Katey Lovell

It's been a weird time. Dreams have been vivid, ideas have been brewing, but actually having the time and inclination to write... Well, let's just say that hasn't happened much during lockdown.  Me and my agent recently parted ways, all very amicably, but it has given me cause to reassess. It reminds me of being a newbie author subbing directly to publishers and pitching to agents (and having the absolute soul-crushing misery of opening a rejection email without a side-helping of an ego-massaging comment from her).  I'm not going to lie, it's a bit scary putting myself out there again, especially as someone with anxiety. It's a competitive industry; the chances of getting a 'no' are far higher than that elusive 'yes'.  My book being on a supermarket shelf didn't mean I'd made it as an author, it meant I had one book that was bought by a supermarket. Ditto having books picked for promotions. Four novels in, I still have work to do.  So I...

The end (of 2018) is nigh and my promises to blog more regularly didn't come to fruition, yet again.  There was always an excuse not to blog - lack of time, lack of energy, would anyone be bothered about what I had to say anyway? - but with just a few days of the year left it feels like a good time to reflect on the year. It has, like many years, been one of ups and downs.  Let's get the misery out of the way first.  Emotionally, I've struggled.  Anxiety is a bitch, and my self-esteem has been at rock bottom.  I've put on weight, and although I'm trying my hardest to become more body confident (or at least body accepting) it isn't always easy fighting the thoughts that have, over a life time, become ingrained.  What I do know is I don't want to waste any more years 'dieting' and social media accounts such as Bodiposipanda and SoBadAss have been an enormous help in reminding me that bodies of all shapes are beautiful and that not e...

Oh, time - you got away from me again.  Spring arrived later than ever; winter seemingly endless with freezing temperatures and April snowfall.  Hibernation appealed as I recognised the tell-tale signs of anxiety making an unwanted comeback, but I forced myself to push on.  I came close to my breaking point and I've taken some time away from writing to ease the load, but it's really, really hard to switch off from the alternate realities in my head.  When my head's in a bad place I find it hard to focus.  As a reader that's as much of a sucker-punch as the other symptoms of my anxiety.  That said, I have managed to read a few cracking books.  I Was Born for This  by Alice Oseman was just fabulous.  It had boy bands, mental health representation and an LGBT+ lead character, which along with a fast-paced storyline made for a great read.  I also fell head-over-heels in love with Call Me...