Welcome to the website of Rachel Ward, author of books for teenagers and young adults.
I love searching online and finding out about books and writers, so I thought I’d do the decent thing and give ‘Numbers’ readers a peek into my world…
I hope you enjoy exploring the site. I’ll be adding more to it as the year progresses. At the moment, you can find out a bit about me, read about my debut novel ‘Numbers’ and its sequel ‘Numbers 2: The Chaos,” find out which events I’ll be visiting and how to contact me.
Stop Press:
‘Numbers 2: The Chaos’ is OUT NOW! I launched it at Waterstones, Bath, on 22nd June. It was great to see so many friends, family and readers there, including Crysse Morrison who has blogged about it and took some photos. Thanks Crysse!
I hope you’ll like ‘Numbers 2′ – although I keep the same central idea, this book is very definitely not ‘more of the same’ as it’s very different to ‘Numbers.’ It’s a full-on thriller, very fast-paced and I hope it will keep you reading and on the edge of your seat right to the end. There’s already a great review on the Waterstones website!
As well as visiting Angus in Scotland recently, where I was lucky enough to win the Angus Book Award, and Leeds where I didn’t win the Leeds Book Award, I’ve recently been to Blackpool to help celebrate their second Teen Fiction Book Award. The award ceremony at the splendid Grand Theatre was truly impressive, some amazing drama and poetry – a real celebration of reading. Lovely to meet so many readers too – there were some great questions! Thanks to everyone involved especially Helen and Philippa.
‘Numbers’ gossip:
- I’ve started writing ‘Numbers 3′ which will probably be the last in the series. I’m aiming to make this one really frightening and, to be honest, it’s creeping me out a bit at the moment (is that a good sign?).
- ‘Numbers’ has been shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award! This is a very special award for debut authors and their editors. My lovely editor at the Chicken House has also been nominated with Lucy Christopher for ‘Stolen’ – well done, Imogen!
- ‘Numbers’ won the Fabulous Book Award in Wandsworth! Thanks so much to everyone who voted! I was a bit flabbergasted and lost for words, but believe me, it means a lot to me. It was great to meet so many enthusiastic readers and to meet my fellow-nominees Alexander Gordon Smith and Savita Kalhan.
- ‘Numbers’ has also won the Oxfordshire Book Award! Thank you to everyone who voted and I look forward to meeting you in Abingdon in October.
- ‘Numbers’ was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal! Couldn’t compete with the final winner, though – in my view Neil Gaiman’s ‘Graveyard Book’ is in a league of its own, a worthy winner.
- ‘Numbers’ is out in France now, where it is called ‘Intuitions.’ Another great cover, and it’s starting to get reviews, including this one on Stephane Dubois’ blog.
- ‘Numbers’ is now out in the US, Sweden and China. In the US, it’s got a great cover, a bit like a movie poster, very spooky.
- I recently travelled to Leipzig to help launch ‘Numbers: Dem Tod in Blick’ and Chicken House Germany, my publisher there. It was an amazing trip. Leipzig is beautiful, and I was made very welcome – thank you lovely Anja and Hilke of Chicken House Germany. It was interesting to hear extracts from the book read in German by the multi-talented Laura Maire and to see young people’s reactions to it.
- The large print version of ‘Numbers’ now out – this is a great paperback edition, available from Amazon or from largeprintbookshop.co.uk (see my links page)
