Author Archives: Lauren James

About Lauren James

Lauren James was born in 1992 and graduated in 2014 from the University of Nottingham, UK, with a Master’s degree, where she studied Chemistry and Physics. She is the author of The Next Together, The Last Beginning and The Loneliest Girl in the Universe. You can find her on Twitter at @Lauren_E_James or Tumblr at http://laurenjames.tumblr.com.

Books for fans of The Last Beginning

Time travel books

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

A team of time travel specialists go to the past to try to stop the Coventry blitz. Of course, things go wrong, and are made both better and worse by the interference with time – just like in The Last Beginning.

The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Clove and Ella are lovers separated by time, just like the star-crossed duo in this romance novel. Sad and romantic in equal measure, this is a classic for anyone who wants a good time travel fix.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

I read this when I was six, so it firmly lit the flames of my love for time travel which was later fanned by Doctor Who and Back to the Future (see below!). I love the rules of time travel in the Harry Potter universe, which sees past selves appearing before you ever decide to time travel – quite similar to how it works in my books!

Funny science fiction

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Last Beginning is (supposed to be, and hopefully is) funny, and a big inspiration for that is one of my all time favourite science fiction novels, which is hilarious. My book is nowhere near this funny, but I’ve got to have something to work towards, right?

Red Dwarf by Grant Naylor

Based on the TV series, and even funnier in my opinion (there are a lot of sly asides by the narrator you miss in the programme), this is about a bunch of useless misfits on a spaceship, one of which is an evolved cat. There’s also a sassy AI called Holly who Spart would really like.

B^F: The Novelization Of The Feature Film by Ryan North

As I said above, Back to the Future was an early favourite of mine when I was little. For a book connected to it, you need to read this account of reading the novelisation of the film Back to the Future, by comedian Ryan North. It’s on kindle here. I’ve read it at least seven times, which is for sure more times than I have ever seen the film it is tangentially based on. It just makes me cry with laughter every time, and is the funniest thing I’ve ever read, by far. It’s not only hilarious, and a great lesson in gentle parody, but it’s also a really interesting analysis of writing for (and about) teenagers.

If you’re not convinced (I don’t blame you), here’s an extract:

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Books about a precocious teenager genuis

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda is an adopted bookworm who can do maths in her head – just like Clove! They would definitely be friends.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is ridiculously clever and unafraid to take risks to get what he wants. He’s also very scientific, even in a world of fairies and magic.

The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer by Sydney Padua

Clove studies computer programming with her mum and dad, who are scientists at the University of St Andrews. This graphic novel is a look at the lives of Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, who invented an early computer. It shows an alternative twist to their history in which they use the computer to have adventures! If you loved Spart and Clove’s banter in The Last Beginning, you’ll adore this.

LGBT characters

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

Similar to Firefly, this graphic novel about a team of builders who travel the galaxy restoring ancient planetary ruins from their spaceship. One of them is searching the universe for her lost love. Really beautifully drawn.

Pembroke Park by Michelle Martin

A regency love story between two women, just like Clove and Ella, this is an LGBT Jane Austen.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

This is set in Victorian England, and tells the story of Sue, a thief, and Maud, the noble lady she is trying to rob. Their lives are tied together in unexpected ways, made even more complicated when they fall in love. Full of twists, romance and betrayal, I promise you that once you start this story you won’t be able to put it down.

If you’d like to read The Last Beginning, there’s a beautiful hardback edition published by Sky Pony Press, which you can buy here:

Amazon UK | Book Depository | Waterstones | Foyles | Barnes & Noble

You can add the book on Goodreads or subscribe to my mailing list for updates, or read the prologue on Wattpad.

More extras:

Fancasting the characters
Why the sequel to The Next Together has an LGBT protagonist
Novel Aesthetics
Playlist
Recap of The Next Together
The books in emoji format
Clove and Ella get engaged
Titanic crossover
Disney crossover
10 fictional characters who inspired Clove & Ella
Editing a scene from start to finish
Cover reveal
Tumblr posts about The Last Beginning

News update!

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A lot has been happening recently, so I thought it was about time I posted a bit of an update!

I was on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Radio today talking to Brody Swain about World Book Day! It was my first radio interview and it was incredibly fun – you can listen here from 2hr 12mins!

My US publisher Sky Pony Press have put my short story ANOTHER TOGETHER, about Kate and Matt solving a murder at Bletchley Park, up online. If you’ve been waiting to read this you can now download it for free here!

