A moving, funny and resonant middle grade debut. Big fan of @ihussainwriter.bsky.social's writing and I know you will be too! The Night I Borrowed Time comes out February 2026.
Author of THE BOY TO BEAT THE GODS and SPIRIT WARRIORS https://linktr.ee/ashleythorpe Agent: Alice Sutherland-Hawes Senior Editor at Storymix Trustee of the Manchester Libraries Trust He/Him
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A moving, funny and resonant middle grade debut. Big fan of @ihussainwriter.bsky.social's writing and I know you will be too! The Night I Borrowed Time comes out February 2026.
Woo! I am so happy to be back in beautiful Yorkshire, taking stage at The Civic, Main Hall. There is so much to talk about both folkloric and historical with my new book Spirit Warriors. I really look forward to sharing it all with you! Tickets here: www.tickettailor.com/events/holmf...
Warranted fear 😆
I finished God of War: Ragnarok, ending the franchise's Norse saga, and man I have so many great things to say about the game, particularly how it tackles masculinity, fatherhood, owning our decisions and choices vs fate. Anyway, that made me smile a lot
Spirit Warriors is Indie Children's Book of the Month for August, and I decided to have fun with it - stringing cycle routes together for as many visits as I could to sign some copies.
Free #liverpool event for kids! Book signing plus a chance for kids to author their own stories, taking inspiration from folk tales, fairy tales and mytholoygy: www.waterstones.com/events/ashle...
Next author event is at @WaterstonesLPL I love Liverpool so excited to take Spirit Warriors on the road, and get kids writing!
Official publication day for Spirit Warriors! I celebrated by cycling 36 miles to sign copies at indie bookshops around Greater Manchester. But here are some photos of me looking slightly fresher at the launch last weekend. So, so proud of this book.
The happiest of book birthdays to @ashleythorpe.bsky.social with Spirit Warriors! Ashley is here signing tomorrow and we can post out signed and dedicated copies. Order here: wonderlandbookshop.co.uk/product/spir... #kidlituk
We were so thrilled to have @ashleythorpe.bsky.social come into the store today to sign some copies of his new book Spirit Warriors. Congratulations on getting picked for #indiebookofthemonth for August, it's always lovely to see a local Manchester author doing well!!
Set to be your new fave witchy YA! Emma Hinds has crafted a perfect blend of contemporary and folklore. A tender and gripping exploration of grief, non-binary empowerment, and love in many forms. Publishes in October.
It was a real pleasure chatting with Jermaine on BBC Radio Merseyside, about Spirit Warriors and our shared Caribbean heritage. The programme broadcast 8/8/25 8pm. My interview starts at around 1 hour 18 mins, and is split in two parts www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Wrote a few words about how fantasy can be an effective and safe space for teaching real histories and cultural experiences. clpe.org.uk/blog/spirit-...
I owe so much to all of the passionate indie booksellers who've championed my debut this past year. My successes are because of the love you've shown my stories. Thank you @babooksellers.bsky.social for making my second book Spirit Warriors your children's book of the month for August!
Last day of the Waterstones sale! www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
"Would their child become a diviner? A healer? A spirit waker?" In Spirit Warriors, @ashleythorpe.bsky.social conjures a world of ancestral magic, power, and purpose rooted in Jamaican folklore. A cracking opening and concept! Perfect for KS2 readers. Publishing 14 August #Usborne #SpiritWarriors
Wow! This is absolutely impossible to put down. Fast-paced, addictive and phenomenal storytelling. Loved it! 🌟😍📚 @ashleythorpe.bsky.social
Thanks very much. If you wouldn't mind leaving a review somewhere like Goodreads, Waterstones, Amazon where others can see and potentially decide to read it as well, I'd greatly appreciate the support 🙏🏾
Thinking about pre-ordering Spirit Warriors? Get 25% off now for the Waterstones Summer Sale: www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
Really looking forward to chatting with the inimitable Keisha Thompson at the Spirit Warriors launch event at Blackwell's Manchester⭐️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spirit-war...
