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Tag: strong

Reinventing the word ‘spinster’

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Joanna Olney - Journal

Am I Normal Yet? by Holly Bourne, is out now! Read the first chapter online.

Tags: 100DaysofNormal, am i normal yet, feminism, friendship, Holly Bourne, independent, spinster, spinster club, strong, ukya, YA, young, young adult

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Who says lipstick can't be feminist? As you Spinst

Who says lipstick can't be feminist? As you Spinster Club readers will know, I am very partial to the defiant war-cry of a red lip. That's why I want to alert you to this perfect shade of red by Avon, launched as the #SpeakOutSilenceHurts campaign. Half of all proceeds go towards @refugecharity and @womens_aid, and you can buy a campaign face mask as well. Violence against woman has surged this year, and these services need all the help they can get.

Goodbye, London! I promise not to write a twattish

Goodbye, London! I promise not to write a twattish 'why I left London' think-piece, as long as all the amazing friends I'm leaving behind keep inviting me to things. Still only a train ride away, but I will miss living in this crazy, beautiful, unaffordable drug of a city so much xxx

This is uncomfortable, but we need to look at the

This is uncomfortable, but we need to look at the faces of these women today. Because these women all died in the last year at the hands of men. And this is only some of them. Since 2020, 95 women have been killed, and rates of domestic homicide doubled in the first two weeks of lockdown. I hate confronting this. You likely hate confronting this. We must confront this. On average, a woman in England and Wales is killed every four days by a current or former partner. The pandemic has only made things worse. This #internationaldayagainstviolenceonwomen please head over to @countingdeadwomen and spend some time with these women, and vow to do whatever you can to make this number lower next year. And please donate to @womens_aid ns_aid if you can, to help keep more women safe.

TW: Sexual violence. According to today's Guardian

TW: Sexual violence. According to today's Guardian, our new equalities commissioner, Jessica Butcher, has attacked 'modern feminism' for it's 'victimhood narrative' and criticised the #MeToo movement. I'm not sure where to begin with my fear and outrage that someone with these opinions has been given such an important role...but I will say this. 20% of women have experienced sexual assault from the age of 16, and 85,000 women are raped a year in this country. It's a crime where successful prosecution is so low that sexual violence is effectively decriminalized in the UK. Millions upon millions of women therefore get up every day and try their best in life despite suffering from trauma - trauma without justice. Trauma manifests in physiological symptoms, in mental health issues such as PTSD, anxiety, OCD, disordered eating, dissociation, panic attacks...the list goes on. These can therefore impact a woman's academic achievements, relationships, and job opportunities...every part of our lives. It shows the insane STRENGTH of women, not victimhood, that so many of us fight to heal, fight for justice, fight for a 'normal life' and fight to just live, despite how many are traumatised by what someone did to them. In short, never, ever tell someone living with trauma how they should deal with it, especially if you're fucking in charge of trying to keep women safe!! Don't judge what is deemed traumatic or untraumatic. That is not for you to decide. One of the true achievements of modern feminism is this fight against violence, and fear of violence. Unfortunately there will always be kickback, and, sadly, we all know women are brilliant at doing the patriarchy's work too. But, please, today, dont minimise trauma, sexual violence, or an incredible movement that's helped so many. And don't allow others to either. Love and solidarity to any survivors who are struggling today. Take care of yourselves, and know you are still believed, and people will always fight for you. xxx

Hello! I’m Rashmi (@rashmiwriting) and I’m so

Hello! I’m Rashmi (@rashmiwriting) and I’m so grateful to Holly, BookTrust, and Cressida Cowell, the Children’s Laureate, for letting me be part of the #PassThePen Instagram takeover. I’m a British Indian writer and I write funny, hopeful, and uplifting picture books and illustrated non-fiction books for children. My superpower: taking big ideas and making them fun and accessible for young readers.

SWIPE to see a few of my books plus some artwork from Never Show a T-Rex a Book (a love letter to libraries, illustrated by the amazing @creativedewen) & Dosh (which is illustrated by @mrahayes and is all about money!). I’ve also slipped in a supremely sneaky peek of How To Change the World (illustrated by the wonderful @annabel.tempest)! That one’s out in January and I’ve got another big, bright, and hope-filled book out in June - it’s with #AdamHayes again and it’s called Good News: Why The World Isn’t As Bad As You Think.

I’m so lucky to be able to work with the best teams (hello @wrenandrookbook & @puffinbooks), making some really exciting books. I hope they make a difference to young readers everywhere.

#passthepen #underrepresentedwriters #southasianwriters #childrensauthor #kidlit #picturebook #weneeddiversebooks #representationmatters

Delighted to be passing the pen today, and handin

Delighted to be passing the pen today, and handing my instagram account over to the brilliant @rashmiwriting. The #PassThePen campaign, run by @booktrust and @cressidacowellauthor, aims to create visability for emerging authors of colour in the children's book world. Rashmi has written some gorgeous kids books, including 'Never Show A T-Rex A Book'. Do follow her, buy her excellent books, and enjoy her Instagram takeover today. Love to you all, and happy Friday!!