Some snazzy book flashcards also arrived from Harperteen featuring The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, as well as their other superstars authors. Very appropriately, my book was chosen for the ‘plot twist’ question.

All of which is to say that I have two US publications this year and the publicity is amping up for release! The Last Beginning is out in two weeks, and looks like this:

It was highlighted by Barnes and Noble, which was thrilling. The Loneliest Girl comes out in July! I’m very excited for both.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be longlisted for the Australian Inky awards, alongside some absolute heavyweights!

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Also, Alice’s new book is going out into the world! If you like Contemporary YA, you need to check out I Was Born For This asap. I blurbed it: “Alice Oseman was born to write this novel. A dark and funny look what happens when online fandom collides with real life in messy, bittersweet detail. Exposes the reality of being a fan – and being famous – without holding back any punches.”

BOOK POST BOOK POST BOOK POST @AliceOseman @HarperCollinsCh pic.twitter.com/QiSgAoNqw4

— Lauren James (@Lauren_E_James) February 28, 2018

Since I last blogged, I’ve been hard at work on editing my next book. I’m really excited for this one, which I think is set to be my longest and most ambitious book yet…. I’m cautiously optimistic I’ll pull it off. I’m hoping to do a title reveal soon, but for the eagle-eyed amongst you, you might be able to find a sneak peek of it on a certain book site….. 😉

Most of the time I’m just staring helplessly at notes like this:

anyway today in useful notes i leave myself: pic.twitter.com/GSC3rKOJfK

— Lauren James (@Lauren_E_James) February 4, 2018

I cannot WAIT for you to meet my new characters in book 4. They're just…. my favourite. pic.twitter.com/Tq0xBnyMJb

— Lauren James (@Lauren_E_James) February 3, 2018

I have a few events coming up –

24 March – The Northern YA Literature Festival: Feminism in YA panel with Katherine Webber, Annabel Pitcher, Matt Killeen – Free tickets available here.

14 April – YA Shot: Privacy, entertainment & technology panel with Kerry Drewery, Laura Steven & Sophie McKenzie – More information here.

Other things I’ve been doing: making jam, walking and falling in love with Dogs Trust dogs, viewing houses and loving STRIKE. I’ve also started posting every book I read on twitter (January and February)

And that’s all from me! Hope you’re enjoying March, whether you’re somewhere nice and sunny or snowed in like me (please stop before my London trip to see Hamilton this weekend, the Beast from the East).

Taking stock of 2017

The Good

Fiction writing

arcs

I edited my third novel The Loneliest Girl in the Universe, which was published in September in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It went into a second printing before release day, and was the bestselling title at YALC 2017. I got a book deal for The Loneliest Girl with Harperteen in the US, and received ARCS for it. It’s also sold to HarperCollins Brasil.

anotherbeginning

I wrote, edited and published a novella about Clove and Ella from The Last Beginning, Another Beginning.

The Next Together was published in the US, Russia, Germany and Brazil. The Last Beginning was published in the Czech Republic – and I got to meet the translator and sign it in a bookshop in Prague.

I outlined and pitched multiple new novels to my agent and/or editors.

I wrote book 4 (in 3 months!) and did the first round of edits. I also edited a book about ghosts, one which I thought might never see the light of day.

Non-fiction writing

I wrote a commissioned memoir article for Buzzfeed – 7 Times Studying Science Taught Me To Be Brave. I wrote a draft of a non-fiction book, which was a completely new experience for me, and taught me a lot, even if it never goes anywhere.

I started taking on editorial critiques. I judged the University of Nottingham short story competition (for which I wrote a short story about Kate and Matt at the university in 2016).

I wrote some blog posts:

I also wrote multiple lengthy issues of my newsletter, which has increasingly become my most pleasurable part of social media.

Publicity

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe got some great press reviews, including “Gripping psychological thriller with a very relatable heroine” from The Bookseller, “Black Mirror-esque. A fantastic slow-build drama” from SFX, and “The Loneliest Girl is a page-turning science fiction thriller with some terrific twists” from Philip Reeve.

Walker commissioned a book trailer, which was truly an I’ve-Made-It moment:

tumblr_ovekdl4Fe61qa24muo1_1280 I did 27 events, including Edinburgh Book Festival and Bath Festival, plus my first international event in Dublin.

I also did lots of school events, the highlight of which was at the Eden Project in Penzance, when The Next Together was nominated for the Kernow Book Awards.