Thank you @checkemoutbooks.bsky.social So glad you enjoyed Spirit Warriors 🙏🏾 checkemoutbooks.wordpress.com/2025/07/20/s...
One whole year since I became a debut author. Happy Book Birthday to The Boy to Beat the Gods 🎂 Very much enjoying this moment, but also taking stock of just how far I've come. Next month is Spirit Warriors! ⚔️
It's a book launch! Come and help me celebrate a few days ahead of Spirit Warriors publication on Saturday 9th August @blackwellsmcr.bsky.social Basic attendance is free! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spirit-war...
'Starring a fabulous heroine, supported by a cast of brilliant secondary characters, on a quest to defeat a thoroughly rotten baddie, the story is one that has been inspired by real history and will appeal enormously to young fantasy fans...' A fantastic first review For Spirit Warriors! ⚔️
⭐ We're delighted to be giving #MyBookbuzz schools the chance to win a very exciting author visit! Sign up to take part in Bookbuzz by 25 July and you could bag a visit from the brilliant @lesleyparr.bsky.social or super @ashleythorpe.bsky.social! Get the details 👇 bit.ly/44so7Pg
Yoohoo! Big Summer Blowout: www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
Mine and my editor Sarah Stewart's interviews for the Branford Boase Award are now up on their website: branfordboaseaward.org.uk/interview-th... I've also very much enjoyed reading the other shortlistees' interviews!
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There are four branches of ancestral magic in the world of Spirit Warriors: Enchanters, Healers, Diviners and Spirit Wakers. Find out which branch you belong to and share your result with #spiritwarriorsbook tinyurl.com/4dcw3xpd Pre-order Spirit Warriors now!
My MG fantasy adventure full of magic shenanigans is out in two months!
Books put together by Year 4 students at the school I was visiting today. I was absolutely blown away by how much care went into these, and that they just did it for fun -- often collaboratively. Really heartwarming to see in the same week where a report showed less kids are reading for pleasure.
I don't have an event, but happy to share!
Now available on Netgalley! www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/?tex... #kidlituk #ukkidlit #spiritwarriorsbook
Super excited to be at the Northern YA & Kids Lit Fest on Saturday July 19th with Liz Flanagan and @jenniferclaessen.bsky.social. Check out the absolutely stacked schedule here! www.lancashire.ac.uk/events/listi...
'a quest that’s as emotionally resonant as it is action-packed.' Such a great review of The Boy to Beat the Gods! justimagine.co.uk/childrens-bo...
Thank you so much for your support ❤️
Thank you Usborne. Thank you The Week Junior. And thank you to every single person who has championed this book, told a friend, reviewed or shared widely. Honoured to be part of this list! www.theweekjuniorbookawards.co.uk/2025/breakth...
Free festival of activities and author/illustrator events ahead of Empathy Day on 12th June. See the whole programme here: empathylab.uk/empathy-day/ @empathylabuk.bsky.social
Festival of Stories at the wonderful Grimm & Co. In Rotherham w/ @cbnnetwork.bsky.social
☀️ www.ashleythorpe.com
Notebooks, and also phone notes that I can save as Word docs. I have ideas dumps and details in Word docs but also rough chapter outlines in Excel spreadsheets (easier to view, delete or move rows of text this way).
Still tickets left for this event on Monday 2nd June! #Manchester www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jhalak-pri...
It's beautiful! Publishes in January
Rowan Foxwood's Heatseer was my favourite MG debut last year, and I've just finished an early copy of her follow up: Magpie Girl. It is utterly stunning! Add Heartseer to your TBR pile, or bump it to the top. Then all I can say is prepare yourself for Magpie Girl - I adored it from start to finish.
I've been wanting to visit @grimmandco.bsky.social for the longest time, and what better time than for the #FestivalofStories ! Rotherham is the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture this year, with the festival being its crowning jewel. Tickets at www.grimmandco.co.uk/festival-of-stories
I am loving the cozy indie game Dordogne at the moment, and Blue especially loves the menu music.
