Amy Sparkes
LightNews LightNews
banner
amysparkes.bsky.social
Amy Sparkes
@amysparkes.bsky.social
680 followers 240 following 190 posts
ND Writer, screenwriter, producer, director, musician-er, home educator
Author of 30 books, eg 'House At The Edge Of Magic' series & 'The Players' trilogy
Helps writers: www.storygodmother.co.uk
Prod co: www.swordandfiddle.co.uk
Books: www.amysparkes.co.uk
Posts Replies Media Videos
amysparkes.bsky.social
I'm passionate about making creative opportunities accessible to all, so I offer a free 6-month mentoring opportunity for children's writers who might find it particularly hard to pursue writing.
Open for applications: 8th - 16th Nov.

www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op...

#WritingCommunity
A square with purple, swirly background. The Story Godmother logo is at the top: The words 'The Story Godmother' above an open book with sparkles around. Text below reads: Free mentoring opportunity for 2026.
November 7, 2025 at 9:37 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
ADHD Awareness Month Fiction: 22 items for $25.00
itch.io/b/3300/adhd-...

Proud to have THE PLAYERS: ACT 1 included in this fabulous bundle - available // 1st & 15th October. A big thank you to @eliseswritings.bsky.social for organising.

#neurodiversity
#adhd
#historicalfiction
ADHD Awareness Month Fiction Bundle. oct 1st-15th. 22 books mostly by ADHD authors. most with 1+ significant ADHD characters. Available exclusively at itch.io $25 - over $90 value. A QR code is in the top corner to take readers to the correct page.
October 4, 2025 at 7:00 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭🎲🥁🎻💀⚔
In recognition of #ADHDAwareness Month, "The Players Act 1" eBook is only 99p/99c (1st-17th Oct). Neurodiversity is nothing new & #histfict can reflect this♥️ Why not take a look?

Amazon mybook.to/ThePlayersAct1
Kobo www.kobo.com/ebook/the-pl...
Cover: Sarah Christie
#BookSky
#neurodiversity
The book cover of THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE by Amy Sparkes, and a box saying: 99p/cents ebook. In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month, THE PLAYERS ACT 1 ebook will be offered at a discounted price of 99p/c between October 1st & October 17th. A green square background and the front cover of THE PLAYERS ACT 1 by Amy Sparkes. Arrows point to various features of the book: found family; grey villains; strong females; marginalised characters; vengeance; uplifting.
October 1, 2025 at 6:38 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
My latest #StoryGodmother newsletter went out yesterday with an ADHD theme. It's for #kidlit writers & includes a free coaching competition & free webinar on writing diverse characters. All free. Sign up if you're interested. Thanks!

buttondown.com/storygodmother
#writing #kidlit #BookSky #kidlitUK
The StoryGodmother
If you write for children, this newsletter is for you. Sign up for top tips, resources, information and opportunities delivered straight to your inbox. Sprinkle some magic into your stories.
buttondown.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by Amy Sparkes
thetoypress.bsky.social
It's #NationalPoetryDay here in the UK on October 2nd and this year's theme is PLAY. Our 'hobbies' and 'toys' editions are both packed full of playing themed poetry and we'll be sharing some of these this week...
September 28, 2025 at 1:35 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
A double-whammy in this month's (October) Writing Magazine: a feature about the story behind the story for my #historicalfiction novel "The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage", and an article about the importance of voice in #picturebooks!

@writersonline.bsky.social
#writingcommunity
#kidlit
An open magazine, showing an article titled 'The New and the Old' with a headshot of Amy Sparkes. A copy of her novel 'The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage' is placed on top of the open magazine. Amy Sparkes smiles and stands in a small attic room holding a magazine open with an article titled 'Speak up!' An autumnal cover of Writing Magazine October 2025 issue, next to an orange cup and saucer filled with tea!
September 11, 2025 at 1:44 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
WRITERS!

The @writersonline.bsky.social Children's Book Prize is now open for unpublished/unagented writers. www.storygodmother.co.uk/index.php/op...

There's more info in my newsletter for writers, along with free resources and competitions:
buttondown.com/storygodmother

#WritingCommunity
The StoryGodmother
If you write for children, this newsletter is for you. Sign up for top tips, resources, information and opportunities delivered straight to your inbox. Sprinkle some magic into your stories.
buttondown.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭LAST DAY OF #Players1715 BLOGTOUR🎭

Thank you to @mjporterauthor.bsky.social for the review on this last stop.

