Category: Writing

A new chapter at the UEA

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It’s official! I’m leaving Endeavour Media to go and do an MA in Creative Writing at the UEA! I am so, so excited for this next step, and am really grateful to UEA for offering me a place on this amazing course.

I’m handing over the Endeavour reins to the marvellous James Faktor, who will keep all our authors and agents in safe hands and I know has great plans for the future!

It’s been an incredible journey working at Endeavour over the past year – huge thanks to all the authors and agents we work with, and of course the wonderful team at the office, for being so endlessly bright, supportive and hardworking. You’ve made this job a joy.

There’s more info on the changeover at Endeavour over on BookBrunch.

Here’s to a writerly year ahead! x

French translation of Boost

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The translations keep on coming thick and fast, but this one is particularly exciting because it is in a language I’ve never had a book translated into before: French!

The publisher DUNOD has done an amazing job on designing this beautiful edition, titled Boost – Faites décoller votre confiance en vous, and have even made some super cute rocket stickers that I would love to get my mitts on. Huge thanks to their whole team and, as ever, my English publishers Summersdale as well.

Stress Less and Believe in Yourself translations

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A few months ago, Believe in Yourself was released in Albanian, and Stress Less came out in Dutch – now it’s the other way around!

The lovely folks at Lantaarn have put together a beautiful Dutch translation of Believe in Yourself, called How to Feel Good, and Minerva Botime has created an Albanian version of Stress Less – Më Pak Stres.

I’m hugely grateful to both publishers, my English publisher Summersdale, and the foreign language translators, who’ve done such an amazing job – very exciting indeed!!

Fairlight Books February author spotlight

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Following the publication of The Locust Theorem and The Cloud Loom, the lovely folks at Fairlight Books have decided to put me in their author spotlight for the month – how very thrilling! While your over there, don’t forget to read both the stories as well, they’re completely free to read…

“It is probably best if we start with your body. I’d like you to touch yourself – on the arm, the face – somewhere where your hand can make contact with your skin. Feel it. Soft. Malleable. Our bodies are fantastically adaptable – fantastically adaptable – to external conditions. Well now, let’s think about that for a minute. Let’s think about external conditions. Where do external conditions start?” [READ THE LOCUST THEOREM]

“The rain begins with that soft, familiar sigh of release. No pitter-patter – not from this altitude – but a sense of falling with no confirmation of receipt. One long, diminishing descent. His heart sinks and he rolls over, hiding his face in the pillow for just five more seconds, trying to blot out the inevitable. The mean, repeating rainfall days stretch out behind, and into an imagined beyond, dreaded only because a cave of memory decades-long tells him it never used to be this way.” [READ THE CLOUD LOOM]

‘Proscenium’ is here!

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It’s been a really busy week, and I’ve only just had time to post about the fact that Proscenium was published in Fictive Dreamon Thursday.

I’ve been really touched and pleased by its reception so far – the lovely Sophie G. on Twitter said it “totally nails beautiful/sad” – which really made my day!

As with On the Last Rebellion, here’s a couple of sentences to tease, but don’t forget to read he whole story here:

Afterwards, when the shock waves had subsided, there were only a few survivors left. In side-turned, velvet-clad seats. They cried until their breath escaped, and their plaintive, mewling noises made the theatre wish it did not have such sturdy walls, that it had not performed its pain-prolonging half-protection, but had simply let the tiny particles roll in and penetrate the oozing, fleshy bodies completely.

‘On the Last Rebellion’ in Open Pen

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Happy Sunday everybody! Fantastically excited that On the Last Rebellion has been published by the lovely Sean and friends over at Open Pen!

You can’t really do excerpts for flash fiction, so here’s the first two sentence and you can find the whole 500-Word read here:

To be invaded is a penetration. If not bodily, by blade or flesh, then mentally by a wiping of history, a corrosion of culture, a banishing of the familiar. Invasion takes more than it gives, aggravates the womb of home until even the things you did not know you had are gone, after which you are left feeling empty and strangely stretched. Implanted with the residue of some other landscape.