Reading this early copy of @ashleythorpe.bsky.social's new novel and it is brilliant! Gripping magical action adventure that taps into deeper themes: grief, identity and resistance. Plus TALKING CAT IN A HAT. #KidLitUK #Edutwitter Out August and a must for Percy Jackson + dungeons and dragons fans.
I'm glad you're enjoying this one, Louie!
'Children who are read to from their earliest years are more likely to overcome socio-economic inequalities ... we know that shared reading makes a difference.' A timely and important report from @booktrust.org.uk and @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/rea...
I have an author visit at a school in Warrington in July. I'll drop in then for sure 🌟
Spirit Warriors contains.... It's a story that's been cathartic in many ways, from navigating grief to discovering pieces of myself that I may never have learned had I not been researching for the book. Hoping readers will find it special too. www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
Anticipating a really rich conversation with these awesome writers
Absolutely delighted to have The Boy to Beat the Gods be selected for #MyBookbuzz this year! Bookbuzz is a great initiative from @booktrust.org.uk to get Year 7/8s reading for pleasure. Find out more and sign up for Bookbuzz here: www.booktrust.org.uk/how-we-help/programmes/bookbuzz
Hi, we are an alternative to Amazon-owned Audible 👋🏻 With us, you select the independent bookshop you want to support (we have 3,000+ partners across the globe), and we share profits from your purchase with them. We're also employee-owned and a registered Social Purpose Corporation.
We are SO back! Deadly spirits. Ancient magic. Pure chaos. Join Evie, Arthur and young shaman Cai on a race to stop Blackheart Man and La Diablesse from destroying the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead. Spirit Warriors is out w/ Usborne, 14th August #Booksky #KidLitUK #UKKidLit
I'm leading a workshop on writing characters for children's lit at Newcastle Writing Conference. But Should be an amazing day of author panels too, with the chance to meet and connect with fellow writers. Tickets at newwritingnorth.com/event/newcas...
I wrote for 8 of the 24 hours of @londonwriterssalon.bsky.social 's #24hourwritingsprint and I now have a revised first third of a book 😊 Really happy with how this has gone. My mindset and motivation completely shifted gears.
I've completed 6 hours of @londonwriterssalon.bsky.social 's #24hourwritingsprint And I've caught up with myself in revising the first third of the book ⭐
After my 4th hour @londonwriterssalon.bsky.social #24hourwritingsprint
Up for 7am. After my 3rd hour @londonwriterssalon.bsky.social 's #24hourwritingsprint
The decision of the week, possibly the year, has been to join @londonwriterssalon.bsky.social 's #24hourwritingsprint Feeling so motivated joining hundreds of people also doing this. Two hours done this evening but back at it early tomorrow morning ☀️
🙏🏾Several of my favourite middle grade or YA debuts this decade have won or been shortlisted for this award. So to have The Boy to Beat the Gods up there for 2025, that's special. Massive congratulations to all 💗 and gratitude to my editor Sarah, and to Usborne
🌟
Thank you, Gita!
One week left to apply for the @cbnnetwork.bsky.social 2025 mentor scheme! Application info here: www.childrensbooksnorth.co.uk/blog/childre... #Booksky 📚💙 @thebookseller.com @publishingscotland.bsky.social @northernfiction.bsky.social @lizscottpr.bsky.social @ashleythorpe.bsky.social
I'm also less than 4 months away from my second book, which is just as dear to me, being out in the world. This is what Waterstones say about Spirit Warriors 💜 www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
My approach as a debut has been to celebrate every little win. Getting longlisted for the Jhalak Prize was celebratory, but shortlisted...🌟 I'm so grateful that Kayode and co. are up there, and will hopefully reach more readers who'll love them like I do.
Just signed an open letter from UK writers supporting the trans community. If you're a writer of any medium who'd also like to sign let me know and I can share the link privately.
Please share this mentorship opportunity with any publishing industry hopefuls you know in the north of the country and Scotland. Proud to be a mentor again this year www.childrensbooksnorth.co.uk/blog/childre...