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I had two book launches, one at my local independent bookshop and one in London. My family and friends all came along, and it was just the most wonderful if not overwhelming week.

I chaired events for Jennifer E Smith, Paige Toon, Ayisha Malik, Patrice Lawrence, Frances Hardinge, Lucy Saxon and Maggie Harcourt.

I wrote a whole series of extras for my books, including playlists, moodboards and short stories:

I filmed lots of Youtube videos, including:

I went to London Book Fair for the first time, where The Loneliest Girl was featured on the front of Walker’s catalogue.

I blurbed some amazing books, including Chainbreaker, The Hazel Wood and Dotwav.

Personal

books

I read 220 books – my favourites were The Pearl Thief and Sourdough. I went to countless book events, including David Mitchell makes piano drabbles in a cathedral and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie fangirling with Nicola Sturgeon.

I travelled to Dublin, the Giant’s Causeway, Prague, Sofia, Scotland and Cornwall.

I went to see lots of plays and concerts, including Hedda Gabler, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Antony & Cleopatra, The Addams Family, Dream Girls, Angels in America, Lorde and a truly terrible one staring Jude Law.

I did some new things for the first time – including willow weaving and canoeing on Birmingham canals. I took my car for its first MOT. I started going to a weekly car boot sale with my mum at 5.30am on Sundays (it’s worth it for the deals). We also started going to National Trust properties, including Baddesley Clinton, Charlecote Park, Packwood House, Kenilworth Castle, Buckingham Palace, Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Royal Botanical Gardens. In 2018 we’re considering, gasp, actually becoming National Trust members.

My friends Sarah and Clare came to book events with me in London, Dublin, Edinburgh and Newcastle, which was just the best thing ever. It was also such a joy to watch them both succeed this year – Sarah graduated with a Masters in Publishing and Clare made some amazing career moves. I’m so proud of my squad!

I started looking at houses, and went to many, many viewings – which is a whole new part of adulthood that I had to learn from scratch. I made about a dozen financial spreadsheets and spoke to financial advisers and accountants (eek).

The bad

Personal

I still struggle a lot with driving, as I’ve mentioned in every one of these yearly reviews. I’m just not a natural, and every time I drive somewhere I’m absurdly proud of myself for conquering my worries. I think this is just something I’m going to have to learn to live with until I’m driving often enough that it becomes easier.

I read 220 books – but somehow obtained even more than that which has gone unread. I get sent books from publishers now, but also buy them, and find them, and just somehow attract them, and it’s . . . becoming a problem. I need to start reading books I already own!

Last year I started donating blood, but the two times I’ve done that this year I’ve felt faint afterwards, and caused a lot of fuss with the nurses. I’m going to keep trying, but they’ve said I may not be able to donate if I feel like that again, which is a disappointment.

My family have had a lot of illness this year.

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My adorable baby guinea pigs grew into gigantic hormonal monsters, and started fighting so much they had to be split up. Their neat hutch turned into a sprawling labyrinth of pens, taking up more room than my entire bedroom (no joke).

Professional

I did a lot more events than any year before, and I didn’t always handle that very well. I rarely managed to do any work on days when I had events, and often took days off afterwards to recover.

In general, I made myself sick with stress quite a lot this year. My method of dealing with that tended to be to carry on working from bed, which isn’t the best, to say the least.

I have a terrible work routine, and the more work I have to do, the later and later my sleep pattern shifts. This year at the height of my workload I was working until six in the morning – which is not only very unsociable waking hours, but means I was seeing very little daylight. This autumn I’ve not been swimming as much as I used to, because I spent nearly a month away from home – and when I was at home, the gym was closing just as I was waking up! Not ideal.

I’m not really sure what the solution to this is, because I’m most efficient at writing when I’m uninterrupted, which in a busy house only usually happens at night. It takes time to get into the writing ‘mode’ and when things are going on all the time, it’s very easy to slip out of it without having achieved much. I’m hoping that when I move out I’ll be more able to get into the writing zone during normal daylight hours. (Maybe.)

There were quite a few bumps in the road in deciding on my fourth novel, and many different pitches were discussed and discarded. I’m very happy with the result, but it was a very stressful process which I’d very much like to avoid in the future.

The lengthy process meant that I ended up writing the first draft in only three months, which is half of my usual time. I didn’t do much else during that time, and was very anxious about it. I also missed several deadlines this year because I was trying to juggle so much stuff. Luckily I have very relaxed editors who hid their worry very well!

