New2theScene

Meet Eilidh McKenzie, winner of our 2026 Novel Competition with her middle grade fiction Finding Calliope — an extract of which is available to read at New2theScene. We sit down with Eilidh to delve deeper into her writing journey, learning what inspires her, drives her, and what she’s doing to fulfil her greatest ambition. Finding Calliope first entered Eilidh’s consciousness when she was thirteen, and it’s taken ten years to develop into the novel it is today. The biggest transformation hap...

Meet Natalie Franks, editor and creator of Clever Crow copyediting, who works with indie authors on developmental, copyediting and proofreading. We chat about the different aspects of the publishing industry, namely editing, how to become an editor, and what you should be looking for when thinking of hiring an editor's services for your manuscript. Learn what it takes to become a professional editor, the challenges of being visible as a fresh face in an industry, the support of the indie comm...

Meet Sylvia Bishop, author of ten novels for a variety of ages, short-listed and winning awards since 2017. We chat about writing for different age groups, performing comedy, writing workshops, Writers with Faces, and more. Learn what it takes to establish a career in writing, how lonely writing can feel if you shut yourself away from the world, and ideas on how to combat that isolation. Get to know Sylvia better with our New2theScene presenter and hear about discovering your passions and fin...

Meet M Jonathan Lee, author of six novels, shortlisted for The Novel Prize in 2012, and mental health campaigner, in a podcast that’s been over a year in the making. His article, 'Writing and its mental health benefits', inspried New2theScene to exist. We chat about this, the personal experiences leading to that article, and writing through adversity. Learn what it takes to be an author, the importance of following your passion, and where a positive outlook and persistance can lead in literat...

Meet Patricia Marques, creator of Inspector Reis, with The Colours of Death and House of Silence already on our shelves, and Broken Oaths, the third novel in the series, due September '24. We chat about getting a university assignment published, the advantages and disadvantages of crossing genres, and how life can impact the writing process as she struggled to complete her latest instalment. Learn what it takes to be an author, the lack of sleep that comes with writing around work commitments...

Meet Kristen Bailey, author of 10 books, including stand-alone novels Sex Ed, the RNA Romantic Comedy Award nominated Great Sexpectations, and her latest release, Five Gold Rings. We chat about becoming an author, the perception versus the reality of writing for a living, and the imposter syndrome that success doesn't banish. Learn the true ups and downs of being an author, the sometimes brutal nature of book publishing, and the joy of hearing fans engage with your work. Get to know Kristen b...