We really need to show up for the trans community because people will be more emboldened than ever to cause harm after today's supreme court ruling.
Dear #writingcommunity my super-talented editorial colleague and fellow author Sara Grant is publishing a guide to editing your novel draft, and I can tell you now it is FULL of gems @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ultimate-... #amediting #amwriting
Here's a US link for you: www.amazon.com/dp/180507563...
Appreciate you @ianeagletonauthor.bsky.social 🙏🏾
Same! I don't need to be in that space 😆 There are no bound proofs for this one so I'll ask Sarah to post you a set of printed proofs 🙏🏾
Looking for your next epic middle grade adventure, with themes of friendship, found family, overcoming grief and finding your path? Add my next book Spirit Warriors to your lists on Goodreads!: www.goodreads.com/book/show/23... #Booksky #KidLitUK #UKKidLit
Love!
Thanks Nazima! 🙏🏾
Thank you, Gabrielle! And for being such an advocate for my debut last year 🙏🏾
If you enjoyed The Boy to Beat the Gods then you are going to love Spirit Warriors! Another epic adventure full of magic, myth and mayhem, where Caribbean folklore and real history collide. Pre-order here: www.waterstones.com/book/spirit-...
Had a really nice author visit to Hexham Library for a group of Year 6s today. The head librarian told me she'd never seen so many hands up for questions, so I'm really happy about that!
Thanks so much!
Such an honour to see The Boy to Beat the Gods on this list with so many great books and writers! Love the Jhalak Prize! Congratulations all 🎉
The Manchester Library Trust's Book Gifting Campaign is so important to so many. If you spare anything please head to lnkd.in/dQ-3_WHv If you want to know more please take a look at this from one of their Trustees @ashleythorpe.bsky.social lnkd.in/dFGzQxwG
Done ⭐️
The 2025 Jericho Prize for Children's Writing is now open 🖊️ The prize is dedicated to showcasing the next generation of Black-British children’s writers & is open to unpublished and self-published Black-British writers. #Writing #Writingforchildren Find out more tinyurl.com/yy3a5b9b
A lovely display, with notes from students, from my last World Book Day event last Friday ❤️ Another first for me.
👋🏾 Loyiso Mkize an incredibly talented comic artist from South Africa. Thank you for supporting!
Absolutely! And also that we continue to normalise minoritised main characters for children of any majority to see.
Booksellers and librarians are magic. We love you, and I want to give a shoutout to @wonderlandbookshop.bsky.social Simply Books and the wonderful Leeds School Library Services for making this week the success that it was.
I had SO many compliments on the book cover. This industry silently acknowledges that minority characters (especially black) on covers are a harder sell - here and abroad. But kids really don't care! So it begs the questions harder to sell to whom? It's the adults who need to question their biases.
In my Q&A sections, more than once across the 5 days I had kids ask if I wrote the book alone, or had any help. I don't think it's a wild leap to think they asked this based on my appearance. I didn't fit their expectation of an author. BUT that's also important because it opened their minds.
Another boy in my last session of that day came pretty far just for my library talk. He'd finished the book in one sitting at a Waterstones and insisted his mum buy it so that he could read it again! He knew so much about baobab trees and myths including the orishas. That is everything I hoped for.
1st school I went to on WBD hadn't briefed the students on who I was or what I wrote until that morning 😅 Needless to say, no pre-sales. However, it just so happened that one boy in Y5 had finished my book that very week AND had his copy with him. He was so happy to get it signed. That was amazing.
#worldbookday - this week saw visits over 5 days to 7 schools and 2 libraries. Here are some interesting things that happened or that I observed...
Congratulations Helen! 💐
Cannot tell you how much I adore this pilot! It's no wonder it's amassed 1.3 million views in 3 days. 💐 @kianamai.bsky.social
Laughed far too hard at this
Brilliant!
Copy edits are done - I have fully completed another book that I adore. Taking a moment to celebrate that.
Book 2... you've taken a lot out of me but you are beautiful. I can't wait to share in the summer. And now we sleep 😴