Alison Littlewood’s latest novels, published as A. J. Elwood, are The Other Lives of Miss Emily White and The Cottingley Cuckoo. Her first book, A Cold Season, was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club and described as ‘perfect reading for a dark winter’s night.’ Other titles include Mistletoe, The Hidden People, The Crow Garden, The Unquiet House and Path of Needles. Her short stories have been selected for several Best Of anthologies and published in her collections, Quieter Paths, The Flowering and A Curious Cartography. She has won the Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction. Alison lives in a house of creaking doors and crooked walls in deepest darkest Yorkshire, England.    HarperCollins on 3 October announced the acquisition of Until We Drown by Ava Morwood, the penname of Alison Littlewood, who has previously been an R&J pick and won the Shirley Jackson award.   Acquired with UK and Commonwealth rights from Oli Munson at AM Heath in a two-book deal, Megan Jones will publish Until We Drown in hardback, ebook and audio in April 2026.   A spellbinding thriller with a powerful sense of place, Until We Drown is set in the Peak District, where Ellie Kellaway and her family are seeking a fresh start. Ellie hopes to leave behind her troubling memories of the sea – and her husband’s affair with the beautiful wild swimmer he met there.   But this new home harbours dark secrets, where ancient legends intertwine with chilling realities. When Ellie’s daughter finds a mermaid carving hidden in the bones of their house, the family find themselves pulled into an undertow of betrayal and vengeance which threatens to drown them all.   Megan Jones said: ‘I am thrilled to be working with Ava, not only a wonderfully talented writer but someone passionate about the stories which special places hide. Until We Drown is a thriller that conjures a dark fascination that lasts long after the final page.’   Ava Morwood said: ‘I’m completely thrilled that Until We Drown has found such an amazing home. It’s a heart-and-soul of a novel, which began with my fascination with the presence of mermaid folklore in the landlocked Peak District and grew into a rather darker, more dangerous contemporary thriller. I’m beyond happy to be working with Megan and the fabulous team at HarperNorth, and grateful to my agent, Oli Munson, for making this happen.’   Find out more: AvaMorwood.com AlisonLittlewood.com

Today Dr Rachel Knightley explores a different kind of storytelling that has been part of her exploring and expressing the stories she contains for nearly a decade, and a community she's been part of while also building her own in the Writers' Gym: Jade Robertson is the creative force behind Little Lies, an indie fashion brand rooted in 70s rock ‘n’ roll. Since launching the brand from her bedroom in 2015, Jade has built a loyal global community of customers who resonate with the ethos of creating “future-vintage” pieces—timeless styles designed in small batches with inclusivity in mind. Little Lies has grown from a passion project into a business with a seven-figure turnover and brand known for its authenticity and bold energy. Last year, the world took notice when Taylor Swift was photographed wearing one of their signature designs, further cementing their place in the fashion world. Jade is passionate about sharing her journey and insights, regularly speaking at universities, business groups, and on various podcasts, always bringing a grounded, relatable approach to entrepreneurship, creativity, and building an ethical brand in today’s world. Whether it’s about her love of blending music with fashion, building an independent business, juggling motherhood with business life or leading with purpose in the fast-paced world of retail, her talks resonate with audiences looking for real insights and inspiration.   www.little-lies.com Instagram: @jadelittlelies  

Dr Rachel Knightley's guest at the Writers' Gym today is  Ashley Thorpe. Ashley  is a self taught Devon based animator whose early films (SCAYRECROW, THE SCREAMING SKULL & THE HAIRY HANDS) were a celebration of the neglected aspects of British folklore. His first feature 'BORLEY RECTORY' (a Carrion Film / Glass Eye Pix co-venture) with Reece Shearsmith & Julian Sands was completed late 2017and won 'Best Animated Feature' at Buffalo Dreams Festival New York and a "Special Achievement in Cinema" accolade. After being released on Blu Ray in 2019 the film is now streaming on Netflix, Prime and Talking Pictures. As a freelance animator he has provided animated titles / sequences for such varied films as the multi award winning 'WOODLANDS DARK & DAYS BEWITCHED', Saturn award winning 'TALES OF HALLOWEEN', 'MANCUNIAN MAN', 'NEVERLAND NIGHTMARE' as well as ongoing animated title sequences and graphics for the BBC's hit show 'UNCANNY’.   Ashley's website: https://carrionfilms.co.uk   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycarrionthorpe/?hl=en-gb

Claire Louise Amias is an actor and playwright. She has worked extensively on screen and stage, including feature films, No. 1 touring, West End and regional theatre.She is also Co-Artistic Director of A Monkey With Cymbals Theatre Company andhas written, acted in and produced several projects. The Masks of Aphra Behn is an Offie award-winning one-woman show about the first professional female writer in the English language; the show went on a national tour and helped raise funds for the successful A is for Aphra statue campaign. She wrote a follow-up play, Oranges& Ink, about Behn’s possible friendship with Nell Gwynn; this was Offie-nominated and had a West End run. Her current project is Haunted Shadows: The Gothic Tales of Edith Nesbit, which will begin touring the UK on 24 October, running until May next year. This is an adaptation of three of Edith Nesbit’s creepiest stories.   Find out more about Claire and book for Haunted Shadows at https://www.amonkeywithcymbals.co.uk/  

