Gemma Malley's Blog

So I am now officially a writer of picture books. Or, rather, writer of the WORDS of a picture book – I left it to the lovely Jo Byatt to create the pictures. And the book in question is a very special book aimed at getting...

I get lots of lovely messages from people about my books, but nine times out of ten they also want advice. Specifically, they want advice on how to write a book. And since I’m in the middle (towards the end actually, but that means in...

So I want you to think about something. Back in the 1940s a man called George Orwell wrote a book called 1984 in which Winston Smith railed against Big Brother, an all-knowing, all-watching tyrant who controlled everything people did, believed and thought. It’s chilling stuff. You should read it if you haven’t. The thing is, […]

Okay, so I’m really happy at the moment and it’s freaking me out. Not because there’s anything wrong with being happy. It’s just that I don’t know why I’m suddenly feeling like an exhuberant puppy, can’t understand why I’m crushing on my husband like a lovesick teenager, grabbing my children by the scruffs of their […]

Yes, I was watching yesterday. With my very-nearly-two-year-old climbing on top of me for most of it. And wasn’t it cheering? Not just the fact that Andy won. That we won (love how we can appropriate the successes of people from our country or team). No, it was the battle. I have never really been […]

So my new book is out today, which is VERY exciting. It was one of those books that started one way and finished… well, kind of different. Not so much in terms of story, as in what actually  happens – there were always going to be Disappearances, after all, otherwise the title just wouldn’t have […]

It’s a funny time for women right now. Not funny ha ha, although it’s that too – nice to see women on television being funny and irreverant instead of just looking great and smiling a lot. No, I mean it’s a strange and complicated time. On the one hand we’ve just had International Women’s Day; […]

So it’s that time of year when we lose ourselves in fantasy once more, in a world full of magic, father Christmas, a stack of books on your bedside table, Harry Potter on television, the Hobbit on the big screen. I love fantasy; love the escapism, the comfort blanket. Because whilst fantasy is often full […]

Phew, it’s been an exciting month so far… First there was the Bath Literary Festival which was SUCH a joy – gorgeous city, fabulous event; then I went to a Twilight Convention a couple of weeks ago and met THE nicest bunch of people ever – thank you for making me so welcome! Then there […]

My goodness, it’s sweltering outside. Not much you can do except give in to the weather and loll around. That’s my excuse, anyway. Did anyone else feel mildly guilty about watching the Olympics whilst virtually horizontal on the sofa? Like we should have been, I don’t know, jogging, or hitting a ball against the wall […]