#UKYASpotlight is a month-long event across social media to promote UKYA books. As part of it, I am posting a series of interviews with UKYA authors. For more information, click here.
About the Authors
Becky Jerams is a singer/songwriter/author from Portsmouth, UK. As an author, Becky specialises in Young Adult fiction and her debut co-written novel with Ellie Wyatt THE SONGS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD (which features an accompanying album of real life songs) has been promoted at conventions, schools and book shops. She is represented by Gill McLay at Bath Literary and is currently working on new projects to pitch to publishers.
Having been an award winning advertising copywriter, Malcolm Duffy has switched from selling products to telling stories. His first novel, Me Mam. Me Dad. Me, was based around my time at the charity Comic Relief, and tells the story of Danny, a fourteen year old boy, trying to save his Mam from domestic abuse. His books Sofa Surfer (homelessness) and Read Between the Lies (dyslexia), look at tough subjects, but he always tries to inject them with wit and warmth. He’s married to Kiwi Jann, and have two teenage daughters, Tallulah and Tabi.
Denise Brown is a freelance ghostwriter, proofreader, and copy editor, who still pinches herself some mornings that she gets to sit at her desk and write stories for a living. She often wishes that she could go back and tell her eight-year-old self that it’s okay to daydream because that’s where the magic happens. Born in East London, Denise has now settled in Scotland where she feels certain she must’ve lived in a previous life. She loves dogs and snow globes and has a teensy obsession with Jack Skellington. Her debut YA thriller I Am Winter was published by Hashtag Press in 2021.
About Their Books:
Title: THE SONGS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD
Author: Becky Jerams and Ellie Wyatt
Pitch: The Songs You’ve Never Heard is a funny, heartfelt contemporary YA about teen songwriters and features an album of real songs to accompany the story.
Find on Goodreads.
Title: READ BETWEEN THE LINES
Author: Malcolm Duffy
Pitch: Ryan and Tommy have nothing in common – apart from dyslexia. Confronting their learning difficulty they discover a secret that threatens to tear their family apart.
Find on Goodreads. Read my review.
Title: IT ALL STARTED WITH A LIE
Author: Denise Brown
Pitch: When Pearl discovers that her dad found an abandoned baby sixteen years earlier, she realises that everyone she loves has been keeping secrets from her.
What do you love most about writing for the YA audience?
Becky Jerams: Teen readers are so passionate about the stories they love and as writers, it’s incredibly rewarding when they connect with a storyline or character and feel inspired in any way.
Malcolm Duffy: The chance to explore difficult topics and make them entertaining for a teen audience.
Denise Brown: I think, as an author, you can push boundaries with a YA audience. There are none of the constraints associated with an adult thriller / murder mystery, where the reader is wondering why the police aren’t involved, why a character acted a certain way. If a YA character wants to investigate a murder rather than telling their parents or the police, no one questions it. No one wanted Katniss Everdene to ask her mum to get her out of the Hunger Games – everyone believed that she was special and that she would survive. Because she was. They’re fearless. Brave. Honest. Still working on becoming the best version of themselves, and still learning how to deal with a whole bunch of emotions, which makes them so much more open to relationships, and relationships are the heart of my novels.
How has writing YA changed your perspective on the world?
Becky Jerams: Writing YA definitely connects you with your inner teenager and makes you remember experiencing emotions or situations for the first time all over again – it’s nice to reconnect with that passion and fire as an adult!
Malcom Duffy: It’s made me realise the problems many YA face, and the support they can receive.
Denise Brown: I have five children so I get some inspiration from them when I’m writing, but it has made me think about how much more knowledgeable young adults are compared to say when I was a teenager (way back when). Perhaps it’s because of the advancement in technology, or perhaps it’s simply that youngsters develop at a different pace now, but I find that young adults have so much more confidence than I ever had (speaking as someone who suffers from chronic shyness). They’re fearless. And there are no limits to what they believe they can achieve, which is exactly as it should be.
What trends are you most excited about in UKYA at the moment and to come?
Becky Jerams: There seems to be a resurgence of fun, quirky books again and I am totally here for it! On the flip-side, I am also enjoying the darker thrillers and twisted tales that have become so popular in recent years.
Malcom Duffy: Tackling the difficult topics that YA face and addressing them in an open and honest way.
Denise Brown: I’m particularly enjoying the diversity in YA books right now. It has taken far too long for the industry to become inclusive, and I love that UKYA has the freedom to explore this without fear of recrimination. It still has a long way to go, but we’re seeing an upward trend, especially in YA literature with such awards as the Diverse Book Awards raising awareness, which is so positive.
What do you think is special about UKYA? (Books and/or community)
Becky Jerams: There are so many diverse voices in the UK YA community and no two books are ever the same. I think compared to American YA, UK authors aren’t afraid to get a little bit gritty and ‘out there’. The community is also so friendly and welcoming!
Malcolm Duffy: I think UKYA isn’t afraid to tackle tough subjects, and does this in a way that’s not preachy.
Denise Brown: I love that UKYA keeps it real with contemporary fiction. Whether it’s a thriller, a horror, murder mystery, or romance, there is no holding back, because the characters are real. They’re believable, and the readers can relate to them. It’s so much easier to connect with a character who is from East London for example and attends a local primary school, than one whose parents own a private island and travel everywhere first class.
For more interviews, check here and don’t forget to check instagram (here) for book recommendations from these authors and more!
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 