Dr Rachel Knightley is joined by Kim Morgan MCC, author, speaker, Barefoot Coaching founder and internationally recognised expert in coaching and coach training. Kim’s passion to spread the word about coaching has resulted in two best-selling books, ‘The Coach’s Casebook’ (2015) and ‘The Coach’s Survival Guide (2019). Kim also has a monthly coaching column in Psychologies Magazine, and she is a sought- after conference speaker on all things coaching related.   Kim is one of the select band of coaches accredited by the ICF as a Master Certified Coach. She draws extensively on her own experience of what works in practice to make successful individuals, great leaders, productive teams and organisations, and outstanding coaches. Kim designed and launched the Barefoot Flagship Course in 2001. Kim’s passion and curiosity ensure that the course is constantly evolving, refreshed by new ideasand thinking and always remains grounded in ethical and psychological rigour.Under Kim’s leadership Barefoot Coaching has established an international reputation as one of the most trusted and respected providers of coach training. Over 4,000 coaches from 28 different countries have chosen Barefoot to begin or to build their coaching careers. Kim’s vision remains the same, to make the world a brighter place through exceptional coaching; firstly, by providing world-class training for coaches who want to make a difference, and secondly by delivering Barefoot-quality coaching to individuals and organisations looking for real and lasting change.   About Kim: https://barefootcoaching.co.uk/about/   Kim's books at Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/books/search/term/kim+morgan+coach

Tim Lebbon is a New York Times-bestselling writer from South Wales. He’s written over fifty novels, as well as hundreds of novellas and short stories. His latest novel is Secret Lives of the Dead. He has won a World Fantasy Award, four British Fantasy Awards, a Dragon Award and a Scribe Award. His novel The Silence is a movie on Netflix starring Stanley Tucci and Kiernan Shipka. The movie of his novella Pay The Ghost stars Nicolas Cage.   Tim has written extensively in existing universes including Alien, Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Star Wars, Firefly and Hellboy novels. He also novelized the movies 30 Days of Night, The Cabin in the Woods, and Kong: Skull Island.   He has written computer games, comics, and audio dramas. He is currently developing more novels, and both original and adapted screen projects.   He loves the outdoors, and spends a lot of time walking, running, cycling and swimming around the Welsh countryside. He's competed in many Ironman and other triathlons. He's a huge music fan, and believes you're never too old to jump up and down in a mosh pit.   Find out more about Tim at www.timlebbon.net

Joanne was born in Barnsley in 1964, of a French mother and an English father. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at Cambridge and was a teacher for fifteen years, during which time she published three novels, including Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche . Since then, she has written over 20 more novels, plus novellas, short stories, game scripts, the libretti for two short operas, several screenplays, a stage musical (with Howard Goodall) and three cookbooks. Her books are now published in over 50 countries and have won a number of British and international awards. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, has honorary doctorates in literature from the universities of Sheffield and Huddersfield, and has been a judge for the Whitbread Prize, the Orange Prize, the Desmond Elliott Prize, the Betty Trask Award, the Prima Donna Prize  and the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science, as well as for the Fragrance Foundation awards for perfume and perfume journalism (for which she also received an award in 2017). She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2022. She is a passionate advocate for authors’ rights, and was the Chair of the Society of Authors (SOA) for four years. She was a member of the Board of the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) between 2018 and 2024. Her hobbies are listed in Who’s Who as: “mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion of the system”, although she also enjoys obfuscation, sleaze, rebellion, witchcraft, armed robbery, tea and biscuits. She is not above bribery and would not necessarily refuse an offer involving perfume, diamonds,  foreign travel or pink champagne. She works from a shed in her garden, plays in the band she first joined when she was 16, and lives with her husband in a little wood in Yorkshire. Joanne's website: https://www.joanne-harris.co.uk The Society of Authors: https://societyofauthors.org ALCS: https://www.alcs.co.uk Vianne/Sarah McCartney scent collaboration: https://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/news/4690/

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring what makes you write.

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring plots and protagonists.

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring antagonist exercises.

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring symbols and characters

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.    

Build confidence in writing through focus on the inspiration already in your writer's artist palette – with author and coach Dr Rachel Knightley.   This week, we're exploring setting and character.

