✨ NEWS!!!!! ✨ In honour of International Friendship Day, I’m ridiculously excited to introduce you to your new BFF - Riley Wright! 🥳 RILEY WRIGHT IS ALWAYS WRONG is the first in a funny, illustrated, diary-style series for ages 7+. Full announcement: www.thebookseller.com/rights/farsh...

This week we’ve been joined at Words and Pictures by inspirational creative writing entrepreneur and author @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social We discovered how she created her own opportunities and why it’s so important to ‘think big’. Read more here: naomiandjamesjones.substack.com/p/words-and-...

✨ 50% OFF AUTHOR EVENTS ✨ As the offer went down so well last year I’m offering 50% off KS2 author visits for the rest of 2025. If you’d like a visit that’s high-energy, interactive & inspires ALL pupils to put pen to paper, do get in touch! ✉️ [email protected]

How did I miss this beautiful bit of book post? Imagination Island: Race to Echoes Edge! LOVED Book 1 and can’t wait to read this!! 👀 🎉 #KidLitUK @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social (art by Alessandro D’Urso)

Thanks to @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social and @harpercollins.bsky.social for this delight in the post today. The first one was a rip roaring ride and I can’t see the follow up being anything less! Can’t wait to continue the adventure.

Morning. On Tuesday 17th June, I’m taking part in a Klaus Flugge Salon- an intimate launch event for The Dawn of Adonis. Tickets are limited to 30, and available here. www.tickettailor.com/events/ander...

One of the best bits of awards ceremonies is getting to hang out with lots of other authors! @hannahgold.bsky.social @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social @sharnajackson.com Tom Percival Joseph Coelho Alex Wharton Jeffery Boakye

Another WRITE FOR FUN challenge has been added to my YouTube channel and this time it’s the ‘Change The Title’ challenge ✏️📖🎬 This is a super quick and easy challenge, based on grabbing a bundle of books and changing the titles! #WriteForFun #creativewritingforkids

Just in time for National Storytelling Week next week, my next WRITE FOR FUN video is live on YouTube and this one’s about a story structure I created over 15 years ago!! ✍🏼📖👵🏻 Learn how to use WISPS at YouTube.com/@writeforfunwithMTB 🎬

And then there were TWO!!!!! ✨🌈📚 Race to Echoes Edge isn’t officially publishing until 27th March but my advance copy arrived today and I’m OBSESSED! The illustrations by Alessandro D’Urso are 😍👌 If you’d like to pre-order a copy, head to www.waterstones.com/book/race-to...

These are my #TopNine most-liked posts this year. A celebration of 10 years of @redbreastedbird.bsky.social & ‘Murder Most Unladylike,’ double celebrations with the wonderful @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social , & a host of fabulous books! I wonder what new adventures 2025 will hold? #childrensbooks

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME AND THE CHRISTMAS CARROLLS!!!!!! ❤️🎄🎅🏼 I hope everyone has a gorgeous festive season and a 2025 that is full of cheer. (P.s. if anyone gets a copy of The Christmas Carrolls 1 2 or 3 for Xmas do feel free to send me pics! I love seeing them!!! ✨)

🎄✨ DID YOU KNOW… ✨🎄 1) I applied to be a Christmas elf in Lapland when I was 19 but was told I was ‘over qualified’ (true story!) 2) I’m allergic to real Christmas trees 3) You can order a discounted copy of The Christmas Carrolls at uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-... before Xmas!

#BookAdvent Day 14 ‘The Christmas Carrolls,’ by @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social , illustrated by @selomsunu @farshorebooks.bsky.social If you haven’t already discovered this tinseltastic series about a family who live and breathe Christmas 365 days of the year, now is your chance….

Well this is VERY exciting!!! I’m running a creative writing workshop at the inaugural Waterstones Children’s Book Festival on Sunday 16th Feb at 1pm. Tickets are £5 and are super-limited. Grab yours below 👇🏻 See you there!! www.waterstones.com/events/creat...

What an AMAZING night!! Thank you to everyone that came to the 2024 KidsLit Christmas Party 🎄🎉🥂 It was incredible to have so many talented, creative & inspiring people in one room & especially lovely to catch up with old publishing friends & make some new ones.

