Thank you so much for having me! An absolutely pleasure, really enjoyed that! 💗 #ukteenchat

If I'm stuck, I like to go through a scene and just write the dialogue. It tells me a lot about how the characters get from the start to the end point. With ESD, it worked so well that I thought... huh. I think this might be something! That's (sort of!) how the scripted voice was born! #ukteenchat

It's a first draft, so I can't tell you much with confidence because I don't know myself! I will say it's another theatre-set novel, but aside from that it's different to ESD in almost every way - not YA and no murder! I first had the idea 6 years ago, so it's been a long time coming! #ukteenchat

I've been a fan of writing at The Barbican for a little while now, but what I *did not* know about until recently was the library there! It's so quiet and studious, then when you need a break, you can go out to the main arts centre and soak up all the vibes. It's a game changer. #ukteenchat

Usually a pantser, although I always know what I'm writing towards, but Exit Stage Death was *so* plotted. The synopsis alone was 8k words, so when I came to actually write it, it happened quickly! Would I do it that way again? Probs not. 🙅‍♀️ Did it work? Sorry, pantsers... it really did! #ukteenchat

The main thing it did was let me give the killer a voice without giving away who they were. I could probably have done that in dual POV prose, but once the scripting idea came to me, that voice came *so* easily, and I think in writing, when something is easy, you should run with it! #ukteenchat

Exactly! They can explode stuff and be in peril while we're living vicariously through them all cosy with chocolate 😂 #ukteenchat

A bit of both - I knew who the killer was and why they did it before I started, but how they were going to execute it could only come once I knew who the characters were. It was always a 'proper' murder mystery though, so the tropes that come with that were all there from the beginning. #ukteenchat

Writing Livi and Juliet in contrast to each other was my favourite part. On the surface they're so different, but when you look a little closer, they have more in common than they'd like to admit. Finding that balance was so fun. #ukteenchat

Lots of my writing group have experience of classic summer camps, so we had many chats about specifically social media use, & what kind of rules would be in place. But because it's UK-set, & we have less of a camp culture, luckily I could use a lot of artistic licence too! #ukteenchat

I've worked in theatre my whole professional life, so it made sense that at some point that would spill in to my writing I guess! The intense, almost instant friendships in the book are definitely true to my experience, so I guess Exit Stage Death is my love letter to those. #ukteenchat

Of course! #ExitStageDeath tells the story of Livi, in her last summer at Camp Chance, hoping to get cast as lead & prove that theatre is a 'real' career. The drama spills offstage when a fellow camper is murdered, leaving Livi to work out who did it, before they strike again! #ukteenchat

Aww, thank you so much. I'm so excited to finally have you as a guest 😊 #ukteenchat

Thanks for having me! I've admired #ukteenchat from afar for years, so really happy to be taking part! #ExitStageDeath

I’ve been in the flat alone all day so I’m feeling VERY READY TO CHAT! Looking forward to this! #ukteenchat

So looking forward to this! 🩷

EXIT STAGE DEATH by @avaeldred.bsky.social @uclanpublishing.bsky.social the STUNNING New YA Murder Mystery set in a musical theatre summer camp. When a murderer strikes, Livi gets an ultimatum: Find the killer or its curtains for someone else! REVIEW➡️ erinthecatprincess.blogspot.com/2025/05/exit...

And TALKING OF TONY NOMS my old fave Darren Criss has his first! So well deserved for my only 'one who got away' from my concert producing days - he has worked hard, pivoted, done *interesting things* and is so very good, both as a performer and person. Absolutely thrilled for all of Team Criss.

Every year on Tony Awards nomination day, I remember the year Aaron Tveit was the only nominee for best actor in a musical. He won. Against himself. It'll never not be funny.

I don't think we, collectively, talked enough about how genius Warriors is as an album/musical/piece of art/escape room. I've listened to it hundreds of times, and I'm sure this last listen (I'm typing this as I've just hit Last Train Home*) I'm hearing things I never have before.

This afternoon I thought I'd count how many musical theatre references there are in EXIT STAGE DEATH. Nine in just the prologue... think this might be quite a long tally.

I didn’t think I was in the festive spirit yet, but I just caught myself thinking it must be time for some chocolate then looked at the clock. 8.36am. Must be Christmas! 🎄🤪

I thought cutting ~10k words from my adult manuscript would either be easy or impossible. Turns out, with 9,200 gone, I was wrong on both counts - it was hard, an it has made this book in to something I'm truly proud of. I think it's good. It still makes me cry. Let's hope some publishers agree! 🤞

I've just realised I hadn't posted here that my next YA novel, EXIT STAGE DEATH is being published by @uclanpublishing.bsky.social in June. It's the most fun I've ever had writing anything. If you know how many minutes are in a year because of musicals, not maths, I wrote this one for you!

Made a start pack for UCLan authors if people would like to follow us! go.bsky.app/7ZmvUHn

Couldn't make Wicked work this weekend with my pals and didn't make any alternative plans because I was like... it's fine. It'll happen when it happens. No rush at all. Anyway I need to leave the house in 15 minutes for the first local screening of the day. LOL predictable.

I've read the book I'm editing probably six times from beginning to end, and the final quarter makes me cry every. single. time, even though I wrote it and it's not a surprise. Can I just not regulate my emotions or is it maybe... good?

I feel like few enough people follow me here that I’ll get away with saying I just saw cover roughs for something that hasn’t been announced yet and I’m Very!! Happy!! 🥰

Dreamed that someone, possibly my boss, stole the idea for the book-of-my-heart* I’ve been half-writing since 2019 and sold it to a production company. Anyway I’ve written 5k of it in about 27 hours so like… that worked. Thanks brain ✌️ *Complicated feelings about this phrase, but it really is. 📖

This is why, in The Boyband Murder Mystery, none of the band are ever physically described with specificity. Being able to project on to a character can be really important! I wanted them to look like the boyband members the reader loved so they felt *that thing* about them. This is a great thread.

I just strongly considered making my proper bluesky debut by live-skying(?) the whole of Prison Break then realised most of my thoughts on Prison Break are actually about that youtube video of Wentworth Miller getting his tattoo applied. (Very soothing. Would recommend a watch.)

(Lol guess I'm here now.)

I had a facial this afternoon & the therapist looked so much like Hannah Waddingham that when she said I had dehydrated skin I was like "Ok Hannah Waddingham, I just want to impress you, sell me every product." Great sales tactic, to be fair.