Steve Toase is a British Fantasy Award 2025 nominated fiction and non-fiction author. He was born in North Yorkshire, England, and now lives in the Frankenwald, Germany. Steve’s debut short story collection ‘To Drown in Dark Water’ is published by Undertow Publications, and his archaeology themed horror collection Dirt Upon My Skin is out now from Black Shuck Books. Dirt Upon My Skin is shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award 2025 Best Collection. Steve writes for magazines, and is a regular contributor to Fortean Times. In the past he has written for Kerrang, and The Author, as well as motorbike magazines, such as BSH, 100% Biker, and The Classic Motor Cycle. fiction has appeared in Analog, Nightmare Magazine, Three Lobed Burning Eye, Shimmer, and Bourbon Penn, and Deadlands amongst others, and his stories have been selected for Ellen Datlow’s Best Horror of the Year series, and Paula Guran’s Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror.  He recently worked with astrophysicist Dr Chris Harrison as script editor for a planetarium show designed for people with a vision impairment. From 2014 he worked with Becky Cherriman and Imove on Haunt, the Saboteur Award shortlisted project inspired by his own teenage experiences of being no fixed abode and vulnerably housed, about Harrogate’s haunting presence in the lives of people experiencing homelessness in the town. He also likes old motorbikes and vintage cocktails. 

From creation to publication in 48 hours: Green Ink Sponsored write for Macmillan Cancer Support unites a team of published and developing authors at the Writers' Gym to create entirely new work on a theme inspired by Macmillan's mission of quality of life for all affected by cancer. Founded by Dr Rachel Knightley in 2009, this year's title was selected by Rhianna Pratchett: Somewhere That's Green: Paradises, Utopias and Happy Places. The cover image is by Writers' Gym member Elspeth Hannen and anthology design will be by Steve Shaw.   Visit and share the page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green

From creation to publication in 48 hours: Green Ink Sponsored write for Macmillan Cancer Support unites a team of published and developing authors at the Writers' Gym to create entirely new work on a theme inspired by Macmillan's mission of quality of life for all affected by cancer. Founded by Dr Rachel Knightley in 2009, this year's title was selected by Rhianna Pratchett: Somewhere That's Green: Paradises, Utopias and Happy Places. The cover image is by Writers' Gym member Elspeth Hannen and anthology design will be by Steve Shaw.   Visit and share the page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green  

Dr Rachel Knightley talks about how one Green Ink Sponsored Write author, actor, comedian and writer Nic Lamont, found her annual Sponsored Write stories started building a new fictional world she might never have discovered without donating time to this new writing project.  Help your writing community help Macmillan Cancer Support at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green

Instead of waiting for enough time or enough confidence, Dr Rachel Knightley shares how Green Ink Sponsored Write was invented to help writers dive in and shares an example of a favourite piece that came out of the Sponsored Write.  Help your writing community help Macmillan Cancer Support at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green

 Writing that makes a difference: Green Ink Sponsored Write for Macmillan Cancer Support Dr Rachel Knightley begins the lead-up to this year’s Green Ink Sponsored Write.  Help your writing community help Macmillan Cancer Support at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/somewhere-thats-green

Anthony McGowan books have won several major awards, and been shortlisted for many more. He has also written highly regarded adult fiction, as well as books for younger readers. He has a PhD on the history of beauty, and has taught philosophy and creative writing. He lives in London with his wife and two children.   Dr Rachel Knightley met Anthony McGowan, one of the most widely acclaimed young-adult authors in the UK, by forgetting she didn’t know him already through an event around his semi-fictionalised memoir, The Art of Failing, where he appears alongside Monty, muse/canine co-author of How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog, a series of conversational walks between Tony and Monty. Tony and Rachel discuss writing inspiration and exercise for writers, and how the stages of Tony’s career have required different routines and provided potential for the curiosity that fuels creativity.   Find out more about Tony:   Tony’s website https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115523/http://anthonymcgowan.com/anewsite/   Tony’s Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_McGowan   Authors Aloud: Speaker visits https://authorsalouduk.co.uk/speaker/anthony-mcgowan/     Carnegie-winning novella: Lark https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/blog/lark-a-carnegie-winning-novel-by-anthony-mcgowan-6274   Hellbent https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/324997/hellbent-by-anthony-mcgowan/9780099482130     Join the Writers’ Gym for more writing and creative confidence workouts at www.writersgym.com or sign up to our mailing list at drrachelknightley.substack.com   Get in touch with us at thewritersgym@rachelknightley.com         “I don't think there's any art of fiction, piece of fiction that doesn't involve a strong truth quotient. We always use our experiences, the stuff around us.” Anthony McGowan   Writers’ Gym Workout:   Pick an event or conversation you’ve experienced (let it pick you: go with the thought that arrives).   Warm-up: Let yourself write freely. Let the characters speak, think, feel. Mix reality with fiction, or just let your memories out. There are no rules except Writers’ Gym mantra ‘Think On The Page.   Read it to yourself as if you’re seeing it for the first time.   What is the story trying to ask?   What do you want to expand on, or change, to liberate the story?