A post-apocalyptic novel for young adults
20 Years Later
LONDON, 2012: It arrives and with that the world is changed into an unending graveyard littered with the bones, wreckage, and memories of a dead past, gone forever.
LONDON, 2032: Twenty years later, out of the ashes, a new world begins to rise, a place ruled by both loyalty and fear, and where the quest to be the first to regain lost knowledge is an ongoing battle for power. A place where laws are made and enforced by roving gangs—the Bloomsbury Boys, the Gardners, the Red Lady’s Gang—who rule the streets and will do anything to protect their own.
THE FOUR: Zane, Titus, Erin, Eve. Living in this new world, they discover that they have abilities never before seen. And little do they know that as they search post-apocalyptic London for Titus’ kidnapped sister that they’ll uncover the secret of It, and bring about a reckoning with the forces that almost destroyed all of humanity.
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You can download and read the first five chapters by clicking here.
Hardback editions: Please consider buying from two wonderful Indie Bookstores:
UK readers: Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights (These are signed copies or with signed bookplates enclosed)
US Readers: Russo’s Books
The hardback is also available from Amazon UK, Amazon US and the Book Depository
Available to buy now for your Kindle: UK Store US Store
Nook 20 Years Later
Kobo 20 Years Later
Before I had a publishing deal for 20 Years Later, I decided to podcast the novel a chapter at a time.
Why? Well, I had no idea if it was any good for a start (rejection letters do that to you), and didn’t want to post the text online. After hearing about another writer’s positive experience with podcasting, I thought I’d give it a go.
About three quarters through the book (I was posting one chapter a week), I got the publishing deal I’d been striving for. I negotiated with the publisher who kindly allowed me to keep posting as by then several people were following the novel, and I didn’t want to let them down.
Incidentally, the publisher is Dystopia Press and they very kindly set up a Facebook page for 20 Years Later, so pop over and click on that juicy “like” button to be kept up-to-date.
Here is an archive of those original podcasts. Please, please remember three things: 1) This was the first voice work I ever did – months and months before I became a professional voice artist. 2) I recorded it using my Skype headset, and so the quality is nowhere near my pro recorded work and 3) This is a recording of the penultimate draft – it went through another round of editing with the publisher. Not much changed, but I felt it important to say. Because, you know, this is my baby and I’m a perfectionist…
I am currently recording a professional version with my gorgeous Shure Legendary microphone and snazzy recording booth. If you’d like me to let you know when it’ll be available, just drop me a line.
Em x
P.S. And for nostalgia’s sake, here is my attempt at a blurb. The publisher’s blurb is much, much better 
Gangs, blood oaths and loyalty test three teenagers searching for a kidnapped sister in post-apocalyptic London, unaware that as they unravel the mystery of her whereabouts, they are uncovering London’s darkest secret.
Zane, Titus and Erin discover the connection between a wheezing giant sighted in an abandoned hospital and the secretive gang holding Titus’ sister captive. When they learn the reason she was kidnapped is related to the disease that almost destroyed humanity, the rescue of one girl becomes the struggle to save many.
Listen to the chapters below.
Chapter Six – An Unwanted Invitation
Chapter Eight – The Fragile Balance
Chapter Eleven – An Unexpected Daughter
Chapter Twelve – The First Hunt of the Season
Chapter Thirteen – Pictures From the Past
Chapter Fourteen – An Ugly Threat
Chapter Fifteen – Erin’s Secret
Chapter Sixteen – A Remarkable Dream
Chapter Seventeen – Reparations
Chapter Eighteen – Callum’s Transformation
Chapter Nineteen – One Deal Leads to Another
Chapter Twenty – An Oath and a Lie
Chapter Twenty One – Uncomfortable Truths
Chapter Twenty Two – Titus Makes a Connection
Chapter Twenty Three – Of Unknown Origin
Chapter Twenty Four – Bigger Than Gangs
Chapter Twenty Five – Loyalties Tested
Chapter Twenty Six – Consequences
Chapter Twenty Seven – Hard Bargaining
Chapter Twenty Eight – Death of a Hero
Chapter Thirty One – Plans Are Made
Chapter Thirty Two – The Experiment
Chapter Thirty Three – Inheritance
Chapter Thirty Four – Hidden Guests
Twenty Years Later by Emma Newman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.
Hi Emma, Brilliant. Your writing is excellent and (coincidentally?) your voice is perfect for the subject matter.
[...] any good you might ask? Well, I think she’s fabulous and I know this because she’s been podcasting her novel, Twenty Years Later chapter by chapter. Twenty Years Later is a young adult novel that takes place in post-apocalyptic London. (And [...]
[...] to see that Collective Inkwell Short Story winner Emma Newman is posting a podcast up of her post-apocalyptic novel for young adults on her site. Emma is a great writer. And I (Dave) can listen to an English person [...]
[...] Emma’s been podcasting chapters from her novel – you can hear the results on her site, Post-apocalypitic Publishing. [...]
Okay Luv, get cracking on these podcasts because we (Your loyal fans!) are addicted and suffering during the wait. Great book so far and your voice really does add to the experience.
[...] Newman is the author of the soon-to-be-published Twenty Years Later, her debut young adult fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic future, which she has been [...]
[...] Inkwell. She talks about the art of writing and some of her creative marketing methods. Her novel, Twenty Years Later, will be published [...]
[...] some of you know, I podcasted the whole of Twenty Years Later, a chapter a week, for several months. I loved doing it, and the people who listened seemed to love [...]
[...] Publishing. The first was because I was convinced I was never going to find a publisher for 20 Years Later, and I was on the brink of self-publishing it – the blog name was my reaction to the [...]
LOVED the podcasts and look forward to purchasing the book!!
[...] it once it got going. People came and asked me questions, I told them about From Dark Places and 20 Years Later. I read them the prologue and happily, it was all with a nice cup of tea in hand as it was at one [...]
[...] I was standing in Miri’s garden. Miri is the mother of Zane, one of the main characters in 20 Years Later and her garden is where the trilogy [...]
[...] via her website. From Dark Places is her first published book, and she has a dystopian YA novel, 20 Years Later, coming later this [...]
you NEED to make a sequel i loved the book 20 years later and this is a big thing its vary hard to find a book i like and you wrote it great job! and again please write another.
I loved this book simpily loved it sometimes when i was reading i had to limit my self to one chapter because i didnt whant the book to end.
It is hard to find a book as good as this i will die if you do not make a sequil to 20 Years Later
Thanks Matthew! Don’t worry, I’ve written the rest of the trilogy, just waiting for publishing dates, I’ll let you know as soon as I do!
I was wandering around my library, looking for a good read that wasn’t about teen hormonal paranomal romance or just a kid novel, when the cover of your book caught my eye. I honestly thought that it was a bit queer sitting there among the Twilight-esque novels so I picked it up. Loved every page. Can’t wait for the next book!
Thank you! x