COMPELLING, ACCOMPLISHED WRITING THAT SUCKS YOU IN—FINE DEBUT
The short-list for the YA competition was beguiling and talented. We were both immediately struck by Rebecca Henry’s The Sound of Everything with its strong, unself-conscious and convincing narrative voice of an emotionally damaged girl in foster care who believes that all she’s got in the world is a knife called Emerson but who learns that—however many times it’s come your way— betrayal isn’t the sum of life or people and you must to dare to trust.
Patrice Lawrence: ‘ I was sucked in by the quality of the writing, the ear for dialogue and a complex character who on the surface could seem unlikeable or self-pitying but who is compelling and makes you route for her.’
Everything with Words will be publishing The Sound of Everything in May 2020.
Rebecca is in her early twenties. She grew up in Swindon where she works as a librarian in a secondary school. ‘When not trying to be a stereotypical librarian, writing, or studying, I enjoy reading, drawing cartoons, and training calisthenics alongside capoeira (a Brazilian martial art). I have no pets, but in an ideal world I wouldn’t mind a horse.’
Our competition for a contemporary YA novel with an urban made me realize just how much varied talent there is out there. Congratulations to Rebecca and to everyone on the short list.
