Latest news at Sherry Ashworth's

Latest News

07/01/2008

Happy New Year

Hope yours is off to a good start! This month my elder daughter is going off travelling around the wrold, and though I shall miss her terribly, I know she's going to have lots of exciting adventures, which she's promised to tell me all about. That's the problem with having a writer for a mother! I shall be travelling a bit too, visiting a number of schools - hello in advance to Year Seven of Archbishop Blanch! And also Bridgewater in Warrington. This term Paralysed has been chosen as the featured novel in 'Warrington Reads' so I shall be making quite a few trips in that direction. Later on in the year I shall be heading up north to Angus in Scotland, as Close-up has been shortlisted for the Angus Book Award. While I'm in Scotland, my daughter will be in Vietnam, or Cambodia ...!!

Other News

05/09/2007

September

It's my favourite month of the year - it always feels more like the start of the new year than January for me. Love the autumn weather and the back-to-school feel! I'm looking forward to finishing a new novel, and working with some students on the Bedlam archive in London. I'm also off to Brinsworth and Chelmsford. Oh, and my younger daughter has got engaged!

19/04/2007

April News

I am back from Tashkent - and have had the most wonderful time! I have to admit before I went to Uzbekistan I knew very little about the country. But I've found out so much now - where do I start? Tashkent (the capital) is a city of contrasts - beautiful modern buildings, and yet women sweep the streets with broomsticks made of twigs! The citizens of Tashkent come from so many different places - Russia, Korea, the central Asian countries surrounding Uzbekistan. In the bazaar you can buy mobile phone covers and also traditional food such as 'plov' - an utterly delicious dish made of meat, rice, chickpeas, carrots, raisins and more. I've also learned that Uzbek poetry is beautiful, that there are hardly any insects in Tashkent as the city is not near water - it's built on a desert. And that the people who live in Tashkent are among the most friendly and hospitable in the world. The history and culture of Uzbekistan is fascinating - it really pays to get off the tourist track. I loved working with the Uzbek readers and writers! It's been hard to adjust to life back at home - I wish I was in the bazaar rather than Asda! But of course I need to get on with my writing, and have a number of exciting projects in hand. I'm hoping May will be a very literary month for me ... And for you too!

07/03/2007

Mad-busy March!

Hi in advance if I'm going to be meeting you at Matlock, Wolverhampton or at William Allitt, where I'll be next week. And then the next week I'm in Paisley for the judging of the Renfrewshire Book Award - Paralysed has been shortlisted. As if THAT isn't exciting enough, I've been invited ... wait for this ... to Uzbekistan! Courtesy of the British Council there. So in April I shall be off to Tashkent - this has to be one of the most excitng things that has ever happened to me. Watch this space.

26/02/2007

Happy World Book Week!

Celebrate by reading one of my novels! Or if you're not in the mood for reading, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/bigtoe/books/?pod and listen to a wonderful version of The Dream Travellers read by Stephen Mangan and abridged by me. I'm very busy this week, visiting Cowley Language College, Westholme School and Lancaster Girls' Grammar school - and shortly I'll be in Matlock and Wolverhampton and Swadlincote - I wonder where I find the time to write! Also, on an up note, I've just found out that Close-up has been shortlisted for the Leicester Book of the Year Award - I'm thrilled to bits! Ciao!

05/12/2006

Merry Christmas ...

... whoever you are! I love all the lights and tinsel this time of year. And I hope Santa brings you a book or two in your Christmas stocking. And if you're stuck for gift ideas, a book token is sure to please! Books, chocolate, a roaring fire, mince pies, the jingle of reindeer bells .... mmmm! See you in the New Year.

20/09/2006

Glitch fixed!

The website is fully functioning again and you can all e-mail me! Things are mega-busy here - with the beginning of term and Close-up events. I'll keep you posted. All best, Sherry

18/09/2006

Contacting me

It looks like there's a temporary problem with the website's email - if you want to contact me please use s.r.ashworth@mmu.ac.uk until further notice! Hope you're enjoying Close-up - let me know what you think. Cheers! Sherry

23/08/2006

New school year ... new term ... new book!!

Come on - admit it - you're secretly happy to go back to school - you get to see your friends, go up a year, and you can turn over a new leaf. And can I recommend that you also turn over the first page of my new novel Close-up, and get reading! Close-up's about movies, mums, dads, mates and coffee - read the Close-up pages on my website to find out more. September's a busy time for me - I'm visiting schools and libraries in the Wirral, in Blackburn, Oxford, Oldham and Kidderminster. Luckily I've just finished the second draft of a new novel so I've got some space. Over the summer my website's been updated - since the site was launched, I've been growing my hair, so I look completely different now! And the black and white clothes are chosen specially to go with Close-up's cover - it's so this season! I've added a new 'rant' section for you to post up your opinions and have an argument, so check that out. And come back soon!

29/06/2006

The Latest ...

