About Em’s Place
Whether you’re here because you’re a reader of my work, a Tea and Jeopardy fan or a professional who needs information about me, welcome!
There is a short author bio here, in case you need it.
If you would like to know which events you can find me at, here’s a Where’s Em? guide.
If you need a bio, book covers or a picture of me, you can find them in the Press Pack.
If you are here because you love my work, you can just go straight to the very silly GIF version or simply read on!
Hello!
Now we’ve got all that stuff out of the way, let’s relax. Thanks for stopping by. (Sips tea and reflects upon how writing an about page is almost as socially awkward as having to introduce oneself at an inappropriate networking event). You know, this is the fifth version of my About page since I started this blog back in January 2009, and it’s still just as hard to write. Just before I wrote this, in fact, I created a GIF version because that was easier and more fun to put together!
Perhaps you’re here because you’ve just read one of my books or short stories, heard me narrate a book, or perhaps you’ve actually met me in the real world (gasp!) and wondered what I do online.
If you’re here because you like what I write, let me point you towards my newsletter sign-up page, which is especially for splendid people like you who have enjoyed one of my books and want to be the first to know about all the crazy stuff I get up to.
When I first started this blog, it was called Post-Apocalyptic Publishing. It had a dark thunder storm in the header and really fitted where I was back in 2009; recovering from post-natal depression, trying to work out whether my writing was good enough to be published and wondering whether I would ever get there.
Back then, ‘there’ was being published. That happened a while ago, and now I’m an audiobook narrator as well as a published author. As you can see, the site is a lot cheerier now!
What else? Well, I drink a lot of tea and write a lot of words, usually both at the same time. The picture up at the top gives you a clue about one of my favourite hobbies (clue: it’s not marbles) and I get anxious about… well, everything really. I live near Bristol, England and have a healthy distrust of fried mushrooms. But that’s another story.
So, make a cup of whatever comforts you, pull up a chair and have a look around the site. You can find an archive of the Hugo Award winning Tea and Jeopardy podcast here (now finished), thanks to the support of my marvellous patrons.
If you’re on Twitter you can find me as @emapocalyptic or you can drop me a line through the contact form.
Love and noodles,
Em xx
Came to visit after seeing your name on the blogroll of Graham Storrs – A writer I respect.
Always been a fan of tea, I’ll be dropping by on a regualr basis. Like all good freeloaders.
terry
Was directed here from a Facebook entry…I’m a coffee drinker, is that okay? 😉
@Elise – I start every day with two cups of coffee, so that is absolutely fine with me. I’ve got into a routine almost by accident: wake up with one cup getting cold next to me. Then when I start work, the second coffee is needed. At 10:30am, it’s time for the first cup of tea of the day, and then it’s nothing but tea and water for the rest of the day. Hmmm, maybe that was too much information; I’m only on my second coffee right now…
Great! I’m looking forward to reading your stories.
Tea … and flapjacks!
Hi there, I always dreamed of the solitary life of a writer and welcomed it. (I am an only child!). But seems to be published nowadays, you can no longer maintain the solitude but we are charged with pushing ourselves forward as publically as possible. It is no longer just about the quality of your novel speaking for itself. You have to have a performing self, be it an online personality or the actual writer-performer on video or doing live readings. I guess the nature of the business has changed.
I’m right there with you. I’m in the throes of trying to balance work, a new marriage, my beloved blog, and a new initiative to have a drafted manuscript of a YA novel by December of next year, so I’m sure I’ll have a thing or two to say around here. 🙂
Hi, Emma. Fellow tea drinker here! I have a new post-apocalyptic novel out set in northern England which has been published by Wild Wolf Publishing. I can send you a free copy if you like. Drop me an email with your address and I’ll pop one in the post.
Hi Emma,
I stumbled upon your blog while sipping a cup of ginger tea so I took that as a sign from the gods.
I’m looking forward to recieiving a string of intriguing short stories and following your tenacious journey into published life.
As with every other walking, talking human I have a book on the go, so some good old fashioned inspiration from a fellow writer is always a wonderful thing.
I’ve been stalking your Split Worlds fiction for a while now and I’m finally signing up to stay up-to-date on your work! Keep writing, Emma! <3
Congrats on your book deal! I’ll be rooting for you here in the states. My own novel debuts the month after yours, so I know exactly how your summer is going, lol. Great blog–I added it to my blog roll, I assume you don’t mind. Also, if you feel inclined, you’re more than welcome to submit to the print version of The Asylum; I’m still looking for dark, edgy short stories. Submission guidelines are on the blog.
Hi Emma:
i like righting post apocalyptic stories and horror and fantasy, who publishes your books? i would like to know. if you could let me know I would love it.
Hi Matthew,
20 Years Later will be published by Dystopia Press (www.dystopiapress.com) and they are absolutely lovely too 🙂
Thanks for the really quick reply!! 🙂
They seem quite nice as well and may look at them in the near future when i can get time to really sit down and work on my post-apocalyptic novel, Plague.
I will look at getting 20 years Later!!!
Like the sight EJ. I am 85 pages in on a horror book (my first ever attempt at writing a novel). Your story inspires me. Good luck!!!
Thank you Shannon, glad to hear it, good luck with the first draft. Take a look in the “Writer’s Rutter” category in the blog, there’s all kinds of stuff in there that might help. Em x
Ohh what a lovely new ‘about’ page you have!
I agree they are hard to write. There’s probably a niche business opening: “I write your about pages so you don’t have to!” or something like that.
Hello! I have really enjoyed everything about your posts. Congratulations, I have decided to nominate you for the Versatile Blogger Award! Check it out here:
http://hannahrose42.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/versatile-blogger-award/
Emma,
I really like your book covers (especially 20 Years Later). Did you design them?
-James
Hi James,
I’m glad you like them, I’m rather fond of them too. The reason they’re so good is because I had absolutely nothing to do with them. Honestly, I have no ability to design covers or websites. Clothes, yes, but anything else involving visual design? Nah.
My best friend did an early version of the From Dark Places cover, then when it was picked up by the publisher they tweaked it.
The 20 Years Later cover was commissioned by my publisher (a different one, on the other side of the world!), and was carried out by a spectacularly talented cover and interior book design company called Soro Design: http://sorodesign.com/portfolio.htm
Many thanks. They’re going in the Resources file.
Stopped by after reading your interview with Chuck Windig – I’m really glad I did! I plan on stopping by more often and reading your books once the semester’s cooled down a bit.
Anyway, cheers!
Hi Katherine!
Thanks for popping over 🙂
Wonderful to see you at CONvergence, Emma! I caught two of your panels, and I’m looking forward to reading the books.
Hi Emma,
Noticed your profile on a friends Twitter page and added you. As someone looking to start writing your page is informative (starting with Amazon self publishing to test the water) hopefully I can learn some things by following you!
Py
Had the pleasure of hearing you on a panel at Worldcon in San Antonio. Perhaps a little warmer here than England? 🙂 Believe you were a last minute substitution and thought you did fabulous. Looking forward to reading your books and wishing you much success.
Just read Planetfall and loved it!!! thank you for the wonderful book.
I am listening to Planetfall today & wondering how I missed it when it was first published… no, that’s not true. I know exactly how I missed it. I had stopped looking for reading material. How is it we get older and just stop doing the things we used to enjoy at the cost of “adulting?”
I came by here because I am enjoying a number of things about the story: how it features adult protagonists (as most fantasy these days is generally geared for young adults); how it features someone who is obviously dealing with mental illness; how it reminds me so much of The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.