It’s really hard to discuss things like this about publishing without feeling ungrateful – I am in a very, very privileged position as a traditionally published author who can do this as a full time career. But there are parts of it which are pretty terrible sometimes.

And, one problem that I’m sure is in everyone’s summary blogs this year – it’s very hard to write in this political climate. I’ve found it hard to balance being well informed and actually….achieving anything.

In summary, here are my new year’s resolutions:

Move out
Find a work schedule that doesn’t affect my health/lifestyle
Do less events(!)
Get my ghost book published

Well. What a busy year!

Happy new year, everyone! What are your new years resolutions for 2018?

Books I Want to Read in 2018

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There are approximately 200 books I need to read next year, so this was an incredibly hard list to narrow down. So I cheated a bit, and have split them up into quite a few categories.

Last year I chose 17 books I wanted to read in 2017. I managed to read 14 of them, except The Gallery of Unfinished Girls, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, A Conjuring of Light, Defy the Stars and The Ravenous – all of which are sitting on my bookshelf waiting patiently.

This year I started reading a lot more non-fiction, so if you have any recommendations for those coming out next year, please let me know. My knowledge is limited on that front!

Previously: 15 books I want to read in ’15 | 16 books I want to read in ’16 | 17 books I wanted to read in ’17

UKYA

There is some really amazing UKYA coming out in 2018, and these are some of the ones I really can’t wait for. There are plenty more though, including my own – there’s a semi-complete list here.

My Heart Goes Bang | In Your Light | Second Best Friend | Goodbye, Perfect

Bonus: Alice Oseman’s not yet announced new book, which I’ve already read cough-cough-cough

USYA

I have a difficult relationship with USYA, in that there’s a lot of hype about them and then they don’t always live up to expectations. So I tend to stay away from authors I’ve not read before these days. However, here are four authors who I really love, and I can’t wait to see what their next books are like. I’m particularly excited for Angie Thomas’ second novel!

Barbed Wire Heart | On the Come Up | Leah on the Offbeat | Puddin’ (Dumplin’ #2)

Science Fiction

I am so excited about these that I am positively quivering. I love the free short story The Lady Astronaut of Mars, so I really can’t wait for the full length duology prequels coming this year (two! We’re blessed with an abundance of female scientists!). I will also read anything Becky Chambers chooses to bless us with, as her first two books make my top ten lists every year. Bring on the spaceborn few!

Time Was | Record of a Spaceborn Few | The Calculating Stars | The Night Masquerade (Binti #3)

Historical Magicians

In 2017 I had a reading epiphany: I have a favourite genre, and it’s not the one I write. It’s a niche sub-genre about historical magicians, like Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Shades of Milk and Honey (the golden intersection is also when they are rich murderers, of course).

Since I realised this was my ultimate jam, I’ve not had a single book slump, because I’ve stocked up on historical magic books. I love any and all of them I read. So here’s some new ones coming out that I’m very excited for. (I’ve already read advanced copies of Circe and Chainbreaker and love love loved them.)

Sorcerer Royal (Sorcerer to the Crown #2) | The Dark Days Club #3 | Circe | Chainbreaker

Books about the ocean

Because who doesn’t love a good sea book? I love Kirsty Logan’s quirky magic, and I’m very much looking forward to having my heart torn out by Louise O’Neill twice this year, as her adult debut Almost Love is also coming out.

The Surface Breaks | The Gloaming | The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror

Middle Grade

Most of these books don’t have covers yet, but I am incredibly excited for them none-the-less. These all have more than a hint of magic and there’s something so nice about reading books for younger readers occasionally. I think YORK was one of the underappreciated books of 2017 that doesn’t get discussed enough, and I can’t wait for the next part.

The Clockwork Ghost (York #2) | A Spoonful of Murder (Murder Most Unladylike #6)

No covers yet: The Storm Keeper’s Island| Pages & Co

What books are you looking forward to in 2018? Except for mine (!) I have three releases this year. The US editions of The Last Beginning (February) and The Loneliest Girl in the Universe (July), and the UK edition of my fourth book (September). It’s going to be a busy one!

My (personal) best books of 2017

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It’s the season to round up our reading years! This year I read nearly 220 books, so it was difficult to choose my favourite ten, especially as I’ve read some truly excellent books this year. Some really important books about feminism and racism achieved the recognition they deserved this year, so those made it to the top of my list. These are all published in 2017.

If you’ve already read all these, then firstly – please send me some recommendations, as you clearly have excellent taste! Secondly – my top ten favourite books of every year since 2011 can be found here, for some things you might not have discovered.

