Karen McCombie
@karenmccombie
Children's Author. Somewhat Scottish, London based, owned by a Westie, crisp fan, she/her. Oh, and "one of children’s fiction’s most accomplished authors" according to @Waterstones. Agent: jhare@theagency.co.uk / Events: @AuthorsAloudUK
Four days left of the Bloomsbury 30% off Summer Sale! A great chance to grab my award-nominated WW1 adventure as a summer reading treat... bloomsbury.com/uk/my-family... @bloomsburyed.bsky.social
*KLAXON:* It's the last week of Read It Forward! If you buy my WWI children's novel MY FAMILY THE ENEMY through Bookshop.org, 10% goes to independent bookshops, and a further 10% goes to the fabulous BookTrust and Scottish Book Trust: bit.ly/4rDN9UX
⭐️OUT TODAY!⭐️ 'The Accidental Vikings' is inspired by the back-in-time ride at the wonderful @jorvikviking.bsky.social museum in York! First went when my kiddo was in Yr3 and studying the Vikings at school & we went again for research purposes last year (kiddo now 23!). @barringtonstoke.bsky.social
Forget Black Friday; Books For Topics celebrates #BookFriday on Nov 28! My book rec is DANCE OF RESISTANCE by Catherine Johnson, and there're more book recs for schools to download here: www.booksfortopics.com/booklists/to.... @catwrote.bsky.social Cover: Katie Hickey @barringtonstoke.bsky.social
#PrimaryTeachers teaching #WW1 topic: Fred is an ordinary London boy, but as the First World War looms, friends, neighbours and classmates turn against his family. Their crime? Fred's father is German... A story of othering, fear and hope. @bloomsburyed.bsky.social #PrimaryRocks #UKEdChat
*COVER REVEAL!!* The cover of my upcoming Viking time-slip novel has been gloriously illustrated by Anneli Bray. Out Jan '26! @barringtonstoke.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social
This on-my-street giveaway made me smile (and have a great earworm for the rest of the day)...
OUT TODAY! It's 1914, and as war looms, London boy Fred is about to see his father taken away, accused of being an enemy of Britain... My new children's novel (age 9+) is based on little-known true events. @bloomsburyed.bsky.social
This book is a cracker… two 11-year-olds are on the run from very different but difficult home lives and meet by chance. Author @elnorrywriter.bsky.social weaves a story that touches on tricky themes but is ultimately uplifting. #RUNAWAYS @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
It's #DylslexiaAwarenessWeek in Scotland this week & the rest of the UK the week after. Dylslexia-friendly publisher Barrington Stoke are offering 20% off individual books during this time, using code DAW20. Plenty authors to choose from, but here's a selection of my books! bsky.app/profile/barr...
Just arrived; a bundle of advance copies of my new WW1 novel! Stunning cover by #MarcoGaudalupi and lovely cover quote courtesy of the awesome Catherine Johnson @catwrote.bsky.social Out 9 Oct... @bloomsburyed.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social
Happy book birthday to @emmashevah.bsky.social, on the publication of her #YA novel 'MY NAME IS JODIE JONES'! 15-year-old Jodie Jones is NEVER just 'Jodie', and she's not shy about telling people off if they get that wrong! But what family secret is dragging her down? @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social
My 2025 books... so far! WORLD OF WANDA (10+, featuring an #ADHD main character + a secret family!) & novella MY PERFECT COUSIN (for anyone who likes a short read, plus it's #dyslexiafriendly #yay). @foxandinkbooks.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social
Incoming... new book for all the Beatles-heads! RINGO: A FAB LIFE, written by my music journo mister Tom Doyle, is out this October. Ace Ringo tales a-go-go! @newmodernbooks.bsky.social
From childhood poverty to 1930s superstardom to WW2 spy... the life of legendary Black entertainer Josephine Baker is BRILLIANTLY retold in 'Dance of Resistance', by Catherine Johnson @catwrote.bsky.social. I read this advance copy in one gulp! Out Sept '25 @barringtonstoke.bsky.social
*SHINY NEW BOOK ALERT!* I was lucky enough to be sent an early proof copy of MY NAME IS JODIE JONES, the new YA by the fabulous Emma Shevah! (Out September '25.) Can't wait to dive in... @emmashevah.bsky.social @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social
Most excellent book post today: an advance copy of Catherine Johnson's next book - DANCE OF RESISTANCE: THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY - about the life of the iconic, Black entertainer of the 1920s, who was also a spy! (Out Sept '25) @catwrote.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social
WOW!! #WorldOfWanda is in the #PrimarySchoolBookClub Feb. 2025 vote this evening! Please VOTE, VOTE, VOTE for my backpacking #ADHD heroine, who aches for a home & family that doesn't exist. Or does it? Pootle over to @PrimarySchoolBC on X & vote using the pinned tweet. @uclanpublishing.bsky.social
There's been a lot of love for the delicious cover of my new novel #WorldOfWanda, and that's ALL thanks to illustrator #StephanieJadeHowe. Stephanie really captured the chaotic interior world of Wanda... 😍 #ADHD #backpacking #homesickness #secretfamilies @uclanpublishing.bsky.social
Lovely, insightful review of #WorldOfWanda in Saturday's #Guardian. Thanks, @imogenrw.bsky.social! #backpacking #homesickness #secretfamilies #adhd
Celebrated the launch of #WorldOfWanda this weekend with my excellent author buddies @fionadunbar.bsky.social @catwrote.bsky.social @kathrynevans1.bsky.social @carog.bsky.social and #InbaliIsleres! The evening also included LASHINGS of book-chat, food & dancing... 📚🍛💃 @uclanpublishing.bsky.social
Two good news things in this photo; the newbie book - World of Wanda' published yesterday (whoo-hoo!), but also... just the dog. My mutt is ALWAYS good news, every week, every day. #DogBless
*IT’S BOOK BIRTHDAY O’CLOCK!!* #WorldOfWanda is a story of backpacking, homesickness, #ADHD and secret families, and it’s out today! Me and my PA Bonnie popped into our local Pickled Pepper Bookshop to sign copies and celebrate… 🎉📕 @uclanpublishing.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social
My newbie WORLD OF WANDA is officially out tomorrow, but had an ace book launch lunch today with local author chums @helenpeters.bsky.social, @pollyfab.bsky.social & @nicolapenfold.bsky.social! #WhoopWhoopForWanda #AnyExcuseToGetTogether @uclanpublishing.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social
It's nearly the end of January, so I only have a sliver of time to whoop about my novel #WorldOfWanda being one of the OBSERVER Children's Books of the Month! Which is just a bit Wandaful!! (Too much, Karen... 🤣 #StepAwayFromThePun) @uclanpublishing.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social
Ironically, our Bonnie McBarker arf-arfs mightily at 3-legged dogs! (I apologize on her behalf! So rude...)
Every January, authors receive an email that sparks JOY. It's from the #PLR (Public Lending Rights) telling us a) how much we've earned from library loans, and b) which of our books were borrowed the most. Here's my Top 5! @littletigeruk.bsky.social @barringtonstoke.bsky.social #KidlitUK #UKKidlit
Here's a little more Wanda for you, Jacqui! Interesting (hopefully!) fact: the idea started noodling in my head after my all grown-up kiddo had an ADHD diagnosis.
Bonnie McBarker, my hardworking publicist, just wants you to know that my upcoming MG book #WorldOfWanda was reviewed in #TheObserver yesterday. Good work, Bonnie! #Out2Feb @uclanpublishing.bsky.social @theagencybooks.bsky.social