Meet the Team and Other Updates From Cornerstones
An event, book release, genre callout, and the official start of the Cornerstones Editing Café...
Dear all,
As we enter the final week of the Edit Your Novel course (congrats to our soon-to-be class of 2022!), we’ve got some bits of news to share with you. Read on to find out about our free Meet the Team event, how to make your children’s manuscript shine, and some exciting Cornerstones updates.
🎟 Over the last few months, we’ve hosted some wonderful events that have allowed us to get to know you well, and now it’s our turn to introduce ourselves! We’re hosting a Meet The Team roundtable next Tuesday, so that you can get to know who we are and what we do here at Cornerstones.
The free event will take place on July 5th at 1-2pm, and you can sign up to join at the link here. We’ll also be posting more team content on our Instagram and Facebook, so do keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing you at the event – please come armed with questions!
📖 We’re delighted to announce that Cornerstones alum Hilly Barmby’s debut novel, From My Cold Dead Hands, is being released on July 19th! She’s kindly shared her Cornerstones experience with us:
It’s only taken over twenty years to get this overnight success! I started with a middle-grade sci-fi story, which I sent to Cornerstones Literary Consultancy to be critiqued, and then nearly gave up after reading the report. But I persevered, acquiring that thick skin that all creative people must grow, sending them my next book and the one that followed that. I have now written over fourteen books, mixing my genres and target markets, simply because I love to write. My critiques from Cornerstones got more complimentary, and my confidence in my work was boosted. From My Cold Dead Hands pushed me out of my comfort zone. A psychological thriller? Set in the USA? What did I know about any of that? Except, it seemed to be a book that garnered interest. I thought, could I do it again? And I wrote The Pact, another psychological thriller, but this time set in England and with no tricky, political bits. The Pact will be my second book out in October 2022. I have signed a three-book deal with my publishers Bloodhound Books and the third book is pending.
Published by Bloodhound Books, the story follows an amnesiac as she pieces together the truth about her Southern family, her old life, and a friend’s murder, in this engrossing novel of suspense. Pre-order it today in all good bookshops!
✏️ We’ve noticed a lack of children’s manuscripts coming through, and we love reading middle grade and YA fiction! If you’re a children’s author looking for support, inspiration, or guidance, do consider sending your book through for editorial feedback. We’re featuring three of our wonderful editors to share their thoughts and what they’re looking for:
Frances Moloney, author of The Mystery of the Missing Mum (Pushkin, August 2022) and Cornerstones Industry editor:
I’m passionate about real-world novels packed full of heart, intriguing characters and big ideas; all encompassing fantasy worlds that draw the reader in from the get go; and whip-smart and sassy humour that will make me laugh out loud.
Gina Blaxill, one of our Core editors whose most recent books include the YA You Can Trust Me (Scholastic, 2022) and All The Better to See You (Scholastic, 2021):
All kinds of children's and YA fiction appeals to me if a book has wit, pace and tension – especially if it features a fresh take on well-known tropes, whether in plot or character. Kate Foster's PAWS, whose protagonist is autistic, is a great example of this. I also love to feel immersed in the world of a story. This could mean a well-crafted fantasy land, or just a story which explores a particular place or group of people – Andreina Cordani's YA, Dead Lucky, is set within the exclusive and secretive world of influences, for instance. Ultimately, my favourite stories are thrillers and whodunnits – anything dark and creepy – but I love to mix that up sometimes and read something heartfelt or funny, like Ciara Smyth's Not My Problem.
Sandra Glover, award-winning children’s and YA author of over two dozen books including Hairy Horror, and Cornerstones Market editor:
I love most genres but particularly humorous stories, mysteries, science fiction, historical fiction and gritty YA issues-based drama.
Whether you’ve got anything that fits into these subgenres or if you’d like to chat with any of our spotlighted editors, do get in touch with the team.
☕️ Last but definitely not least, we’re pleased to announce the first session of the Cornerstones Editing Café! We’ll be getting started on Friday 15th July, 12-2pm BST over Zoom, and afterwards on the final Friday of each month. The sessions will be an open, friendly space to bring along your work and get stuck in to self-editing. You’re welcome to dip in and out, and bring something to eat if you’d like! To hear more and receive a Zoom link, email Sarah at sconkerton@cornerstones.co.uk. Likewise, feel free to get in touch with any questions.
As always, do email us if you have any queries, news, or WIPs that need a fresh set of eyes. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Very best,
The Cornerstones Team
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