I have some news I’m very happy to share!!
Earlier this year I was asked by The Reading Agency to write a novella for them.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with their wonderful work, they are a UK charity that inspires social and personal change through the proven power of reading. They work with individuals of all ages, communities and trusted partners to share the transformative benefits of reading for happy, healthy and thriving lives.
When they asked me to write a Quick Reads novella it was an immediate yes. Quick Reads are written especially for readers who might find reading challenging, may not have found the focus to read lately or may have other obstacles preventing them from reading books.
Both my husband Tim and I were so excited that after ten years of me writing books, this would be the first one he could read.
Tim is dyslexic and although he has been so supportive of my career neither of us thought he’d ever read anything longer than one of the short stories I write for magazines.
Until I wrote ‘The Woman Next Door’, that is.
Tim read, and loved, the very first draft and it was such a joy to hear his views on the characters and plot.
‘The Woman Next Door’ is shorter than my usual books but written in a more accessible format. It still has plenty of tension and twists.
Since then, we’ve bought other Quick Reads books for him to enjoy and because of these, he’s developed a real love of reading. It really is such a wonderful campaign and one that I’m proud to be part of. They’re celebrating the 20 years anniversary of Quick Reads next year so it feels extra special to be a part of it.
If you know anyone who might benefit from a Quick Read do bear The Reading Agency in mind (other titles are available). The 2026 books are available to preorder now but I’ll be in touch nearer the April publication with further updates.
Louise x
fabricating fiction 