Tag Archives: Catherine Yardley

Interview With Author and Publishing Director Phoebe Morgan

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I am excited to interview Phoebe Morgan for Frost. Phoebe is the author of fantastic thrillers while also being the publishing director of Hodder and Stoughton. I have no idea how she manages it. I also know if Phoebe has worked on a book then it is definitely worth reading. Phoebe has a new Substack, The Honest Editor, which gets into the nitty gritty of publishing. It is essential reading for all authors.

 Tell us about you.

I am a publishing director at Hodder and Stoughton, working on commercial fiction. I also write my own novels on the side! I’ve worked in the industry since 2013, and I love finding new authors to work with, as well as progressing my own creative career. It’s a juggle but I am lucky to do two jobs I love!


You have written five books. Does writing ever get easier?

I would say psychologically it does, because you know you are capable of getting to the finish line and so that can be reassuring. But it’s still a slog at times, of course, and I am not a huge plotter so I am often running into plot problems as I go and figuring it out as I go along! So each book is still a marathon, but you do feel a sense of security when you have had a couple of books out – it’s so important to push through and get a first draft down, I think, so that’s always my initial aim, and then you can go back and edit afterwards (which is the fun part!)

Do you have a favourite?

Of my books, the second one is probably my favourite (The Girl Next Door). It’s set in Essex, in a small village where I used to live, about a teenage girl found dead in a field of buttercups at the back of the community hall. I love the couple at the heart of it, and although it’s not my biggest seller, it’s the one I always want more people to read.


How do you find time to write when you also have a busy publishing job?

I tend to write in big chunks at weekends rather than every day. I am quite a fast writer when I get going, so if I can clear a free Saturday for example I can really try to focus and get a lot down at once. You do need a lot of drive and determination to do both, though, as my day job is very absorbing and is always my priority. 


What is a typical day like for you?

I work full time at Hodder, so a typical day involves a lot of meetings! I manage a commercial fiction team so my time is spent catching up with them, attending acquisitions meetings, cover art meetings, production meetings etc in-house, and also working with my existing list of writers (I have about 20 at the moment). I edit their novels and send notes to them, and brief their jackets, and liaise with our marketing and publicity teams on their campaigns. I also read submissions from agents, but this is usually done outside the 9-5! My own writing is reserved for weekends. In my spare time I also run, kickbox, and am part of a drama group.


What are the best, and worst, things about your job?

The best thing is seeing new books reach readers, and being the first to read amazing manuscripts. It is a lot of reading, but I always remind myself that it is also an incredible privilege. If I had told my younger self that I would get to read for a living, I’m not sure I’d have believed her! Conversely, the worst thing is having to disappoint writers – not being able to get a book through acquisitions, or not achieving strong sales, and it’s also the inability to read for fun any more! I basically only read for fun on holiday…

Who are your favourite authors? What books should we keep a look out for?

I love Liane Moriarty, Maggie O’Farrell, Jennifer Close, Louise Candlish, Lorrie Moore, Katherine Heiny, Abigail Dean (who I published at HarperCollins) and Cara Hunter (ditto). I am sure there are tons more too! This year, do keep an eye out for upcoming thrillers on the Hodder list, Julie Tudor Is Not A Psychopath (a hilarious thriller about an office worker who is convinced she’s in love with her younger colleague) and Party of Liars (think Big Little Lies meets du Maurier’s Rebecca…)


What advice would you give writers to have a long career?

Keep writing! It is a long game, and the road can be bumpy. I know authors who have had huge success followed by years of low sales, and vice versa, but it can all change overnight sometimes and the key is to keep writing what you love, keep taking advice, keep plugging away and remember to be proud of yourself, too.


How has the publishing industry changed?

It’s changed a lot even in the decade I’ve been in it – we’ve seen some retailers rise and fall (e.g. the supermarkets) and some genres come in and out of fashion (e.g. romantasy). Reading habits have shifted due to the cost of living crisis, the explosion of subscription boxes, and the boom of audio (thanks in some part to Spotify) and part of my job is to stay alert to that data and what it tells us, and work out how we can continue to provide readers with what they want.


What’s next?

