If you haven't already heard about it, I'd like to introduce you to Project UKYA, set up in September 2013 by Lucy Powrie, a teenage Force for Good, and a manic bibliophile. Essentially, Lucy has come up with the brilliant idea of blowing the trumpet loudly and publicly for UK Young Adult authors and their books, with a different 'project' happening each month. Right now there's a marvellously wide-ranging series of chats going on on Twitter under the hashtag #ukyachat. People are sharing books they love, and talking about different aspects of UKYA. Next month a new longterm project launches - a monthly (to begin with) 'livechat' on YouTube, talking about the latest UKYA releases, discussing UKYA books and much more, including special guests and author Q and As.
Why does this matter? It matters because YA from the US has held the balance of power in the public perception of YA for far too long. While the likes of Twilight, The Hunger Games and The Mortal Instruments have all sold millions of copies and had films made in a relatively short time after publication, UK YA authors have been lagging behind in terms both of sales and of international recognition. We need to try and change that, because the pool of UK writing talent is immense, and yes, I'm going to say it, just as good if not better than anything coming out of America. All of us who care about books and reading need to work together to get the word out there to YA readers about just how good British books are at the moment.
This is absolutely not to denigrate US writers - I'm very excited currently about Laini Taylor and Sarah J Maas's forthcoming titles, among others. It's just that I'm equally excited - or more so - about Clare Furniss's Year of the Rat, Keren David's Salvage, Teri Terry's Shattered, Claire McFall's Bombmaker, Ruth Warburton's Witchfinder, Gillian Philip's Icefall, Ellen Renner's Tribute, James Dawson's Cruel Summer, Candy Gourlay's Shine and the new film of Anthony McGowan's The Knife that Killed Me. And that's just touching the surface of what's out there right now. I could spend the rest of this post just making a list of great UKYA books and writers (don't worry, I won't).
So, really what I'm asking you to do here is to support Project UKYA. Follow it on Twitter and take part in the chat, join its Facebook page, read and comment on the blog - but above all, spread the word about its existence to everyone you know who loves good books. UKYA books and authors deserve to be known and celebrated all over the world - let's be the pebbles which start the avalanche.
6 comments:
SO good to hear about this project and how well it is going!
Congratulations to all involved, especially as I'm not sure that UK publicity budgets are the same as US publicity budgets. Simpler and easier to have the UK market as an add-on to the big spend? Which, imo, means that UKYA readers don't meet their own cultures in books as often as they should. UKYA authors - and their books - DO need to be named, famed and celebrated. Well done, all! Off to find the facebook.
Wow - the covers alone are convincing me. I'm off to read some YA!
Though before I do...is there any current YA you would recommend with a dose of humour? Doesn't have to be laugh-out-loud funny but a bit more light hearted? Real life without being totally slash your wrists grim? A lot of recent YA seems so dark...judging from the covers, anyhow.
Great books there Lucy! And Emma your last comment could spark an entire blog debate.
I'm loving the enthusiasm and energy that is being created around UKYA.
There are soooooo many fabulous, fabulous authors emerging .... Sally Green, Non Pratt, Isobel Harrop ....
I'd highly recommend looking out for #UKYAChat on Twitter, but be warned ... it will increase your TBR pile ;-D
Fab! Thanks for explaining to me what was going on, as I have been asleep for the last few weeks and lost touch!
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