlegrade #picturebooks #ukkidlit #ya #youngadultbooks #youngadult ‪lovelibraries‬ ‪#LibraryLife‬ ‪#Books #librariansofinstagram ‬#librarianrecommends #yalibrarian #teenlibrarian #schoollibrary #librariestransform #writingcommunityofinstagram #booklover #books #kidlit #klkettle #theboyiam #thriller #dystopia #dystopianYA #SFF #youngadult https://www.instagram.com/p/CLXn_hlgt3V/?igshid=by1wmdl6bddf

[klkettle]

⭐️Making a thing.⭐️ 🚨read the whole post for a tease reveal at the bottom 🚨 I teased it on my #reel last week and here’s the first teaser for the promo video coming later in the week. This one is so much fun. Today I’m going to share the title of this new project ... Coming soon Introducing The Book Chain Project! #TheBookChainProject #amwriting #writingcommunity #amediting #bookstagram #ya #youngadultbooks #youngadult #writingcommunityofinstagram #booklover #books #kidlit ‪#lovelibraries‬ ‪#LibraryLife‬ ‪#Books #LibrarianProblems #librariansofinstagram ‬#librariansfollowlibrarians #librarianrecommends #yalibrarian #teenlibrarian #schoollibrary #librariestransform https://www.instagram.com/p/CLUD-X-gzWT/?igshid=17t5nsw2nfr6b

[klkettle]

On honkferencing

What a perfect way to end my launch month! It was a huge privilege to take part in this year’s inaugural ‘honkference’ put together by the amazing social team from the Golden Egg Academy.

Every year since the Golden Egg Academy opened its doors the team have hosted a glam birthday soiree at the Soho Club. I’ve been able to go every year, but of course thanks to the need to socially distance it wasn’t possible to party together this year. So, the team put together something EVEN BETTER: two days of free to access, unlimited entry panels on some fantastic subjects all to raise money for the incredible 'Seven Stories’.

Read more about the events below and the panel that I was a part of, all about Undiscovered Voices - the SCBWI run bi-annual competition set up to elevate new writing voices and which led to my work being ‘discovered’ and eventually published.

The Events

There were so many events that it was so difficult to chose from. With incredible speakers from all ends of the KidLit spectrum. Publishers. Agents. Picture Book authors, Middle Grade and YA. Panels covered broader topics than many conferences, with sessions on Mental Health in literature, and mental health for writers too; productivity hacks and information from ‘behind the curtain’ (things we wish we’d known before we were published). My two favourite sessions we co-scheduled but I was able to attend both thanks to the crowdcast technology (signing up meant I didn’t need to watch live).

First, Barry Cunnigham (Chicken House) gave an enlightening talk on points to consider when converting a story from book to film/television.

Second, Kevin Brooks, Juno Dawson, Holly Bourne and Kiran Millwood Hargrave (chaired by the beautiful Jane Martin) spoke with brilliance about Writing and Mental Health - a subject very close to my heart.

Given that the entire conference was free there were hundreds of people from all across the world dialing in. It was a huge gift and I hope the team at GEA can be persuaded to run it again. Seven Stories was supported hugely and I know had a great spike in donations that weekend, so if only for that it was a great success.

The Undiscovered Voices Panel

Joining this panel was such a joy. Between us Simon, myself and Annalise represented Shortlisted winners from the last three anthologies, from 2016, 2018 and 2020 respectively. ‘Undiscovered Voices’ is a competition run every two years to find (usually) 12 new writing voices from UK KidLit.

Those who are shortlisted have their extracts, along with notes from the judges, published in an anthology that is then available to all and also is sent to influential agents and publishers.

If you look back at the anthologies there have been over 100 books published from authors ‘found’ through this process. There are even more writers who are longlisted - even this can lead to future publication. It’s a great process, even if longlisting or shortlisting isn’t the outcome - I learned so much just preparing for entry. Honing the 50 word synopsis was one of the most important things I did, as it made me really find the heart of the story.