For me, I am writing book six this year which is something a little bit different that I am very excited about. And I’m always hunting for new authors for my list at Hodder. Genre wise, SFF and romance are dominating the charts, but there’s always going to be room for a bit of crime, too…

Phoebe Morgan’s books are available here.

There is a New Literary Hotspot And it’s in Scotland.

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Is there something in the water? I think so. My birthplace, Lanarkshire has produced an impressive number of authors. From Shuggie Bain author Douglas Stuart, and won the Booker Prize, and Elissa Soave, author of Ginger and Me. Elissa sets her books in Lanarkshire. Her brilliant, new, novel, Graffiti Girls, is set in Hamilton. It’s a fantastic book.

Lanarkshire is a historical county in Scotland that includes Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Lanarkshire is the heart of the central lowlands of Scotland. It’s a beautiful place with a lot of culture and music.

Former Guardian journalist, Deborah Orr, who sadly died in twenty nineteen, wrote her acclaimed memoir, Motherwell. It is all about the industrial town she grew up in. The book was a huge hit. I also note that Andrew O’Hagan, author of Sunday Times bestseller, Caledonian Road (set in London) and three times Booker Prize nominee was born in Glasgow. 

I grew up in the Scottish Borders and moved back to Lanarkshire as a teen. I spent a lot of my youth in Glasgow, Motherwell, and Strathclyde Park. Lanarkshire is a literary hotspot, churning out fantastic writers. Here is a short list: Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, Niall Ferguson, Liz Lochhead, Alasdair Gray, Damian Barr, Graeme Armstrong and Julie Kennedy.

Then there is me. Catherine Yardley, author of Ember and Where The Light is Hottest. Who also writes as Catherine Balavage. Where The Light is Hottest is partly set in Lanarkshire. The county may be cold, but it’s having its time in the sun. I have lived in London most of my adult life and consider myself a Londoner now, but a part of my heart will always belong to Lanarkshire. My family still live there and I visit. I can’t wait for the next author for Lanarkshire to publish their work.

Where The Light is Hottest is available now in paperback, ebook and kindle unlimited.

What I Want Querying Writers To Know. On Finding a Literary Agent

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My journey to become Catherine Yardley, author, was a tough one. It’s a known fact that writing is hard. Yes, the actual writing part can be tedious, but those who decide to go the traditional route quickly find out that writing the book was the easy part. The next part is getting a literary agent. The gatekeeper to a publishing deal. Finishing a book is a huge accomplishment in itself. When so much work goes into something, you want it to pay off. I had previously written non-fiction, and when the time came to try and get it published, I bought a copy of The Writer’s and Artist’s Yearbook.
It’s embarrassing to admit now, but I thought the whole get-an-agent-thing seemed exhausting. I was already exhausted from writing the bloody book! So I did a ton of research and went straight to publishers. Even more shockingly, all the editors replied, and the book went to acquisitions. Everyone was so nice and supportive. This was in 2013. You would probably get blacklisted emailing your book to editors nowadays.
I first queried my first fiction book, Ember, in 2020. It was a turbulent time in everyone’s life, and I wanted something good to happen. Yet I did not think for one second I would get an agent. Every rejection was confirmation of my belief that the book wasn’t good enough. This was just my first novel, I told myself. I will write more and query them too. In fact, I had two books: Ember and Where The Light is Hottest. I didn’t think the latter was ready yet. It took me six years to write both books simultaneously. I recommend having more than one book because an agent might like your writing but not the book you are querying. So, the first time was hard, but I wasn’t expecting success. 2020 was an incredibly traumatic year for me, and I was just trying to survive. In the end, I got two full requests from agents, signed with an agent, and also got offered two book deals. All good. Ember came out in March 2022 and did well. My agent was lovely, but we ended up parting ways.
Which brings me to what I want every querying writer to know: other than losing a loved one or a traumatic event, querying was the worst thing for my mental health. The constant rejections, the full requests that might lead to all of your dreams coming true. It’s a rollercoaster of pain and elation. I got a full request immediately. Then another. Still, it took an entire year for me to sign with a new agent. I was relentless. For every rejection, I send another three queries out. I want writers to understand the physical and emotional toll querying takes on you. It is a hard thing to go through. I believe querying is harder than ever. Publishing is slow at the moment, so agents are being cautious about what they take on. The day I cancelled my premium querytracker subscription (a site with all of the agents on which lets you directly submit to them) was a brilliant one. Take care of yourself. Join up with other querying writers. Take regular mental health breaks. Know that it can happen at any moment. It only takes one yes. More than anything, know that going after your dreams is hard and you are brave.

