Sam Blake Books

Professional photo dump! Pics by the brilliant Adrian Pope of our SoA Awards in Southwark Cathedral:

1. First up the incredible staff team with myself and board member Helen Epega added - this is how many people are supporting SoA authors across membership, contracts, policy and campaigns, prizes, grants, estates, communications, and not least the events team who put the night together. Every single one of them is brilliant!

2. Me introducing the evening and telling our audience about Human Authored and our forthcoming rebrand.

3. Southwark Cathedral is such a stunning venue with many literary links (Shakespeare's brother is buried here) and comes with added cat (Hodge has his own insta!)

4. The Very Reverend Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark Cathedral who is a poet and a brilliant speechmaker

5. Helen Epega, board member and multi talented lady of words and music

6. The fabulous Cerrie Burnell, this year's keynote and wonder woman

7. Our prize winners! The SoA Awards are widest reaching portfolio of awards with a total of £100,000, awarded annually for poetry, fiction, non-fiction and illustration. Check out the website to discover which one you can enter next year! (And yes I was talking and not paying attention to Adrian's directions)

8. Myself with the SoA's incredible Chief Executive Anna Ganley

What a line up!

Earlier in the day I chaired our annual Fellows meeting, always a joy - recapping on the year showed how much the team have done over the past 12 months - and there's more to come! ✨

This is *absolutely* brilliant, original, perfectly plotted, genius - you will NOT be able to put it down!

Out in just a few weeks (2nd July I think) you can preorder now and thank me later!

Honestly, don't risk missing it because *everyone* will be talking about it and . You want to be first with the news don't you? So clickety click and order from your favourite shop. Go go go!

Best book I've read this year... REALLY 🔥🔥🔥

Bloody Scotland, the leading Scottish International Crime Writing Festival takes place this September in Stirling and I'll be there alongside Deborah Masson and Tanya Sweeney in an event chaired by author Zoe Venditozzi.

Every Breath You Take:
Three very different takes on the theme of stalking and obsession are sure to have you looking over your shoulder. The Police need to do more than just sing about it…

Saturday 19th September 8.15pm
Venue: Made in Stirling, 44 King Street, Stirling, FK8 1AY
Tickets/Booking: https://bloodyscotland.com/event/every-breath-you-take-sam-blake-deborah-masson-tanya-sweeney-542011/

Thank you for a fantastic night! Prizes like this raise the profile of books and reading for all of us, they get people into shops and while they are picking up a shortlisted or winning books they are very likely to find something else wonderful, something that could change their life.

The Awards take place next week on 18th June in Southwark Cathedral - join over 400 book lovers to celebrate the huge range of prizes - whatever you write, and whatever age you are, there's a prize to fit!

Find out more - join us to celebrate and most importantly SUPPORT all authors - the is your union, we're stronger together 📖💪✨