‘On the Last Rebellion’ in Open Pen THIS WEEKEND!

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CapturePhew, it’s been a busy week all round, but particularly when it comes to short story news, as the beloved folks at Open Pen have just let me know they’d like to publish my flash fiction story On the Last Rebellion. It will be available ONLINE and FREE TO READ this weekend!

You will be able to have a look at it from 9AM ON SUNDAY over on the Open Pen website.

I also thoroughly recommend taking a look at their archives, as they’ve just had their big 20th issue celebrations and there’s a lot going on.

Continue reading “‘On the Last Rebellion’ in Open Pen THIS WEEKEND!”

One week until ‘Proscenium’ goes live!

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Taking to cyberspace on this cold winter’s day to give a huge shout out to Fictive Dream online literary magazine, who one week today are publishing my short story ‘Proscenium’ as part of Flash Fiction February!

I’m super proud have been selected as an author for this special short story month, and really recommend checking out their website all this month for new great stories every day.

Reading to warm your toes amongst this midwinter chill! x

‘The Locust Theorem’ is Story of the Week

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Fairlight ShortsExcitement levels have reached new heights, as The Locust Theorem, one of my latest short stories, is Story of the Week on Fairlight Books. If you haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, you can follow this link, or check out the snippet below…

Doctor Evans slept like the dead. She grumbled when I woke her.

‘Shh. Listen.’ I held up a hand. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of the noise.

‘Where’s it coming from?’

‘The sky.’

She got up, frowning, and padded to the open window. ‘Sh*t, look at the stars.’

‘Right?’

‘Am I dreaming?’

‘No.’ I joined her by the window, both of us staring slack-jawed at the shuddering sky.

‘What is it? I know that noise, I’ve heard it before.’

‘I think it’s teeth,’ I replied slowly. ‘Human teeth. Chattering.’

Continue reading “‘The Locust Theorem’ is Story of the Week”

The Cloud Loom published with Fairlight Books

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Fairlight ShortsHappy Monday readers! Those of you who keep up with me on Facebook and Twitter will know that last week I had a piece of flash fiction called The Cloud Loom published on the Fairlight Books website. I am completely thrilled that the lovely short story editor Urska took on not one but two of my stories, and am really grateful for her keen editing eye and enthusiasm.

Check out the site for the full story! And if you like it IRL, how about giving it a like digitally too? Likes, shares and general story chat online really help boost a story’s readership, and I would be very grateful indeed for your support.

Publication of The Locust Theorem

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I’m totally thrilled and excited to say that my latest short story, The Locust Theorem, has just been published by Fairlight Books. It’s online, it’s free to read right here, and is a lovely bit of sci-fi fun to get you through to the weekend.

The story takes about twenty minutes to read and follows Andy Anderson, a struggling geneticist trying to come to terms with the loss of his girlfriend – and if that doesn’t grab you, here’s an excerpt:

The first indication I had that something might be wrong was the day the builders came. They had set up scaffolding outside the hotel and, as Su was passing under it, one of them dropped a knife. It sailed four floors down, point-first, straight towards Su’s face. She looked up just in time for it to hit her. There was a sharp sound, like a blade against granite, before the knife fell to the ground and clattered away across the forecourt. Su was shaken but not hurt, aside from a light red irritation that bloomed in a line down her face.

Continue reading “Publication of The Locust Theorem”

Much excitement: Boost is featured in the Daily Express

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Very exciting times in the house of Jasmin this morning: I’m dancing around with my very first newspaper clipping!

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The folks over at Daily Express have featured excerpts from Boost in a beautiful half page spread: 10 Unusual Ways to Boost Your Confidence Today! A big huge thanks to the Daily Express and Summersdale Publishers for making this happen.

Here’s a link to the web article as well, for those of you who prefer your news digitally – hope you enjoy! 