Keep at it. You will get there too. Just keep writing those books.


Where The Light is Hottest came out end of February and I Ember is also available here.

Becoming an Author Takes a Huge Amount of Talent. We Deserve Better Than AI and Piracy.

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Last week, thanks to a fantastic article in The Atlantic, I found out that one of my books had been taken from a piracy site and used by Meta to train their AI. Seeing your book on a piracy site hurts a lot. It takes years to write a book. There is a huge amount of sacrifice. Of sleep, time spend with loves ones, and time spent with Netflix. Querying is hard and tough on your mental health. After all of that, your book can then die on submission. Then you have to write another book and start the whole thing from the beginning.

Where The Light is Hottest, Catherine Yardley, Balavage

Authors do not earn a lot of money. At last count the average was seven thousand pounds a year. If you worked out the hours we put in, it is below minimum wage. You have to really love it to be an author. The highs are liking nothing on earth and the lows are crushing.

@balavage It is hard being an author. I know this is a bit of a rant but please bare with me. Leave your comments below. #booktok#writertok#authortok#writingcommunity#authorscommunity#writing#publishing♬ original sound – Catherine Balavage Yardley

Being an author is as hard as any other career. Yes, it has a huge amount of benefits. Working from home, being creative and seeing your work out there in the world. But the work can be tedious. Reading the same book multiple times. Editing it so many times that you want to give up. Then you market it while writing your next one. It is the dream, it really is. Don’t get me wrong, but there is a lot of work involved. If you cannot afford books you can go to the library. Authors get paid when you borrow our books. There is also the Libby library app if you are not near a library. My two books, Where The Light is Hottest and Ember are both on kindle unlimited. I hate to be downer and I know how lucky I am. I feel privileged and happy every day, but please stop stealing our work. Especially if you are a trillion dollar company. We can only write if our books sell. Publishers will not give us contracts if they think we have no readers. Publishing is a business like no other. It is all about the bottom line. Thank you. Please share any comments below.

Is London Book Fair Worth it for Authors?

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London Book Fair is a bustling and exciting place to be. A lot of deals are made. You can feel the buzz. This year they had an Author’s HQ and the SOA (Society of Authors) was also there. But is it worth it for authors? We ask Joanna Knowles, author of Lost and Found in Venice.

Was this your first time at the London Book Fair?

Yes, it was. I had contemplated going before but I had been advised that it was more of a trade event, not an event for authors to network or make contacts. However, now I was more established as an author, I saw the LBF advertised, and with tickets available specifically geared towards authors, I decided that maybe the event would be beneficial to my career. Plus, a trip to London is always a great location for inspiration and cultural enjoyment. The museums, the libraries, the natural beauty of the parks contrasting against the giant structures that seep their histories via their bricks and mortar; no wonder J.M Barrie said, “London is a swarming, restless, bustling town, always on the go.”

Why did you go?

The brochure advertised seminars that really appealed to me, and so I planned by visit by what seminars I could attend and learn from. I also noticed there would be an Authors HQ stage. With writing being a naturally solitary profession, I was excited at the prospect of meeting fellow authors and visiting the hub of a profession I am proud to be a part of. 

Did you enjoy it?

The vibe was definitely humming. An eclectic mix of languages, conversations, and book genres that meant the place was thriving. And huge! Sadly, the recommended app requested to download before attending wasn’t working and so I was unable to navigate the fair with destinations in mind. It was more of a stroll to find stands that interested me. I did speak to a wonderful LBF employee at their large Helpdesk who did offer guidance based on where I wanted to visit. 

The Olympia Building stands as a beauty icon in its own right. As you enter, it is the sheer amount of glass and arching ceiling that made me want to stop and just stare. However, the enormity of the site from a practical point of view was a little overwhelming without a map to guide me, and I also found little seating in the complex, observing others sitting sporadically on the floor. 