I've just got back from Leicester - where Paralysed won the Leicester Book of the Year Award. Yay! Best of all, I watched the students of Crown Hill Community College present the characters from the novel - they were excellent. Respect to you! Which reminds me to thank the King Solomon students (from Redbridge) who also gave a presentation on the book back in May. It's fantastic to see my book come to life like that. And now ... I'm looking forward to giving my website a complete makeover - since it was set up I've grown my hair and look completely different. And I've new things to say ... for example, I don't listen to Eminem any more - but the Kaiser Chiefs rock! So keep checking over the summer. And at the end of the summer .. da-da! ... Close-Up will be published. It's quite different to Paralysed - lighter in some ways - but also about some difficult themes - I never give my teen characters an easy time! To find out more - watch this space!

21/03/2006

Spring Update

What spring? As I write, it still feels like winter here in Manchester. But I'm on a high this morning, as yesterday Paralysed actually won the South Lanarkshire Book Award! I am totally thrilled, and had a wonderful time in East Kilbride, meeting the students involved in the book award, and their indefatigable teachers and librarians. Scotland rocks! I've been incredibly busy this month, visiting schools all over the place - I seem to be suffering from some sort of jet lag! But I haven't been ignoring my writing, and have just finished a new manuscript a rather controversial one - details to follow shortly. The publication of Close-up - my next novel - will take place in September. I've also got an idea for a new book for younger readers - so watch this space. On a personal front, I'm counting down the days to when my younger daughter gets back from Canada - that's the end of April. We're planning all sorts of treats. Happy reading! Sherry

02/11/2005

Reading ... and writing!

My two favourite things! If you've entered in the Bolton round of the Kids' Lit Quiz on November 24th, you can see me there, as I'm coming along too. And on the writing front - I've been involved in editing a novel written by a 15 year old Mancunian, Ian Arnison-Phillips. It's absolutely brilliant and laugh-out-loud funny. It's called A Comedian Isn't a Comedian Until Someone Laughs. The content is adult but it just goes to show that you don't have to be an adult in order to write well. The novel's published by Manchester Metropolitan University. Now that winter's almost here, turn off the telly and get started on your own novel. I'm writing every morning, working on a new idea. Meanwhile my daughter in Toronto tells me her house has been infested by raccoons - they found some in their roof! Cute animals but apparently they have a nasty nip!

02/09/2005

Missing you already!

On a personal front, my younger daughter's just gone to Canada for nine months - to study there. I don't know what I'm going to do without her! Book-wise, I've just heard that Paralysed has been short-listed for the South Lanarkshire Book Award, which is really exciting. The best thing about all these book awards is that lots of you get to read my books - and others - so whatever the outcome, I have that satisfying feeling that what I write is actually getting read. And enjoyed, I hope. I can also reveal for the first time the title of my next novel, due out in Summer 2006. It's Close-Up - and it's about Jimmy, a boy who's obsessed with film, and what happens when his real dad turns up unexpectedly. Oh, and it's also about coffee! Though some shocking things happen at the end, it's a bit funnier than some of my other books. It feels good to return to a funnier voice. Talking about other people's books, I can't wait to read Melvin Burgess's Bloodsong, which is just out.

13/07/2005

School's Out

... and I've got the time to work on a new book idea. It's so new, I hardly know what it is myself yet! I was thrilled that Something Wicked was runner-up in the Wirral Paperback of the Year competition - the worthy winner was Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. And further to my last posting, I AM watching Big Brother - I always get sucked in. And I'm sooo glad Maxwell's gone!

15/06/2005

Summer Fun!

Lots of it - I love the summer as I get around and travel to lots of different schools to talk about my books and share writing tips. A big thank you to the staff and students at St Gregory's in Warrington, where I had a great day. Also, I was really happy to learn Something Wicked has been shortlisted for the Wirral Paperback of the Year Award. It's one of only three books on the list, so I'm seriously chuffed. Im putting the finishing touches to next year's novel - more info on that to follow. And - no - I'm not watching Big Bro - I have better things to do with my time ...

29/04/2005

Spring is here!

And with it, my new novel, Paralysed. Read about it on the site, get the book, and then write in with a review. Please. I'd love to know what you think. Meanwhile I'm pretty busy launching the novel and visiting schools, not to mention cooking up new ideas for books. Oh, and my sister's cat is going to have kittens! Can't wait!

12/01/2005

Happy 2005!

And it's going to be a good one! Paralysed is coming out at the beginning of May - you can see the cover on this site. Meanwhile I've started a new novel about teens who have problems with parents. If this applies to you, write in and unburden yourself. Otherwise I'm busy visiting schools around the country - such as Gosforth High in Newcastle - one cool city! Also Alderbrook in Solihull and the Cowley Language Centre in St Helen's. On a personal front, my elder daughter passed her driving test first time - so now we have to share my car. So far, so good.

09/10/2004

It's A Scream!

The latest .... Look out in Waterstone's for the anthology 'short stories' and buy it - all proceeds go to the Dyslexia Institute. One of the stories in there is mine - it's called The Scream and it's about - well, you go and read it and find out. But it's based on something that really happened.

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