Kathrynclark.co.uk

Tag: Sci-fi

  • The Margate Bookie – schools event for year nines

    Reading and writing for pleasure

    On October 10th I talked to year nines from two schools. The event was sponsored by Rotary Club of Thanet and was part of the Margate Bookie, held at the the amazing Turner Contemporary

    We talked about reading and writing for pleasure, how stories are everywhere and that creativity is for everyone. I shared some embarrassing photos of myself as a child of the 70s and a teen of the 80s, and what I read back then.

    I talked about the inspiration behind my novel Things I Learned While I Was Dead and writing about difficult themes.

    The students asked great questions and wrote their own stories based on a prompt which many of them shared. We talked about how to get writing and keep writing – maybe setting up a writing club at school, and looking out for writing competitions to get those stories out in the world. I’m hoping there might be some news about a special writing competition soon! Watch this space …

  • Nine Years In The Making – The Book Launch

    Me with Ama Badu, my amazing editor and Emma Golay, PR wizard, both from Faber

    Things I Learned While I Was Dead published on 17th July 2025, although copies were spotted out in the wild earlier. The launch party was held at the fabulous Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, in Bath, on 22nd July.

    I’m not really a party-thrower-type, but this book has been nine years in the making, and so much work has gone into its creation that I felt it deserved to be celebrated! I also wanted to thank everyone who has supported me on this long and undulating journey to publication.

    Signing books in The Imaginarium at Mr B’s – author dream come true!

    It was lovely to share the evening with friends, family, writers, creatives, authors, publishing people, booksellers, teachers, librarians. The bookshop was packed.

    Lots of people have supported me on this journey, sometimes without even knowing they were helping me to find my confidence and throw off the insecurity that all creatives have. And it was so nice to be there with them all in such a warm, positive environment.

    It was great to be able to thank everyone involved and talk about what I hope readers will take from the book. Which is basically this:

    Let’s worry less about what other people look like, or what they wear, or what they have in their pants, or what they believe, or who they love, and instead let’s focus on looking after each other and this planet we call home.

  • Review from School Reading List

    New Review from School Reading List:

    Things I Learned While I Was Dead is a gripping tale of medical ethics, unintended consequences and family ties. The climate-change aspects and resulting loss of technology give a welcome spin to the usually high-tech future portrayed in most science fiction stories. The short chapters and mix of verse and prose make for a fast-paced and engaging read, with the dual narratives of Calico and Asha providing a closer insight into the lives of these devoted sisters.

    Read More…

  • ‘World-Changing Climate Fiction’

    THINGS I LEARNED WHILE I WAS DEAD features in ‘9 World-Changing Climate Fiction Books for Kids’ alongside my Faber Imagined Future’s Prize sisters Kenechi Udogu and Sally Gales.