I did have certain seminars that I had pencilled in to attend, noting previously that they didn’t need advance booking, but I found myself unable to enter the first seminar due to a lack of spacing and a plethora of people spilling outside of the Author HQ stage. I did try to fit in the area outside, in the hope that I might be able to hear, but I was moved on by a security guard for health and safety reasons as the walkway was beginning to get blocked. 

Do you feel like it’s a good place for authors?

If a group of authors visited together, I can see the advantage of networking and comparing notes. There is a real opportunity to utilise the opportunity of having so many authors in one place. 

Plus, the seminars I had chosen to attend were directed towards authors, and if there had been more space and seating available, I can see it being a great place to gain insight from a profession that is mostly remote. Plus, if an author is without an agent, then learning the valuable processes of how the industry works could be incredibly useful. 

What did you gain from it?

The people I did speak to are very friendly, agreeable, and everyone is clearly passionate about the industry. I felt energised just from being there and being in the presence of the giants of publishing. I did visit my own publishing house and could see the energy and excitement that goes into each meeting with attendees. 

It was also fascinating to be a part of something that is industry renowned around the world. To know that deals were happening under the same roof and that potentially, the next bestseller was being discovered over coffee, or the newest trend was being discussed was exciting. Equally, to see the various stalls evidence the creativity, passion, and effort that goes into the written word was just a joy to be around. Particular highlights include theHatchette UK stand, the Audible stand, Wordsworth Editions Ltd and The British Library stand. 

As an author, what would you like to see more of at LBF?

Networking opportunities that are both free, assessable and insightful for authors that are navigating their own position in the industry. To be able to pre-book onto seminars so that the itinerary is set, and a place is guaranteed. This would avoid the over-crowding and limited access that I encountered on the day. 

The queues for refreshments were long; so perhaps more catering would help with keeping people hydrated and provide the valuable seating that the 2025 LBF lacked. Also, a potential opportunity to purchase goods on display (which I appreciate would be limited in space and volume), but would offer great marketing potential rather than just scanning a barcode and being sent a summary of activity after the event. 

Do you recommend other author goes?

Not unless recommended by their editor/agent to do so. There are limited opportunities for authors as the fair stands now; but I do feel there is huge potential to make the event more author friendly and desirable to all. 

Joanna Knowles –

Author, Writer, Prolific Reader, Lover of Cake.

Joanna lives in the south of England with her family, in a house with far too many books, and a cat who often ignores her. She hates to fly but loves to travel; she prefers paperbacks to eBooks, and she adores American sitcoms.

Alongside her writing, she has a love of movies, eating out, and socialising with her friends. Her family are her world and her husband is the love of her life. She loves to read. Anything. Shampoo bottles, magazines, current affairs, 19th century literature; and she has a particular penchant for a pretty book cover. She has completed both a BA(Hons) in English Literature and a master’s degree in creative writing, all while her children were little. Her biggest complement would be to be called a geek. Her love of literature comes from a young age, when seated cross-legged on the classroom floor, reading book after book in the book corner. 

These days, she can often be found scouring the internet for her next book destination, failing miserably at the daily crossword, and writing her next novel sitting absolutely anywhere, but at her desk.

Lost and Found in Venice is Joanna’s second published novel with Orion Fiction. Her debut, Love is in the Air, was published in November 2023. She is currently working on her third novel which takes place at the top of a volcano. 

The Lying Guest by Mahi Cheshire Book Review

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I loved Mahi Cheshire’s debut, The Deadly Cure, so I was excited to read The Lying Guest. I also love a destination book. There is nothing quite like being whisked away to a different world. Preferably one with a beach.

I could not put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page and was desperate to know what was going to happen. Mahi Cheshire has cornered the unique medical thriller market. Anika is a surgeon who makes a mistake at work. Her entire life unravels and she heads back to Sri Lanka, where she used to summer when she was younger, and when a tragic accident happened. The Lying Guest has so many layers and they are all tied together perfectly. I love everything about this immersive novel. It has everything you could want: secrets, drama, exotic locations, a medical setting, and love. I had no idea where the plot was going. I loved the ending. I raced through this five star read. A perfect, twisty, thriller.

Hardworking and overworked, Anika is a talented surgeon at a London hospital. It’s been some time since she’s had a decent night’s sleep, let alone a holiday. Not ideal for someone with parasomnia – a rare condition, made worse by stress, that can cause sleepwalking.

