This week I visited two secondary schools in Cornwall as part of the Fowey Festival of Arts and Literature, talking to over 400 young people about gothic novels, how I came to write Zed and the Cormorants, mental health and what it's really like to be a writer. I also ran some creative writing workshops. The students were fantastic: their curiosity, creativity and willingness to try out different ways to approaches story writing, made my visits such a pleasure. I was also absolutely thrilled to see the school libraries filled with books, comfy chairs and natural light; libraries where young people were encouraged to visit, read, or just hang out. School librarians have a really tough job these days, often fighting for space as well as funding, but when the cost of buying books is often prohibitive for individuals, their role in keeping young people reading and writing is absolutely vital. A big shout out to all of them!
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