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Abie Longstaff

@abielongstaff.bsky.social

2.4K followers 1.4K following 280 posts

Children's author of picture books, chapter books and Middle Grade. On Board of Society of Authors, Chair of the Children's Writers and illustrators Group. Posts are my own.

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Nov 18

Thanks all. So far, the lists of school visit authors are:
Primary go.bsky.app/5u2ArqX
Secondary go.bsky.app/EDt42ua
I will keep adding to them :)

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Children's Books North Network @cbnnetwork.bsky.social · 12h

In Conversation with… Lydia Monks
3:00pm-4:00pm, Saturday 29th November, Grimm&Co
Tickets: £10 / 5 free bursary places available

Please follow the link in our bio for full information on this fantastic event, limited tickets available 📚 @grimmandco.bsky.social @lydiamonks.bsky.social

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 16h

In other news: Angry Robot Books has acquired Juliet E. McKenna’s The Riven Kingdom, described as a “fresh and gripping fantasy” that “blends politics, religion, and a battle for a dead king’s throne, perfect for fans of the Realm of the Elderlings series.”
britishfantasysociety.org/book-news-an...

Book News: Angry Robot Acquires New Juliet E. McKenna Novel – The British Fantasy Society

britishfantasysociety.org

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

The Society of Authors @societyofauthors.bsky.social · 1d

What a wonderful day on Saturday at our Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group Conference.

A full day of speakers, panel discussions and networking with our fabulous CWIG members. And a quiz!

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · 5d

See you there!

Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 10d

Good news! The Green Man's War is a Kindle ebook deal for October. You can get fully caught up with Dan Mackmain's adventures before The Green Man's Holiday is published on 30th October.
www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-W...

Wizard's Tower Press @wtpress.bsky.social · Aug 30

Congratulations to Juliet E McKenna whose The Green Man's War is finalist for Best Novel in the British Fantasy Awards.
wizardstowerpress.co...

Cover of The Green Man’s War by Juliet E McKenna. Art by Ben Baldwin.

Image is of the face of an angry wyrm against a dark forest background.

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Steve Cole @stevecolewriter.bsky.social · 7d

The Astrosaurs and I were on BBC Look East last night! A sweet report on the Milton Keynes Literary Festival.

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · 7d

I hate waiting tinyurl.com/3eb6d5s4
Help! No one wants my book tinyurl.com/y4za443v

Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · 7d

I build stories the ‘wrong’ way tinyurl.com/3snzcc8m
This wouldn’t happen to a bigger author tinyurl.com/s9j4wjyw
Help! Someone has the same book as my work-in-progress tinyurl.com/24umtnv2
I can’t be arsed tinyurl.com/yy8bd86e
I haven’t been invited tinyurl.com/49syk4fb

Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · 7d

If you missed my 'Publishing Peptalk' Substack, here are some links to posts:
The Fumes of Hope tinyurl.com/2haj25a7
How much promo do I have to doooooo? tinyurl.com/mr3vy3m7
Ouch this Edit hurts tinyurl.com/9c3bcxmu
No, you’re not being annoying tinyurl.com/4yyw9dte

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 9d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · 29d

Legal Eagles *swoon*

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Sep 11

New book! Out today, Little Bad Wolf is the first in my brand-new Before the Fairy Tale series, looking at the backstories of your favourite fairytale characters.
Illustrated by Leire Martin

Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Jill Bennett @jillshanti.bsky.social · Sep 10

A delicious #fairytale prequel #LittleBadWolf @abielongstaff.bsky.social & Leire Martin @quartokids.bsky.social #HappyYak is #RedReadingHub’s #picturebook of the day reviewed on the blog wp.me/p11DI5-dpv

Little Bad Wolf

Little Bad WolfAbie Longstaff and Leire MartinHappy Yak This is not so much a fractured fairytale more a fairytale prequel.We first meet the wolf – Baby Wolf – as a cute looking creatur…

redreadinghub.blog

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Jill Bennett @jillshanti.bsky.social · Sep 10

Little Bad Wolf

Little Bad WolfAbie Longstaff and Leire MartinHappy Yak This is not so much a fractured fairytale more a fairytale prequel.We first meet the wolf - Baby Wolf - as a cute looking creature but with the habit of gobbling up anything that makes him cross. This distresses his mother and…

Little Bad Wolf

Little Bad WolfAbie Longstaff and Leire MartinHappy Yak This is not so much a fractured fairytale more a fairytale prequel.We first meet the wolf - Baby Wolf - as a cute looking creature but with the habit of gobbling up anything that makes him cross. This distresses his mother and also on his first day at school, the teacher and fellow pupils.

redreadinghub.blog

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Sep 10

Thank so much!

Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Sep 10

How to survive a harsh edit... New post up now on my Publishing Peptalk substack

Ouch! This edit hurts.

How to survive it...

open.substack.com

Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 29

My interview for the Words and Pictures Substack
open.substack.com/pub/naomiand...

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 27

The latest post on my Publishing Peptalk substack...

No, you’re not being annoying

(Navigating the Book Industry)

open.substack.com

Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Agatha Christie Festival @agathafestival.bsky.social · Aug 27

There are still a few tickets left to this fabulous and Free event on Sat 13 Sept.
Bestselling children's authors @abielongstaff.bsky.social and @redbreastedbird.bsky.social will be speaking and signing books.
Please register: www.iacf-uk.org/festival-202...
@librariesunlimited.bsky.social

International Agatha Christie Festival | Christie for Kids

The Agatha Christie Festival, in partnership with Libraries Unlimited, is delighted to introduce the Festival’s first Christie for Kids day at Paignton Library. Open to all families and children, it’s...

www.iacf-uk.org

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 25

When I asked my 4yo if he'd liked his first day at school he said 'Yes! I've finished school now.' He was v miffed to hear he'd have to go back again.

If you need a starting-school gift, Little Bad Wolf is on pre-order @booknookhove.bsky.social
I'll sign & personalise it.
It comes out on 11th Sept

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 22

Such a brilliant book. And the second one in the series 'Torchfire' is excellent too 👏👏

Children's Bookshelf @pwkidsbookshelf.bsky.social · Aug 22

Moira Buffini’s “captivating” dystopian debut novel 'Songlight' wins YA Book Prize 2025 in U.K. | The Bookseller

Moira Buffini’s dystopian debut Songlight wins the YA Book Prize 2025

Moira Buffini’s "captivating" dystopian debut novel, Songlight (Faber), has been named as the winner of the YA Book Prize 2025.

buff.ly

Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Lucas Maxwell @lucasjmaxwell.bsky.social · Aug 22

I was happy to see @thebookseller.com feature a podcast that @grainneobrien.bsky.social & I are launching in Sept to highlight great Children’s and YA books! The idea is very simple - each episode is 10 minutes long and will discuss the book - we’ll also have author chats and giveaways!

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Reposted by Abie Longstaff

Writing.ie Online Writing Magazine @writing.ie · Aug 21

Really Useful Links: Plotting

Plotting: Really Useful Links from author Sam Blake To plot or not to plot, this is the question - I think that might be a horrible misquote, but the way you choose to write your book doesn't have to be a choice between one thing or the other. As we've mentioned…

Really Useful Links: Plotting

Plotting: Really Useful Links from author Sam Blake To plot or not to plot, this is the question - I think that might be a horrible misquote, but the way you choose to write your book doesn't have to be a choice between one thing or the other. As we've mentioned before, listening to authors (or reading articles by them) will help you create your own process - that might be plotting, or writing organically, or a mixture of the two.

www.writing.ie

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Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 19

PHEW!

Abie Longstaff @abielongstaff.bsky.social · Aug 14

So honoured to have one of my books on her Imagination Library list. She's a brilliant example of the good you can do with money.

Richard M. Nixon @dicknixon.bsky.social · Aug 14

Dolly Parton currently sends a new book to 2.2 million children every month. The number has steadily increased for years. It's in honor of her parents, who were illiterate. She works with hospitals. Many people have told us they had no idea the books would come. They are addressed to the child.

Kayla B @queenofthesouth.bsky.social · Aug 13

Dolly Parton has sent my daughter a new book every month for years as she does for thousands of children. She help fund the development of the Covid vaccine. She’s not a billionaire. I think as non wealthy people it’s hard to even imagine how much billionaires *could* be doing with their money.