Don’t Panic! Fourth self-help book out this summer

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I took my annual pilgrimage to the Summersdale Publishers stand at The London Book Fair – and guess what I found hidden away in the Spring/Summer catalogue:

9781786852038-3-172x225Don’t Panic:
How to calm your anxiety and stay chilled when life gets stressful

Yep, that’s right I’ve got a fourth book coming out with the lovely folk at Summersdale and it’ll be landing on shelves in August! I’ve been busying away on it for the last few weeks and I can’t wait to see it in print.

While I was there, I also spotted copies of Boost, Stress Less and Believe in Yourself – the cherry on top of the awesome publishing cake that is LBF!

Born – Breathing – Bound published in Cadaverine

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cadaverine-Logo-final-01-2.pngUnder what has to be the fastest publication schedule ever, BORN – BREATHING – BOUND was published on The Cadaverine website yesterday. It is available for your perusal absolutely FREE right here: http://www.thecadaverine.com/?p=11401

I’m so thankful to everyone at Cadaverine, particularly the lovely Lenni who discovered my story in the slushpile and suggested some very valuable edits.

I’m also very grateful to everyone who has read and commented so far – you’re feedback has made the last 24-hours really special! Here are some of my favourites:

“What a profound story! I’m so touched, and proud, and sad, and happy, all at once”
Ben, Canada

Continue reading “Born – Breathing – Bound published in Cadaverine”

BORN – BREATHING – BOUND to be published in Cadaverine

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cadaverine-Logo-final-01-2.pngI am hugely excited to be able to tell you all that my latest short story, BORN – BREATHING – BOUND, has been accepted for publication in The Cadaverine!

I’m so grateful to the fabulous editor Lenni Sanders for finding my little tale in the slushpile and can’t wait to see it on Cadaverine’s pages. Cadaverine is a wonderful, free online magazine of poetry and prose from writers under 30 and I’m really honoured to be featured in its pages. 

More details as and when…

BOOST hits the shelves in 3 days time

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Happy New Year everybody! Here’s to 2017 bringing all the positivity this world so badly needs – on the note of which…

I have a new book coming out!

That’s right, in just 3 days’ time on Thursday 12th January BOOST: SUPERCHARGE YOUR CONFIDENCE will officially be hitting the shelves.

And, if you can’t wait till Thursday, you can pre-order a copy from various excellent bookstores including:
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/…/jasmin-kirkbride/9781849539777
Foyles: http://www.foyles.co.uk/…/boost-supercharge-your-confidence…
Blackwell’s: http://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/…/Boost-by-Ja…/9781849539777
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boost-Supercharge-Co…/…/ref=sr_1_4…

The release has somewhat snuck up on me, but I have to thank Summersdale Publishers and their amazing design team, who’ve made this book so absolutely gorgeous and positive with its fabulous rocket theme.

Hoping that all your personal rockets of hopes and wishes come true in the year ahead!

Hark Magazine Issue 3 is Live – ‘Dear Versailles’ inside!

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My latest short story, Dear Versailles, has been published in Issue 3 of Hark Magazine.  You can read it right here on page nineteen!

There will also be a launch night on the 28th November, at the Washington Pub in Hampstead Heath.  I won’t be reading this time (though I may be in the future – watch this space!) but my fangirls and I will be there, so should you!

Here’s a small excerpt to whet your appetites:

Continue reading “Hark Magazine Issue 3 is Live – ‘Dear Versailles’ inside!”

Hark Magazine Publication | ‘Dear Versailles’

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I’m delighted to announce that my latest short story, Dear Versailles, has been accepted for publication in Issue 3 of Hark Magazine, due out later this month.

Hark is a fantastic new publication, full of liminal literarture, short stories and poems, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with them.  They have a great blog too, and have just posted a set of interviews with all the Issue 3 authors, which can be found here.

There will be a launch event on the 28th November at the Washington Pub in Hampstead, which you are all very welcome to attend.  I’m personally really excited that this story in particular has been selected, as it’s very close to my heart and has been a while in the mulling pot, so I really do mean it when I say I hope to see you there.