For the panel I surrounded myself with a halo of printed copies of The Boy I Am poured a nice hot cuppa and got to chatting with three of my favourite people. Sara walked through the history behind creating UV and

We’ve all had such different journeys and reasons for entering the competition. For Simon James Green,

“[Undiscovered Voices] really seemed like the kind of thing that could turbo charge things for you a bit… in an industry where things go really slowly.”

Whereas for me,

“I was ready to write another story. I thought, I cannot put it in a drawer, because it keeps talking to me, it keeps wanting my attention, I have to have an ending. And so I thought, actually I won’t win a competition, I’m going to enter SCBWI Undiscovered Voices.”

Find out more about Annaliese’s debut here by clicking on the cover below.

Find out more about Simon & his many fab books by clicking the cover below.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog or found any of the content useful please do donate to Seven Stories by clicking on the button below!

[klkettle]

It doesn’t seem that long ago, hanging out in The Pavillions in #birmingham in the 90s. Saying I was going to meet friends when in reality I would buy a bag of sweets from the food court, head to the basement of @waterstonesbirmingham and browse the graphic novels and ‘teen’ (young adult wasn’t a genre then) section deciding what - if anything, depending on savings from babysitting - I would buy. I used to dream of seeing my book on a shelf there. Even still I do (because, pandemic). So this is the next best thing. I’m imagining it handwritten from some fabulous bookseller. Thank you @waterstones and @florentyna_m for making teen me’s dream come true. #booknerd #booknerdlove #ya #youngadult #waterstones #theboyiam #teen #book #books #waterstonessays #dystopia #dystopianYA #SFF #youngadult #UKYA #youngadultbooks #amwriting #writingcommunity #amediting #bookstagram #ya #youngadultbooks #youngadult #writingcommunityofinstagram #booklover #books #kidlit https://www.instagram.com/p/CLRK6z6gC42/?igshid=brqm58r1zwyx

[klkettle]

Posted @withregram • @emma_mylrea_books It’s #debutauthorreads Friday again! What are you reading? I love getting book recommendations, and it’s so interesting to see what fellow MG and YA authors are reading right now. . Please share your recommendations and swipe to see the full list of #debutauthors taking part this week and what we’re #reading 🌟📚🌟 . . . @brudeluwrites @helenrutteruk @sophiewillsbooks @bethan_evansauthor @lucyhope_author @tamsinmori @yaundermyskin @kl.kettle @melliver @georgiabowersya @hellionharvey @bonniebridgmanauthor @onceuponalouise . . . . #bookstagram #middlegradereader #ya #debutauthors2021 #kidlit #childrensbooks #whatareyoureading #bookstagrammer #readersofinstagram #writingcommunity #librariesofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CLMDLz7gQ8-/?igshid=ptidj6g82fcv

[klkettle]

On launching, expectations, spangly dresses & pouring your own champagne

⭐️🎉 NEW BLOG POST 🎉⭐️ On launching, expectations, spangly dresses & pouring your own champagne 🍾 "All I wanted - expected - was a gathering of loads of lovely people, some family, warm wine, cake with a sugar content that would put twinkies to shame"

https://www.klkettle.com/news/2021/2/5/on-launching-a-book

[klkettle]

On launching, expectations, spangly dresses and pouring your own champagne

You go through so many moments on the writer’s journey: the moment you decide to, and then finish, an actual book, with characters, and plot and that you actually think, yeah, this is worth working at; the moment you think, ‘maybe someone else might want to read this’; the moment you go, ‘no they won’t’; the moment you KNOW they won’t; the throwing in the towel; the picking it up; the hand wringing and friend-making and tentatively stepping out into the professional world of words. 

The most common moment is when you tell someone, ‘I’m a writer,’ and they (family, friend, colleague, the person you just met on the bus who would really rather you were not having a conversation with them) say, ‘Oh, can I buy your book.’ (or something to that effect), and you rapidly change the subject.

There’s this new moment now, when you get say ‘I’m a writer’ and then get back it up when your conversational partner sits up, looks a little taken aback, and then, leans forward and wants to know more. I’ll be honest, for the rest of my life, I will love this moment the most. And you get to say, with chest puffed and hair flicked, ‘why, yes, thank you for asking, you may.’

