22 Jan Big Honk 2016!
Excitement mounts!
There are lots of interesting published eggs, published authors and agents attending this year, so do try and chat with at least a few of them. They are all lovely people and will happily talk to you about their writing journey or the work they do. If you are too nervous to introduce yourself, get your Buddy to help you!
See you very soon!
Mother Goose x
Here’s the run down so you can put names to faces without having to stare at name tags too hard!
Sophia Bennett: winner of the Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition, Sophia has gone on to write a number of highly successful novels including ‘Threads’, ‘The Look’, ‘You Don’t Know Me’ and ‘The Castle’. Her next novel will be published in Spring 2016.
Alex Campbell: spotted by Golden Egg and now published by Hot Key Books, Alex’s novel ‘Land’ was came out in 2014, and ‘Cloud 9’ in 2015. She’s currently working on her next novel. A brilliant workshop lecturer, Alex has three new workshops for Golden Egg in 2016.
Amber Caraveo: previously Editorial Director at Orion Children’s Books and Senior Commissioning Editor for Random House Children’s Books, Amber has worked with names such as Chris Ryan and Andy McNab. She has now founded Skylark Literary with Joanna Moult (see below).
Perdita Cargill & Honor Cargill: Golden Eggs and a dynamic mother and daughter duo. Perdita and Honor’s debut, ‘Waiting for Callback’ will be published by Simon and Schuster UK in Winter 2016.
Lucy Coats: hugely knowledgeable industry ambassador. ‘Atticus the Storyteller’s 100 Greek Myths’, was shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award. Her latest novel is her YA debut, ‘Cleo’. Lucy will teach Golden Egg Academy’s ‘Fostering Your Creativity’ workshop in April 2016. Lucy also teaches the Introduction to Writing for Children, Guardian Masterclass.
Barry Cunningham: Managing Director of Chicken House, and renowned discoverer of JK Rowling. Chicken House publish many bestselling novels including the highly successful Maze Runner series – the second film in the series entitled ‘Scorch Trials’ is out now.
Maya Gabrielle: represented by Kirsty McLachlan, in 2015, Egger Maya secured a three-book deal (as MG Leonard) with Chicken House and Scholastic US. Her first novel, ‘Beetle Boy’ will be published March 2016.
Lorraine Gregory: a Golden Egg and co-creator of #ukmgchat, Lorraine’s debut novel, ‘Mold and the Poison Plot’ will be published by Oxford University Press in 2017.
James Nicol: another recently hatched Golden Egg, James’ first book, ‘The Apprentice Witch’ will be published by Chicken House Books in 2016.
Ben Illis: children’s and young adult literary agent, Ben founded The BIA (Ben Illis Agency) in 2012. He represents Egger Gabrielle Kent, who now has a three book deal with Scholastic, and Dale Hannah, currently on submission, and is a good friend of Golden Egg. He runs the ‘Bringing Your Character to Life’ workshop with Imogen.
Mark McGann: an award-winning stage and screen actor, director, musician and writer, Mark brings his wealth of knowledge to the Golden Egg Academy with his upcoming workshop.
Kirsty McLachlan: working with David Godwin Literary Associates, Kirsty agents authors such as Marcus Sedgewick and represents a number of our Eggers including Alex Campbell, Rhian Ivory, Maya Gabrielle and Jennifer Killick.
Joanna Moult: co-founder of Skylark Literary, and previously Editorial Director for Children’s Fiction at literary agents Mulcahy Conway, Joanna has worked with children’s authors Cressida Cowell, Kes Gray and Sophie McKenzie as an editor with Hodder Children’s Books and Simon & Schuster Children’s Books.
Kate Shaw: once Publicity Director at Penguin, Kate now works with The Viney Agency where she represents authors including Holly Smale, and our very own Eggers, Lorraine Gregory, Vashti Hardy and James Nicol.
Hannah Sheppard: now working with DHH Literary Agents, representing Golden Eggs Perdita Cargill & Honor Cargill, Hannah previously worked at Macmillan Children’s Books and Headline Publishing Group. Hannah has worked with the likes of Iva Ibbotson, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Judy Bloom and Meg Cabot.
Tessa Strickland: Tessa is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of highly successful publishing house, Barefoot Books. She is also an author and a workshop leader for Arvon.
Rachel Ward: best-selling author of the ‘Numbers’ trilogy (shortlisted for the Branford Boase, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal) and ‘The Drowning’, Rachel has been working with Imogen and Chicken House since her writing debut in 2009.
Lisa Williamson: now a published Golden Egger, Lisa’s bestselling book ‘The Art of Being Normal’, David Fickling Books 2015, has achieved great acclaim amongst reviewers and has so far been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and longlisted for the UKLA Book Award in 2016.