Abie Longstaff
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abielongstaff.bsky.social
Abie Longstaff
@abielongstaff.bsky.social
Children's author of picture books, chapter books and Middle Grade. On Board of Society of Authors, Chair of the Children's Writers and illustrators Group. Posts are my own.
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Thanks all. So far, the lists of school visit authors are:
Primary go.bsky.app/5u2ArqX
Secondary go.bsky.app/EDt42ua
I will keep adding to them :)
How many people look at your work before you submit it?
New post up now on my Publishing Peptalk substack.
How many voices?
How many people look at your work before you submit it?
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
It's the last day of the 99p Kindle ebook deal for The Green Man's War. Don't miss out - especially if you want to catch up with Dan's adventures before embarking on The Green Man's Holiday which keen readers are already enjoying. You could get both for under six quid, just saying 😁
October 31, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
For the past three years, I’ve been a member of the CWIG committee of the Society of Authors - we’re the Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group - and we’ve been working on a campaign to come up with guidelines for publishers, agents, etc, for ghostwriters.
October 26, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
#SerendipityLit author Dr. @csmaccath.com will be moderating the "Shapeshifting Stories" panel at the World Fantasy Convention next Saturday!

Featured panelists:
@abielongstaff.bsky.social
@silvanhistorian.bsky.social
@toribovalino.bsky.social

A membership is required: worldfantasy2025.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I'm really excited about the Children's Booker prize but I want to learn more. I can't find the rules & regs yet. I want to know what 'aimed at children of 8-12' means. 'Aimed at' by whom? The author, the publisher, the bookshop? If the author says a chapter book is right for age 8, is that enough?
October 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Thank you @thebookseller.com for covering our CWIG @societyofauthors.bsky.social campaign to celebrate the unsung heroes of many celebrity children's books - the ghostwriters.
Please support our #GhostsAreReal campaign.
Let's applaud the CRAFT of writing.
www.thebookseller.com/news/soa-cal...
SoA calls for transparency around 'unsung' ghostwriters behind celebrity-authored children’s books
The Society of Authors has launched a campaign to 'make a stand for a better recognition of the contribution and role of ghostwriters in celebrity-authored children’s fiction'.
www.thebookseller.com
October 24, 2025 at 9:07 AM
New on my Publishing Peptalk substack.
'When you think of your writing life at its best, what do you want it to bring you - practically, emotionally, creatively?'
I asked 50 author/illustrators, and this is what they said.
open.substack.com/pub/abielong...
What do you want from your writing life?
There was a time I nearly gave up on publishing.
open.substack.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
In Conversation with… Lydia Monks
3:00pm-4:00pm, Saturday 29th November, Grimm&Co
Tickets: £10 / 5 free bursary places available

Please follow the link in our bio for full information on this fantastic event, limited tickets available 📚 @grimmandco.bsky.social @lydiamonks.bsky.social
October 15, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
In other news: Angry Robot Books has acquired Juliet E. McKenna’s The Riven Kingdom, described as a “fresh and gripping fantasy” that “blends politics, religion, and a battle for a dead king’s throne, perfect for fans of the Realm of the Elderlings series.”
britishfantasysociety.org/book-news-an...
Book News: Angry Robot Acquires New Juliet E. McKenna Novel – The British Fantasy Society
britishfantasysociety.org
October 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
What a wonderful day on Saturday at our Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group Conference.

A full day of speakers, panel discussions and networking with our fabulous CWIG members. And a quiz!
October 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
Good news! The Green Man's War is a Kindle ebook deal for October. You can get fully caught up with Dan Mackmain's adventures before The Green Man's Holiday is published on 30th October.
www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Mans-W...
Congratulations to Juliet E McKenna whose The Green Man's War is finalist for Best Novel in the British Fantasy Awards.
wizardstowerpress.co...
October 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
The Astrosaurs and I were on BBC Look East last night! A sweet report on the Milton Keynes Literary Festival.
October 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
If you missed my 'Publishing Peptalk' Substack, here are some links to posts:
The Fumes of Hope tinyurl.com/2haj25a7
How much promo do I have to doooooo? tinyurl.com/mr3vy3m7
Ouch this Edit hurts tinyurl.com/9c3bcxmu
No, you’re not being annoying tinyurl.com/4yyw9dte
October 8, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...
October 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
New book! Out today, Little Bad Wolf is the first in my brand-new Before the Fairy Tale series, looking at the backstories of your favourite fairytale characters.
Illustrated by Leire Martin
September 11, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
Little Bad Wolf

Little Bad WolfAbie Longstaff and Leire MartinHappy Yak This is not so much a fractured fairytale more a fairytale prequel.We first meet the wolf - Baby Wolf - as a cute looking creature but with the habit of gobbling up anything that makes him cross. This distresses his mother and…
Little Bad Wolf
Little Bad WolfAbie Longstaff and Leire MartinHappy Yak This is not so much a fractured fairytale more a fairytale prequel.We first meet the wolf - Baby Wolf - as a cute looking creature but with the habit of gobbling up anything that makes him cross. This distresses his mother and also on his first day at school, the teacher and fellow pupils.
redreadinghub.blog
September 10, 2025 at 9:11 AM
How to survive a harsh edit... New post up now on my Publishing Peptalk substack
Ouch! This edit hurts.
How to survive it...
open.substack.com
September 10, 2025 at 9:11 AM
My interview for the Words and Pictures Substack
open.substack.com/pub/naomiand...
August 29, 2025 at 6:42 AM
The latest post on my Publishing Peptalk substack...
No, you’re not being annoying
(Navigating the Book Industry)
open.substack.com
August 27, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
There are still a few tickets left to this fabulous and Free event on Sat 13 Sept.
Bestselling children's authors @abielongstaff.bsky.social and @redbreastedbird.bsky.social will be speaking and signing books.
Please register: www.iacf-uk.org/festival-202...
@librariesunlimited.bsky.social
International Agatha Christie Festival | Christie for Kids
The Agatha Christie Festival, in partnership with Libraries Unlimited, is delighted to introduce the Festival’s first Christie for Kids day at Paignton Library. Open to all families and children, it’s...
www.iacf-uk.org
August 27, 2025 at 6:43 AM
When I asked my 4yo if he'd liked his first day at school he said 'Yes! I've finished school now.' He was v miffed to hear he'd have to go back again.

If you need a starting-school gift, Little Bad Wolf is on pre-order @booknookhove.bsky.social
I'll sign & personalise it.
It comes out on 11th Sept
August 25, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Such a brilliant book. And the second one in the series 'Torchfire' is excellent too 👏👏
August 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Abie Longstaff
I was happy to see @thebookseller.com feature a podcast that @grainneobrien.bsky.social & I are launching in Sept to highlight great Children’s and YA books! The idea is very simple - each episode is 10 minutes long and will discuss the book - we’ll also have author chats and giveaways!
August 22, 2025 at 8:46 AM