When a patient dies on her operating table, important people start asking questions and the media and her colleagues turn against her overnight.

It seems her only respite is to escape on a housesitting gig in Sri Lanka and to keep a low profile until the verdict on her case, and her career, is decided.

Despite everything, she’s excited to visit the place she used to summer as a child. But what should be a restorative beach break ends up being a trip back into a murky, haunted past that’s been waiting for her all along.

Anika left for what she thought was a dream holiday, only to find herself trapped inside another nightmare. Will she finally wake up to face her demons?

The Lying Guest is available here.

Red Flags by Sophie Jo Book Review

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Red Flags is a joyful book with a great message. It is How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days for the Gen Z generation. I love Poppy. She is so confident and sure of herself, but her guard is up and she is too cynical. Then we have Cam, who is scared of being vulnerable. He is terrified of intimacy. It is so wonderful to see a young man portrayed in such a beautiful and nuanced way. I am not the target market for this book. I am not a teen, nor a young adult, but if I ever wanted to read a manual for having a good, healthy, relationship, then this is definitely it.

This witty and engaging book is a must read. Sophie Jo writes very wise books full of warmth and well-rounded characters. I adored it. A brilliant five star read.

Poppy is known for her high standards. Why bother with relationships when boys don’t ever seem to live up to her expectations? One red flag and she’s out.

Cam is known for quickly developing the ick. He’s never dated anyone for long – a week here, a month there, but he always spooks.

When Poppy’s friends challenge her to give someone a chance for two whole months, Poppy decides that Cam (her mysterious bus crush) could be the best of an underwhelming bunch. But Cam’s been set his own challenge: he’s banned from ending things in his next relationship … and that means he’s ready to do whatever he can to put Poppy off.

Two skeptics. Two months. And this time, neither of them can disappear the moment they spot something they don’t like…

While My Baby Sleeps by Natali Simmonds Review

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Natali Simmonds is the author who became huge with Good Girls Die Last in 2023. It was a brilliant book. A blistering feminist thriller. This was followed by My Daughter’s Revenge and now, While My Baby Sleeps. I honestly think no one has a right to be this talented. Publishing a thriller of this calibre a year, with all of the other stuff she has going on, the TV rights for Good Girls Die Last also sold, is simply not on.

Jokes aside, I met Natali Simmonds in person at Laura Pearson’s book launch for The Day Shelley Woodhouse Woke Up. She talked about this book and how hard she thought it was going to be to write it. Natali suffered with severe sleep deprivation for years. Her two daughters were born close together. You can feel it in this book. The real emotion. The experience. It has all of the mum-with-a-toddler haze all wrapped up in a thriller so perfect you will think of it every moment you are not reading it. I was desperate to know what was going to happen and read it into the night.

While My Baby Sleeps is a masterclass in thriller writing. An absolute perfect novel that I practically inhaled. I loved the story, I loved the characters (or hated them), and the ending was perfect and unpredictable. I am going to insist you read it. You will not be disappointed.

I have to stay awake… I need to keep him safe. 

I haven’t slept properly since Riley was born. I love my baby so much – every noise he makes and every sleepy blink has me rushing to his side to make sure he’s safe.

Yet the lack of sleep is getting to me. There are terrifying blanks in my memory, and my temper is blindingly short. I can’t rely on my partner – I don’t even know where he is half the time. But at least I have Maggie next door. She tells me this is just what new motherhood is like, so I have no choice but to ignore the blackout rages and blurred vision, for Riley’s sake…

But after another night of no sleep, the last thing I expect is a police officer at my door. My neighbour has been found dead. The man I’ve been furious at for weeks for keeping me and the baby awake with his late-night parties.

Though really, maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised… Because this morning, I woke up on my doorstep. And I have no memory of what happened – or where the blood on my hands came from.

As I hear Riley start to cry, I swallow against the rising panic in my throat. It can’t have been me. I’m no killer, I’m just a sleep-deprived, loving mother… aren’t I?

An absolutely unputdownable, addictive suspense thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. Perfect for fans of gripping page-turners like The Housemaid, The Family Across the Street and The Family Upstairs.