The @authorfy.bsky.social Xmas party was (kids) LIT!! 🌟🔥✨ MASSIVE thanks to the queen of kidlit Christmas @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social already excited to next year! 🎄

Kidlit authors getting festive at the @authorfy.bsky.social Christmas party hooray 🍾🎉🌟🍭🎊✨ Thank you @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social for throwing such a fab bash🎉❣️ #childrensbooks

Thank you @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social for an always wonderful start to the season at the Kidlit Christmas Party! You’re the festive dream queen 🧑🏻‍🎄❤️📚

It’s KIDSLIT CHRISTMAS PARTY DAAAAAAY!!!!!! 🎉✨🎄 Can’t wait to see everyone later. And there have been a couple of cancellations so if anyone would like their tickets do ping me a DM xx

As someone who normally works full time and squeezes writing in here & there, I’m living my best author life this week! ✨ 3 school events ✨ a bookshop signing ✨ handing in draft 1 of Imagination Island 3 ✨ planning a VERY exciting new project ✨ And it’s the KidsLit Xmas Party tomorrow!

It’s the KidsLit Christmas Party THIS FRIDAY!!!!! 🎉🎄🎅🏼🥂 After a few cancellations, everyone on the waiting list now has a ticket but I’ve got x2 tickets left so if you’re a children’s author, illustrator, agent or publisher & you’d like to come, do DM me!

Roar adventures are the BEST adventures!!!! I started the new ‘Dragon Riders of Roar’ this morning and haven’t been able to put it down 😍🐉✨ @jennymclachlan.bsky.social has written another thrilling, fantasy-fuelled adventure & I wish I could stay on Roar forever!

I really cannot believe that I won The Times - Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition today! I am very excited for everyone to read my novel, I am absolutely blown away by this! #booksky

There are many reasons to love reading but here’s just one… you can read ANYWHERE!!!!! Expertly demonstrated by my 3 year old dropping everything to read some non-fiction to the fish, sharks and sting rays on holiday this morning 😂

Working on a top secret project (while on holiday for my birthday / anniversary) and cannot WAIT to share this one with you!!!!

Wooooah!!! HELLO NEW FOLLOWERS!! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m a little quiet this week as I’m away celebrating my birthday (today) and 20 year anniversary (8 years married!) with my husband ❤️ I’m currently sitting in a dark corner working on a top secret writing project while my son sleeps 😂 Hoping to reveal all soon!

From the girl who’s allergic to everything (cats, dogs, horses, grass, chocolate!) I spent a lot of my childhood wishing I could have a pet (all I had was 3 fake 🐠🐟🐡). That’s what inspired my next ‘Write for Fun’ writing prompt. Watch the full video at YouTube.com/@writeforfunwithMTB

NEW WRITE FOR FUN VIDEO!!! 🎬 What I DIDN’T do this summer: ✨ Write a list of 10 things you didn’t do this summer ✨ Choose 1 ✨ Use your persuasive writing skills to convince someone you DID do it! Watch the full video at YouTube.com/@writeforfunwithmtb

#RR_Events for September featuring @meltaylorbessent.bsky.social and @mariebasting.bsky.social are available to book on NOW!!! 📚📚📚https://mailchi.mp/cd633e3b6a40/reading-rocks-virtual-author-events-are-back

This is a VERY special author masterclass & I can’t wait to tell you about it!!! Hear Tova Friedman, one the youngest living survivors of the Holocaust, talk about her experience at authorfy.com/masterclasse... ✨ WIN ✨ a copy by: - ‘Liking’ this post - Share by 30.09.24 - UK only

I’ve loved hearing that so many teachers are using ‘Race to Imagination Island’ as their reading for pleasure book this term 🌴🌈✨ In case it helps, I’ve got lots of writing challenges based on the book on my YouTube channel - YouTube.com/@writeforfunwithMTB ⬇️

Will people kill me if I mention the C word on 1st Sept!? OK, I’ll whisper… 🤫 🎄🎉 Save the date! 🎉🎄 The KidsLit Christmas Party will be on Fri 29th Nov in London. It’s the annual celebration for all published / soon-to-be published children’s authors, illustrators, publishers, etc. More info soon!

Teachers!! If you’d like a FREE signed / personalised postcard from Imagination Island for your class plus: ✨ a printable author letter ✨ Race to Imagination Island classroom resources ✨ author videos & more Send your school address & class name to [email protected] 😊👍🏻 #edusky #kidslit

@misstaylor.bsky.social my lovely friend!!! So nice to see you on here. Hope you’ve had a fab summer? Xx

It’s been a productive week… ✨ Hit 10k on Race to Imagination Island 3 ✨ Gave the green light on a BIG new @authorfy.bsky.social update which should see our children’s book platform grow tenfold ✨ Wrote 100+ postcards to send to schools ✨ Booked a holiday🌴 ✨ Actually cleared my inbox! 🎉

I’m VERY late to the party but HELLO! I’m Mel & I’d love to connect with authors, illustrators, bloggers, booksellers, teachers & librarians. I‘ll be posting about: ✨ Children’s books ✨ Disney ✨ My ‘Write for Fun’ YouTube channel ✨ Writing for pleasure Do send this newbie your Bluesky tips! 🙏🏻