Thanks to all the bloggers for arranging interviews, reviews and guest posts. And a big thank you to @rachelsrandoms.bsky.social for organising the tour.

#BookSky
#histfic
🎭🥁🎻💀⚔️🎲
August 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭DAY 6 #Players1715 BLOG TOUR PART TWO🎭

"a fun read, with overdramatic characters, great banter, a heartwarming found family vibe and an unshakeable sense of hope"

Big thanks to Moonflower Reader on Insta for the review of The Players: www.instagram.com/p/DNtBteVWAAi/
#histfic
#BookSky
🥁🎻🎲💀⚔️❤️‍🩹
August 23, 2025 at 7:09 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭DAY SIX OF THE #Players1715 BLOG TOUR🎭

A very big thank you to A Knight's Reads for the lovely interview - I really enjoyed answering these thoughtful questions.

🎭🎻🥁🎲⚔️💀❤️‍🩹

#historicalfiction
#historicalfictionbooks
#shakespeare
#BookSky

aknightsreads.wordpress.com/2025/08/23/t...
The Players: Act 1 by Amy Sparkes #blogtour #authorinterview #theplayersact1
Happy Saturday!! Today I’m interviewing Amy Parkes as part of the blog tour celebrating The Players Act 1.
aknightsreads.wordpress.com
August 23, 2025 at 8:45 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭DAY FIVE OF #Players1715 BLOG TOUR🎭
A big thank you to Joanne at @portybelle.bsky.social for the very fun quickfire questions on today's leg of the tour. Much appreciated. Find out the answers here:

portobellobookblog.com/2025/08/22/t...

#historicalfiction
#histfic
#Shakespeare
#BookSky
🎭🥁🎻🎲💀⚔️❤️‍🩹
#ThreeTwoOne quickfire questions with Amy Sparkes #author of The Players Act 1 | @rararesources
I’m delighted to be joined by Amy Sparkes today, author of The Players Act 1: All the World’s A Stage. The Players Act 1: All the World’s A Stage was published in July and is avai…
portobellobookblog.com
August 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🎭DAY FOUR OF BLOG TOUR: PART 1🎭
"Amy Sparkes writes with care and sensitivity about friendships, families, finding your place in the world and working through adversity"

Thank you to Portable Magic for the review. Check it out here: portable-magic.com/2025/08/21/a...
#histfic
#BookSky
#Players1715
portable-magic.com
August 21, 2025 at 6:20 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
"Clever, funny and highly enjoyable"

A big thank you to Rambling Mads for the amusing review of #Players1715 You can check it out here:

ramblingmads.uk/2025/08/20/b...

#historicalfiction
#histfic
#BookSky
#Shakespeare

@rararesources.bsky.social
Blog Tour: The Players Act 1: All The World’s a Stage – Amy Sparkes
How far would you go to save what you truly love? England, 1715.When society doesn’t understand you, and your family is out of the picture, a strolling theatre company could be your perfect home… A…
ramblingmads.uk
August 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
This has made my day today. You always make yourself vulnerable when you put your stories out into the world, but when readers connect, it is worth it entirely ♥️

🎭🎻🥁💀🎲⚔️❤️‍🩹
#Players1715
booksrme.bsky.social Books R' Me @booksrme.bsky.social · Aug 18
Diving into the world of #Players1715 feels like stepping onto a vibrant stage where history dances with drama! Each character reflects a piece of ourselves, revealing hidden layers. What a beautiful journey! #BookSky #Shakespeare
amysparkes.bsky.social Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · Aug 18
A big thank you to @rararesources.bsky.social for organising the #Players1715 blog tour which kicks off today! And thank you to @leftontheshelf1.bsky.social for the interview. Which character in The Players am I most like? Take a peek and find out.
#histfic
#historicalfiction
#BookSky
#Shakespeare
August 18, 2025 at 11:58 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
A big thank you to @rararesources.bsky.social for organising the #Players1715 blog tour which kicks off today! And thank you to @leftontheshelf1.bsky.social for the interview. Which character in The Players am I most like? Take a peek and find out.
#histfic
#historicalfiction
#BookSky
#Shakespeare
A tablet is shown on the left hand side with a cover of a book: The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage by Amy Sparkes. On the right hand side is a list of blog tour dates: 18th August: Sudeshnablogs - Bookworm 86 Left on the Shelf 19th August: B for Bookreview - Scrapping & Playing 20th August: @CandyGirl73Reads - Ramblingsmads.com; Let us Talk of Many Things 21st August: Portable Magic - Belinda Missen (Author and beta reader) 22nd August: Becca's Book Reviews - Portobello Book Blog 23rd August: A Knight's Reads - The.Moonflower.Reader 24th August: Sarandipity's - MJPorterAuthor.blog
August 18, 2025 at 10:44 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
🍌5% off🍌
Amazon (UK) is offering 5% discount on #Players1715, saving a whole 41p! You can buy 2 bananas with that. So, you get a health boost and a book*. What more could you want?

*Bananas not included with book
www.amazon.co.uk/Players-Act-...

#BookSky
#comedyandtragedy (and bananas)
#histfic
The novel of 'The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage' by Amy Sparkes... partially obscured by two bananas.
August 1, 2025 at 9:27 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
It's always nail-biting when you send something new out into the world, especially a 'first'. #Players1715 is my 1st book for adults & 1st #historicalfiction. Grateful for encouraging words from early readers.
www.amazon.co.uk/Players-Act-...

#Shakespeare #BookReview #BookSky
Cover: Sarah Christie
July 31, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by Amy Sparkes
amysparkes.bsky.social
Today the curtain rises on my adult #histfict debut: THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.
These broken but beautiful players have been with me a long time. I've walked beside them, listened to their pain, chuckled at their antics and despaired at their decisions for many years now.
#BookSky
July 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
Today the curtain rises on my adult #histfict debut: THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE.
These broken but beautiful players have been with me a long time. I've walked beside them, listened to their pain, chuckled at their antics and despaired at their decisions for many years now.
#BookSky
July 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
Over the moon to see 'The House At The Edge of Magic' beautifully illustrated by @benmantle.bsky.social shortlisted for the Barnes & Noble Children's & YA Book Awards! A huge honour.

Congratulations to the other authors and illustrators in all categories.
#thehouseattheedgeofmagic
#BookSky
#kidlit
July 24, 2025 at 1:23 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
ONE WEEK TO GO!
'The Players Act 1' is out on 29th July & I found these photos last night whilst sorting storage on my phone. Allow me to introduce Minchin. He adores photoshoots and it's lovely working with a skull with a good sense of humour (and mischief). We get on well.
#Players1715
#BookSky
A skull sits on the boards of a stage with a peacock feather in its teeth and a pocket watch in front of it. An open copy of 'The Itinerant, Or The Memoirs Of An Actor' by Samuel Ryley on a table, beside a nice cup of coffee. The novel cover of 'The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage' by Amy Sparkes. Tagline: how far would you go to save what you truly love? The ribbon tumbles down a parchment-coloured cover, bearing the book title. Five commedia dell'Arte characters in purple are dotted around.
July 22, 2025 at 9:04 AM
amysparkes.bsky.social
Only 10 days until 'The Players Act 1: All the World's A Stage' is out! In the 1700s, Shakespeare reliably draw a crowd and was often performed by strolling theatre companies. Discover each main character's favourite Shakespeare quote.
#Players1715
#BookSky
#historicalfiction
#Shakespeare
July 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
**Writers**
I'm running a free character workshop for subscribers of my Story Godmother newsletter (also free). Friday 11th July - so sign up quick if you'd like to come along. Details of the workshop in the newsletter:

buttondown.com/storygodmother
Thanks!
July 10, 2025 at 12:16 PM
amysparkes.bsky.social
So lovely to be invited onto this. Thank you @writersonline.bsky.social for letting me chat away about everything from finding buried treasure to the importance of emotion to the Writing Magazine Children's Book Prize!
writersonline.bsky.social Writers Online @writersonline.bsky.social · Jul 8
This week we are joined by bestselling children’s author Amy Sparkes. Amy’s enchanting tales have captivated young readers across the UK – even landing on CBeebies Storytime and being shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

https://writ.me/AmySparkes
July 10, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Amy Sparkes
francescasimon.bsky.social
Reading for pleasure is the right of every child. Proper funding for libraries and librarians essential
July 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM