I was over the moon to find that my début novel was shortlisted for this year’s Sid Chaplin Award. I’ve been working on the project since 2019, and it’s difficult to maintain confidence in something after a while – particularly in a new form.

The award is for writers who identify as having a working-class background and who are based in the North and also, crucially, who don’t have literary representation. So, if any agents happen to see this and are curious, feel free to slide into my DMs!!

Voids Tempting Mischief is a politically charged coming-of-age lit fic novel, set in mid-00s West Yorkshire. Think Adolescence mashed with This Is England and Fever Pitch. There’s more information on the novel below, for anyone potentially interested.

Colossal congratulations, of course, to Lizzie Lovejoy on winning this year’s award. And a huge thanks to New Writing North for everything they do and to this year’s Northern Writers Awards judges for giving me this boost.

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I see the novel as being edgy but accessible literary fiction. The real-life political backdrop of Blair’s Britain provides tension, but at the story’s core are complex family relationships and identity crises in working-class communities.

It has similarities to The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong, Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, and A Burning by Megha Majumdar. Other influences include Zadie Smith, Richard Milward, and Kirstin Innes.

Sample blurb

Zack and his doting mum Clare are travelling home from a Live8 concert when the 7/7 attacks unravel. Through football terraces and A-Level Politics, Zack begins a quest for his identity. Clare, a former activist, privately yearns for her own identity beyond motherhood. Uncle Mick suffers PTSD from the miners’ strike and is tortured by dark secrets. And bitter labourer Deano headhunts Zack for the BNP Youth. As tensions rise and anti-establishment rage simmers, will the goodness of Zack’s heart shine through?

This novel is semi-autobiographical. I was Zack’s age during the timeframe of the novel (2005-06), studied A-Level politics, and followed Leeds United religiously around the country.

I believe I’m uniquely positioned to be able to capture working-class narratives relating to one of our most serious issues. The far-right are rising again and I’m passionate about combating this through authentic storytelling.

I also come from a line of coal miners. The Battle of Orgreave is a central seam through this novel: the cause of Uncle Mick’s PTSD and the spark that ignites the fire in Zack’s belly. Mick’s first-person flashbacks expose 1980s police brutality.

If you’re a literary agent interested in receiving further information, including a full cover letter, synopsis, and sample, please feel free to contact me and I’ll respond to you ASAP. Ta!