She was a lot of fun to write! She can't stand to be bored, so it's torture for her. #YABookPrize

No, not really! More by books I loved from that time period. I wanted something that felt Victorian but was informed by the beginnings of modernity. I wanted my characters to have the education and freedom that that entailed. #YABookPrize

It was wonderful! I didn't have to worry about descriptions or what people's clothes looked life, I could just put "we went to a ball last night". I loved writing it. I've wanted to write an epistolary novel for ages, I love reading them. I liked the challenge. #YABookPrize

Yes, while I was writing it! Not so much while I was putting it together at the end! But I write all my books out of order, so that's normal for me. #YABookPrize

My previous books, The Silent Stars Go By and Things a Bright Girl Can Do, were both quite emotionally challenging. TSSGB is about a girl giving up a baby to be raised as her brother, TABGCD about the suffrage movement, with hunger strikes and WW1. YABookPrize

So it was a joy to write about people who were just nice. I also wanted it to be a book about female friendship, and I love all my friends. So it was natural to write about appealing characters. But also I wanted to hark back to books like Daddy Long Legs #YABookPrize

#YABookPrize which are so full of warmth and generous, likeable characters. We need YA like that in the world, I think! YA shouldn't be all angst and trauma. Sometimes it can be just as radical to write something hopeful and kind.

That's the crux of the whole book. It wouldn't have worked without it. So, very! #YABookPrize

Sally Nicholls If you're interested in finding out more about Yours From the Tower, you can read the first chapter here: drsw10gc90t0z.cloudfront.net/AcuCustom/Site… #YAbookPrize Andersen Press Sally Nicholls

I'm trying to write about Henry VIII's wives - which is an enormous undertaking, involving a huge amount of research. I'm feeling rather out of my depth. That's good for me though, I think! #YABookPrize

Thank you so much for talking to me and for all your questions. And good luck with the judging! The existence of this prize is such a brilliant thing for YA literature in the UK, I'm thrilled to be shortlisted. #YABookPrize

Just wanted to share quickly how lovely yesterday felt in Southport; a total contrast to the night before. 🧵 The mosque and people’s garden walls were rebuilt by builders and bricklayers volunteering their time and labour:

'Nicholls' award-winning young adult novels conjure up the confusion and passion of adolescence — and never more so than in this thrilling and cleverly constructed story' Mail+ YOURS FROM THE TOWER by Sally Nicholls is your next unputdownable read!

Race Riots in Belfast

The main thing my kid wants for his ninth birthday is a board game which apparently costs £75 and, just, how is this life now? It is a board game! He is eight!

Tomorrow Children’s Books North is back at the wonderful Just So Festival for the third year. This year we are joined by Rachel Plummer Sally Nicholls Liz Flanagan for family fun in the Spellbound Forest.

I can't wait! I'm going to be telling the story of Godfather Death (my favourite folk tale) in a forest and then the kids and I are going to make up a new folk tale together. Come and say hi!

I don't know how to go about getting on podcasts or anything like that except to awkwardly say HI, I HAVE A ZOMBIE MG BOOK OUT NEXT YEAR AND WILL HAPPILY COME ON YOUR PODCAST TO TALK BOOKS AND STUFF #TheZombieProject amazon.co.uk/Zombie-Project…

I'm an astronaut. And honestly, yes, probably, it doesn't sound fun.

See also writing/publishing