Launching a book in a pandemic, however, was not something I ever expected to happen. When I was 23 and was briefly working at Bloomsbury publishing the highlight of the whole experience was supporting and promoting a simultaneous book launch for Susanna Clarke’s ‘Jonothan Strange & Mr Norell’, the amazing Kahled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ and ‘Havoc, in its third year’ by Ronan Bennett. It was so glamorous. People would come up to me thinking I was a person of influence (I was not, but I let them think it for a little while). I was mostly there to sell books. When I was alone at that party I’d look out of the glorious window into Soho Square and dream of my book launch. One day, in the distant haze, when I would be at my own party - the coolness of it, the exclusivity. ..

By the time I actually launched my debut novel, one month ago now, that it wasn’t anything like that. I’m sure glam launches like that happen (will happen again) but multiple KidLit launches I have hd the gift of attending rewrote my expectations.

All I wanted - expected - was a gathering of loads of lovely people, some family, warm wine, cake with a sugar content that would put twinkies to shame, and maybe, I’d say a few words before letting everyone mingle and then hop to the pub with a copy of my book under their arm. It would be cozy, full of laughter, and with some moments of abject embarrassment and pride.

My launch, virtual as it was, delivered EXACTLY that (minus the pub part, for now).

We only had ‘room on the zoom’ for 100 people so I even got a little of the exclusivity my young and deluded self would have desired. The one thing I always dreaded doing at a launch - an interview - was going to be a necessity, and the incredible Dr Leah Phillips, who I have fangirled over for a few years agreed to host. Leah has written some amazing academic books and papers about YA, and women and identities in YA, and is the founder and chair of the YA Studies Association. So it was sort of like being interviewed by the foremost expert in the thing I have been fangirling about, and also slaving away at for decades.

Speeches preceded, of course. My incredible editor Mattie Whitehead basically made me cry (my other fab editor, now Senior Commissioning Editor of Oneworld’s Rock the Boat children’s and YA list, Katie Jennings was there too to celebrate). Everyone joined wearing masks to mimic the masks worn by the women in the Auction events.

Some of the people I thanked included my fabulous crit group who were part of so much of this journey: Charlotte Teeple-Salas, Olivia Whitehead, Helen Simmonds, Jenny Rees, Mandy Rabin, Andrea Fowkes; the fabulous SCBWI and the Undiscovered Voices team,  Golden Egg Academy and Word Theatre, through whom I learned to hone the craft I had been working on for years alone. My family for all their support and my husband who missed his thanks as he was addressing crying babies in the room two doors down. Then we got down to the interview, I drank 3 glasses of fizz and we closed with a fab Q&A. We recorded the event so hopefully I’ll share that soon!

There’s a sadness in me though as one person who I wished could have lived to see my book published, the INCREDIBLE person and talented Jane Zingale died a week before my book was published. Jane was one of my greatest supporters and my twin in submitting flash stories. She was there when I gave up my last book and when I told her about this new idea I’d had. She was the first to read a lot of my work. Her writing is spectacular, please read her words or listen to her stories when you can. She also inspired a character in the book, Madam Cramp.

A virtual launch meant some of my dearest friends from overseas could dial in. My 94 year old uncle and as my friend’s 2 year old. How many book launches get such amazing breadth of experience and geography attending. Certainly not the kind of events you have in posh houses in Soho square. It may not have been posh, or exclusive, but it was magnificent. It meant lots of lovely booksales for the awesome Through the Wardrobe Bookshop during a time when it’s so important to buy books! Also, I got dressed up for the first time in almost a year, so that was definitely a bonus. Though, I was also wearing jeans and slippers. Best of both worlds.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now … onto book 2!