Posted my first big batch of #SignForOurBookshops

Posted my first big batch of #SignForOurBookshops bookplates off. Remember to keep supporting bookstores through this lockdown. If you're going to buy a book, buy through a shop. Check out the hashtag to see which authors are available, and even if you can't get a signed copy, still please support shops. New Obama? Yes please.

Absolutely thrilled that Pretending publishes in t

Absolutely thrilled that Pretending publishes in the US today!!! It's my first ever American deal and I'm so excited for April/Gretel to make her debut across the pond.

The Crown's back on, did you say?

The Crown's back on, did you say?

Recycling my successful Lockdown 1.0 coping strate

Recycling my successful Lockdown 1.0 coping strategies for the second time around #picknmix

The gorgeous Chris Riddell bookplates for #SignFor

The gorgeous Chris Riddell bookplates for #SignForOurBookshops have arrived, and I've been signing them ready to send out to bookshops and book-lovers and Usborne reps. Thank you to everyone who has helped this campaign take off this last week. Do check out the hashtag and buy some exclusive books from some amazing authors. I've already treated myself to signed copies of The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine, and The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson. So many wonderful authors and books to choose from, and you're supporting bookshops at the same time 😍😍😍

Happy #Caturday from my lockdown saviour 😻😻😻

Today is the first Saturday of lockdown 2.0. A day

Today is the first Saturday of lockdown 2.0. A day where loads of us would perhaps start our Christmas shopping. So it's so exciting that #SignForOurBookshops has made today's @guardian. Make yourself a cup of tea, put some festive tunes on, and browse the hashtag and grab some exclusive, historic, Christmas presents. All smug in the knowledge you're also supporting local bookshops. More authors are pledging by the hour, so there really is something for everyone. Love to everyone who has made this campaign what it is, so far. You are all wonderful. xxx

Today, it looks like a democrat win; an abuser has

Today, it looks like a democrat win; an abuser has been fired from a major Warner Brothers franchise; and over 300 authors have pledged to support #SignForOurBookshops and counting. The world is still scary and sad, but bloody hell I've got the sun on my face, and counting the wins.

Welcome to Lockdown 2.0 and the exciting launch of

Welcome to Lockdown 2.0 and the exciting launch of #SignForOurBookshops!! I'm THRILLED to announce that over 200 authors (and counting) have pledged to sign personalised bookplates to reward customers who buy through bookshops during the UK lockdown. And the brilliant former Children's Laureate @chris_riddell has designed us this gorgeous bespoke bookplate for the campaign!! Search the hashtag to see which authors are taking part and how to get a signed book from them. There are some giant names involved, including @mattzhaig @dollyalderton @malorie_blackman and hundreds more.
Want a signed bookplate from me? I'm pledging to send:
● 50 personalised bookplates to the first people who contact me on hollybournebookplates@gmail.com
●Signed bookplates to the first 10 bookshops who get in touch
●and the same for 20 Usborne sales reps too.
UK only I'm afraid, and please check out the link on my stories for the details on my website.
I AM SO EXCITED! Let's stay inside and save our bookshops, and get some amazing Christmas presents while we are at it!!! #bookshops #lockdown #christmasshopping

Really happy that The Places I've Cried In Public

Really happy that The Places I've Cried In Public has been nominated for the Carnegie medal. Maybe if I learn how to pronounce it properly, they'll one day give it to me?

Like so many industries, last night's lockdown ann

Like so many industries, last night's lockdown announcement came at a critically bad time for bookshops. This is the period we start buying books as Christmas presents, with the biggest titles released for maximum sales. Please try and support your local bookshop in the coming weeks. So many of them have moved mountains to be able to take online orders and therefore make it as 'easy' as ordering books off certain websites. I know this may not be possible for all of us, but if you can, please try. I don't know about you, but when I'm daydreaming of a post-vaccine world, one of my top fantasies is about browsing gorgeous bookshops for hours on end, or popping into one to kill time before a train or meeting, or wait out a rainstorm. I would almost always come out with a wonderful book I may not have bought otherwise. Let's make sure these havens in our community are still there for us when the world is more normal. Also, bookshops are vital for 'discoverability' of authors. So many of us would flounder without dedicated booksellers, display tables, book events, and all the other ways bookshops connect people with a story that could change their life. This is particularly true for debut authors. Supporting bookshops mean supporting authors too. So, again, please try and buy from your local indie, or @waterstones, @blackwellbooks, @whsmithofficial, @dauntbooks, @hivebook_uk in the coming weeks. Also, remember your @Usborne at home local booksellers too. Hope you're all holding up OK out there in these batshit times xxx

Happy Halloween from me six years ago, where I had

Happy Halloween from me six years ago, where I had to spend the entire night explaining to everyone in the club who Carrie was cos people don't read Stephen King novels as much as they should. This year, I've dressed up as a pandemic survivor. My costume is a pair of very comfy jogging bottoms.

THIS IS THE MOST TRIUMPHANT MOMENT OF MY LIFE!!! #

THIS IS THE MOST TRIUMPHANT MOMENT OF MY LIFE!!! #BakerStreet #PerfectTiming

Same bat walk. Same bat place. Same bat pandemic.

Same bat walk. Same bat place. Same bat pandemic. The trees mix it up though.

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