Finally, a reminder from an author – if you’re making your own list of favourite books of 2017, please make sure you thank the author by adding your reviews to Amazon. It’s a small, quick thing that can make a huge difference to authors.

10. We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

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Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun.

Achingly sad and beautiful, WE ARE OKAY is a book I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Marin is an orphan, who was raised by her grandfather. When he dies, she runs across the country to university instead of facing her grief. Completely alone, she plans to spend her 25 day Christmas break in an empty dorm building, eating ramen and reading poetry about solitude. But her ex-girlfriend and lifelong best friend has other thoughts on the matter.

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9. Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness by Peter Godfrey-Smith

A philosopher dons a wet suit and journeys into the depths of consciousness to tell a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself.

A fascinating look at how evolution makes our brains think, told through the mysterious actions of octopuses. That cover deserves awards alone, too.

8. Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

I’ve seen this around for years (it’s a particular favourite of booktubers) but never picked it up. Finally my friend Kat forced it into my hands, and I’m so glad she did. I devoured all 8 volumes and now eagerly await new issues. Not for younger readers – it’s very explicit.

7. Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

The story of a young woman whose diabolical smarts are her ticket into a charmed life. But how many times can someone reinvent themselves? You be the judge.

A worthy follow up to We Were Liars, this genderbent The Talented Mr Ripley, told in reverse chronology, is a masterclass in writing unlikeable female characters who are unapologetically evil.

6. Binti & Binti Home by Nnedi Okorafor

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

These short novellas can be read in one sitting. They highlight how white and homogeneous alien races in science fiction can be, by showing how a real diverse alien race might be. Binti’s culture mirrors an African tribal cultures. This also features a STEM-studying female character (a rarity in fiction – my list numbers only 30, and I wrote 3 of them). Binti is truly unique and I will happily read another dozen stories about her.

5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer.

Hugely important, in every way. Beyond that – wonderfully told, with an unmistakable voice.

4. The Power by Naomi Alderman

WINNER OF THE 2017 BAILEYS WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION

What if the power to hurt were in women’s hands? Suddenly – tomorrow or the day after – teenage girls find that with a flick of their fingers, they can inflict agonizing pain and even death.

The perfect answer to people who think there’s no need to be a feminist today, because sexism has been ‘fixed’. It amplifies all the little everyday niggles of inequality that it’s so easy to overlook, by examining what would happen if it was reversed. It’s noticeable then, for sure.

3. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Effia and Esi: two sisters with two very different destinies. One sold into slavery; one a slave trader’s wife. The consequences of their fate reverberate through the generations that follow.

This is such a unique (and horrifying) way of showing what national identity has been lost by Africans taken into slavery. Hugely important and powerful, and destined to become a classic.

2. Sourdough by Robin Sloan

Lois Clary, a software engineer at a San Francisco robotics company, codes all day and collapses at night. When her favourite sandwich shop closes up, the owners leave her with the starter for their mouthwatering sourdough bread.

The perfect mix of science & magic to leave you dreaming of sentient bread. A book I wish I had written.

1. The Pearl Thief (Code Name Verity prequel) by Elizabeth Wein

Sixteen-year-old Julie Beaufort-Stuart is returning to her family’s ancestral home in Perthshire for one last summer. Tensions are already high when a respected London archivist goes missing, presumed murdered. And then she notices the family’s treasure trove of pearls is missing.

I’m a huge fan of thirties detective novels like Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, and this is my perfect spin on that – there’s murder, rich people living frivolously, dogs, Bronze age marine archaeology, castles, cross-dressing Cabaret shows, TREASURE-HUNTING, pearls, buried treasure (did I mention the treasure?), river trawling and Harriet Vane mentions. I’m so into it in every way.

Ellen and Frank are brilliant love interests, and Lady Julia Lindsay MacKenzie Wallace Beaufort-Stewart must be the most iconic female character in YA history. She’s smart, sassy and always says the unexpected. She goes off to fight in World War II in Code Name Verity as a spy, she kisses whoever she pleases, and as Ellen put it, takes whatever she wants. She had a really brilliant character arc in this book – you really see her blossom from an unsure fifteen year old into the person she’s going to become in Code Name Verity.

Reading this has made my heart ache all the more for her and what happens in the next book, and I’m very afraid that I’ll never be able to read CNV again for fear of my heart quite literally exploding in sadness.

Bonus – my favourite books published before 2017: