Tessera

So excited to reveal the three winners of the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize: Picture Book category. Many congratulations to Alex Lumsden, Zahrah Riaz and Catherine Friess! Your stories were fantastic! @writersonline.bsky.social #WritingCompetition #picturebooks #BookSky

Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize Picture Book category! So many great stories on the longlist, it was a tough decision to make. Winners announced on Monday! #BookSky #KidLit #PictureBooks

Huge congratulations to everyone on the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize Picture Book longlist. There were many entries, so to reach this longlist is a fabulous achievement. The shortlist will be announced on Friday! Good luck for the next round! #writingcommunity #BookSky #picturebook

Parker @parkertron.bsky.social · 7mo ago

"The bard himself is deftly woven in throughout, in this pièce de theatre... by a writer with a flair for historic detail and language." 🎭🎻🥁🎲⚔️💀❤️‍🩹 Thank you to Keira Morgan at the HNS for the great review of THE PLAYERS ACT 1! historicalnovelsociety.org/.../the-play... - It does have spoilers so...

Screenshot of the Historical Novel Society website. Image shows The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage novel cover. It's a parchment coloured background with the title on a ribbon tumbling down. Five commedia dell'arte figures in purple are dotted around. The text on the website reads: The Players – Act 1: All the World’s a Stage
Written by Amy Sparkes
Review by Keira Morgan

Two bands of itinerant players wander the backroads, alehouses and fairs of early Georgian England: one an acting group of four led by a morose manager staving off its imminent demise; the other a trio of aerialists managed by a narcissist, Piero, bent on avenging himself for his inability to love.

Three narrators, each with a distinct voice, carry the acts forward: lead actor Thomas, the eternal optimist criticized by the others for his obsession with success, yet haunted by his father’s condemnation of him as a failure; Caroline, the prickly, defensive protector particularly of manager Robert, who swings a cutting wit and sword; and prancing Piero..

The idea that the only person to benefit from education is the person who receives it falls apart whenever I visit the doctor.

Farrukh@implausibleblog.bsky.social · 7mo ago

2026: Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, "It is not right that people who don't go to university bear the cost for others to" 2020: That time Labour leader Keir Starmer said he would scrap university tuition fees

Many congratulations to our top three writers, Laila Murphy, Helen Addyman and Rhiannon Pipkin for winning the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize Chapter Book category this year! Decisions were very difficult, but ultimately, these three submissions stood out to the judges.

Excited to share my interview with @bookshelfie.bsky.social after winning 3rd Place Overall with THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE. (About a diverse troupe of strolling players in 1715 with one last chance to save their theatre company.) book-shelfie.com/interview-wi... #BookSky #HistFic

Interview with Amy Sparkes, Author of The Players: Act 1 - Bookshelfie

What first inspired you to become a storyteller, and when did you realise you wanted to write novels? I was always an imaginative child, and creating stories either on paper or in the make-believe gam...

book-shelfie.com

Huge congratulations to everyone on the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize shortlist for Chapter Books! If your book was longlisted but isn't here, please know it was a very difficult decision - all the titles were great. Onto the last, very difficult decision! #KidLit #WritingCommunity

I'm delighted to announce the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize 2025 longlist: Chapter Books. Many congratulations to everyone on the list! And thank you to everyone who entered. Shortlist announced early next week. More here: www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op... #KidLit

Bookshelfie ⭐️@bookshelfie.bsky.social · 8mo ago

A big thank you to @bookshelfie.bsky.social for awarding 'The Players Act 1' 3rd place overall. Absolutely delighted! #Players1715 #BookSky #HistoricalFiction #Shakespeare

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Bookshelfie Awards! Happy holidays everyone!

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 9mo ago

If anyone fancies curling up with a 99p e-Book, my adult historical debut 'The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage' is on offer at the moment 🙂 🎭Found family 🎭Comedy & tragedy 🎭LGBTQ+ 🎭Shakespeare 🎭Hope & heart 🎭Neurodiversity 🎭⚔️🥁🎻🎲💀❤️‍🩹 #BookSky #histfic lnkstk.swordandfiddle.co.uk/@players_1715

The Players Act 1

The #1 bestselling novel by New York Times bestselling author Amy Sparkes.

lnkstk.swordandfiddle.co.uk

Children's Bookshelf @pwkidsbookshelf.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Coming soon: new projects from @maggiesmithpoet.bsky.social @annemariepace.bsky.social @corjan.bsky.social @amysparkes.bsky.social + more buff.ly/3oye3XF

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Excited to announce my new funny-fantasy #lkidlit trilogy, kicking off with book 1: The Unchosen One. When chaotic Tassie is mistakenly declared the Chosen One, she must go on an epic quest to find the real Chosen One before it's too late... Coming in May 2026! #middlegradebooks #BookSky

Amy Sparkes holds a proof copy of her new novel: The Unchosen One. Text at the top of the cover reads Coming May 2026. Cover text reads: The world needs a hero... she's not it. Image shows a young girl with a griffin behind her, both looking frantic, riding a smiling red dragon that is hurtling downwards.

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 10mo ago

I'm passionate about making creative opportunities accessible to all, so I offer a free 6-month mentoring opportunity for children's writers who might find it particularly hard to pursue writing. Open for applications: 8th - 16th Nov. www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op... #WritingCommunity

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 11mo ago

ADHD Awareness Month Fiction: 22 items for $25.00 itch.io/b/3300/adhd-... Proud to have THE PLAYERS: ACT 1 included in this fabulous bundle - available // 1st & 15th October. A big thank you to @eliseswritings.bsky.social for organising. #neurodiversity #adhd #historicalfiction

ADHD Awareness Month Fiction Bundle. oct 1st-15th. 22 books mostly by ADHD authors. most with 1+ significant ADHD characters. Available exclusively at itch.io $25 - over $90 value. A QR code is in the top corner to take readers to the correct page.

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 11mo ago

🎭🎲🥁🎻💀⚔ In recognition of #ADHDAwareness Month, "The Players Act 1" eBook is only 99p/99c (1st-17th Oct). Neurodiversity is nothing new & #histfict can reflect this♥️ Why not take a look? Amazon mybook.to/ThePlayersAct1 Kobo www.kobo.com/ebook/the-pl... Cover: Sarah Christie #BookSky #neurodiversity

The book cover of THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE by Amy Sparkes, and a box saying: 99p/cents ebook. In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month, THE PLAYERS ACT 1 ebook will be offered at a discounted price of 99p/c between October 1st & October 17th.

A green square background and the front cover of THE PLAYERS ACT 1 by Amy Sparkes. Arrows point to various features of the book: found family; grey villains; strong females; marginalised characters; vengeance; uplifting.

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 11mo ago

My latest #StoryGodmother newsletter went out yesterday with an ADHD theme. It's for #kidlit writers & includes a free coaching competition & free webinar on writing diverse characters. All free. Sign up if you're interested. Thanks! buttondown.com/storygodmother #writing #kidlit #BookSky #kidlitUK

The StoryGodmother

If you write for children, this newsletter is for you. Sign up for top tips, resources, information and opportunities delivered straight to your inbox. Sprinkle some magic into your stories.

buttondown.com

The Toy 🍩🦜🍑🌻🌈🪐🛼🎈🐢@thetoypress.bsky.social · 11mo ago

It's #NationalPoetryDay here in the UK on October 2nd and this year's theme is PLAY. Our 'hobbies' and 'toys' editions are both packed full of playing themed poetry and we'll be sharing some of these this week...

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 12mo ago

A double-whammy in this month's (October) Writing Magazine: a feature about the story behind the story for my #historicalfiction novel "The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage", and an article about the importance of voice in #picturebooks! @writersonline.bsky.social #writingcommunity #kidlit

Amy Sparkes smiles and stands in a small attic room holding a magazine open with an article titled 'Speak up!'

An autumnal cover of Writing Magazine October 2025 issue, next to an orange cup and saucer filled with tea!

Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 12mo ago

WRITERS! The @writersonline.bsky.social Children's Book Prize is now open for unpublished/unagented writers. www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op... There's more info in my newsletter for writers, along with free resources and competitions: buttondown.com/storygodmother #WritingCommunity

The StoryGodmother

If you write for children, this newsletter is for you. Sign up for top tips, resources, information and opportunities delivered straight to your inbox. Sprinkle some magic into your stories.

buttondown.com

MJ Porter@mjporterauthor.bsky.social · last yr.

🎭LAST DAY OF #Players1715 BLOGTOUR🎭 Thank you to @mjporterauthor.bsky.social for the review on this last stop. Thanks to all the bloggers for arranging interviews, reviews and guest posts. And a big thank you to @rachelsrandoms.bsky.social for organising the tour. #BookSky #histfic 🎭🥁🎻💀⚔️🎲

I'm delighted to share my review for The Players Act 1: All the World's A Stage by Amy Sparkes #historicalfiction #bookreview @rararesources @AmySparkesAuthor @sparkes_amy @amysparkes.bsky.social

🎭DAY 6 #Players1715 BLOG TOUR PART TWO🎭 "a fun read, with overdramatic characters, great banter, a heartwarming found family vibe and an unshakeable sense of hope" Big thanks to Moonflower Reader on Insta for the review of The Players: www.instagram.com/p/DNtBteVWAAi/ #histfic #BookSky 🥁🎻🎲💀⚔️❤️‍🩹

🎭DAY SIX OF THE #Players1715 BLOG TOUR🎭 A very big thank you to A Knight's Reads for the lovely interview - I really enjoyed answering these thoughtful questions. 🎭🎻🥁🎲⚔️💀❤️‍🩹 #historicalfiction #historicalfictionbooks #shakespeare #BookSky aknightsreads.wordpress.com/2025/08/23/t...

The Players: Act 1 by Amy Sparkes #blogtour #authorinterview #theplayersact1

Happy Saturday!! Today I’m interviewing Amy Parkes as part of the blog tour celebrating The Players Act 1.

aknightsreads.wordpress.com

🎭DAY FIVE OF #Players1715 BLOG TOUR🎭 A big thank you to Joanne at @portybelle.bsky.social for the very fun quickfire questions on today's leg of the tour. Much appreciated. Find out the answers here: portobellobookblog.com/2025/08/22/t... #historicalfiction #histfic #Shakespeare #BookSky 🎭🥁🎻🎲💀⚔️❤️‍🩹

#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Amy Sparkes #author of The Players Act 1 | @rararesources

I’m delighted to be joined by Amy Sparkes today, author of The Players Act 1: All the World’s A Stage. The Players Act 1: All the World’s A Stage was published in July and is avai…

portobellobookblog.com

🎭DAY FOUR OF BLOG TOUR: PART 1🎭 "Amy Sparkes writes with care and sensitivity about friendships, families, finding your place in the world and working through adversity" Thank you to Portable Magic for the review. Check it out here: portable-magic.com/2025/08/21/a... #histfic #BookSky #Players1715

portable-magic.com

"Clever, funny and highly enjoyable" A big thank you to Rambling Mads for the amusing review of #Players1715 You can check it out here: ramblingmads.uk/2025/08/20/b... #historicalfiction #histfic #BookSky #Shakespeare @rararesources.bsky.social

Blog Tour: The Players Act 1: All The World’s a Stage – Amy Sparkes

How far would you go to save what you truly love? England, 1715.When society doesn’t understand you, and your family is out of the picture, a strolling theatre company could be your perfect home… A…

ramblingmads.uk