See some of the tweets from the amazing people who attended, pictures and even drawings from the launch! https://twitter.com/i/moments/edit/1358042288111427596

[klkettle]

What are you reading? Posted @withregram • @onceuponalouise It’s the time of week again! What are we authors reading this week? As authors, reading is just as important as the writing. But what to read? Join us each week as we share our picks of the week and feel free to share yours too! . . . . . . . . . . #bookfriday #bookishfriends #debutauthor #childrensauthor #debutauthorreads #childrensbooks #readingtime #pickupabook #debuts21 #the21ders #recommendedreading https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6nRJqAvxo/?igshid=1frhkfc1v5t8a

[klkettle]

This is a phenomenal thing. I am so thankful ❤️ Hugs and love to wonderful @hannahgold_author and gorgeous @namina.forna Posted @withregram • @lovereadingkids Click the link in our bio to explore our #DebutsofTheMonth for February. ⁠ Here are fantastic first-time authors that you need to know about:⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #TheSongForEveryone (B/T) by Lucy Morris, @bloomsburychildrens⁠ #HowToBeAHero (7+/9+) by Cat Weldon, Illustrated by Katie Wear, @macmillankidsuk⁠ #AmariAndTheNightBrothers by @bb_alston, @egmontbooksuk⁠ #TheLastBear (7+/9+) by @hannahgold_author, Illustrated by @levi_pinfold, @harperkids⁠ #MaggieBlueAndTheDarkWorld (9+/11+) by @agoodhallauthor, @guppypublishing⁠ #TheBoyWhoMadeEveryoneLaugh (11+) by @helenrutterukr, @scholastic_uk⁠ #TheBoyIAm (13+/YA) by @kl.kettle, @stripesbooks, @littletigerbooks⁠ #TheGildedOnes (13+/YA) by @namina.forna, @usborneya ‪#lovelibraries‬ ‪#LibraryLife‬ ‪#Books #LibrarianProblems #librariansofinstagram ‬#librariansfollowlibrarians #librarianrecommends #yalibrarian #teenlibrarian #schoollibrary #librariestransform #edugramers https://www.instagram.com/p/CK4dgbrg-iI/?igshid=k9oxvjwpriyk

[klkettle]

So privileged to be on this list among some real power house authors ❤️❤️❤️ Posted @withregram • @lovereadingkids Our February #TheKidsBookBox is here! 🥳⁠ ⁠ All of these beautiful books have been selected by our team of experts at @lovereadingkids. You can either give these books as a perfect one off gift, or pick up a subscription! There's something for everyone, from toddlers to teens. ⁠ ⁠ Thank you to all of these publishers for creating such beautiful books for kids @simonkidsuk @andersenpress @headofzeus @macmillankidsuk @hachettekids @faberchildrens @nosycrow @egmontbooksuk @usborne_books @scholastic_uk @bloomsburypublishing @dfb_storyhouse @littletigerbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CKySeMPAAQo/?igshid=1a0uge5t9h3fb

[klkettle]

WHEN POWER CORRUPTS, TEAR IT DOWN

They say we're dangerous. But we're not that different. Jude is running out of time. 

Once a year, lucky young men in the House of Boys are auctioned to the female elite. 

But if Jude fails to be selected before he turns seventeen, a future deep underground in the mines awaits. Yet ever since the death of his best friend at the hands of the all-powerful Chancellor, Jude has been desperate to escape the path set out for him. Finding himself entangled in a plot to assassinate the Chancellor, he finally has a chance to avenge his friend and win his freedom. But at what price? 

A gender-flipped, speculative YA thriller, for fans of Malorie Blackman, Louise O'Neill and THE BELLES. 

 The Boy I Am - available from 7 - January - 2021. 

 You can order #TheBoyIAm from 

bookshop.  https://bit.ly/order_Bookshop 

 amazon    http://bit.ly/order_amz 

 blackwells   http://bit.ly/order_blkw 

 book depository http://bit.ly/order_bkdp 

 books etc    http://bit.ly/order_etc 

foyles   http://bit.ly/order_foy 

 waterstones   http://bit.ly/order_wts 

 WH Smith  http://bit.ly/order_whs 

Follow K L Kettle on: 

Twitter: http://bit.ly/klkettle_TW 

Instagram: https://bit.ly/klkettle_inst  (main account)

Facebook: http://bit.ly/KLKettle_FB 

Website: http://bit.ly/klkettle_t 

My blog: http://bit.ly/KettleBlog