S J Baker
@sjbakerauthor.bsky.social
Writer, book lover, storyteller, English teacher, author with Neem Tree Press
I was pleased to be asked to write an article for the Prep School Magazine - and have just received the latest issue with my article in it! The full magazine (complete with my contribution on page 35) can be found at heyzine.com/flip-book/PS...
September 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
I was pleased to be asked to write an article for the Prep School Magazine - and have just received the latest issue with my article in it! The full magazine (complete with my contribution on page 35) can be found at heyzine.com/flip-book/PS...
Almost lost for words. It's the time of year when we say goodbye to Year 11 students - and one of them turned up at my door this morning with this cake! I confess that tears were shed. #teacherjoys #yadystopia #authorjoys #neemtreepress
June 17, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Almost lost for words. It's the time of year when we say goodbye to Year 11 students - and one of them turned up at my door this morning with this cake! I confess that tears were shed. #teacherjoys #yadystopia #authorjoys #neemtreepress
This from a teacher who's reading 'Calm' with her class, discussing the novel's premise (all passion suppressed by a drug in the water). Writing dystopias these days feels very relevant: what happens when we suppress all compassion, all empathy? Go Student 2!
#neemtreepress #yadystopias #authorlife
#neemtreepress #yadystopias #authorlife
June 13, 2025 at 10:10 AM
This from a teacher who's reading 'Calm' with her class, discussing the novel's premise (all passion suppressed by a drug in the water). Writing dystopias these days feels very relevant: what happens when we suppress all compassion, all empathy? Go Student 2!
#neemtreepress #yadystopias #authorlife
#neemtreepress #yadystopias #authorlife
'Loveliest of trees, the cherry now/Is hung with blooms on every bough...' Springtime in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and it's gorgeous! #springtime #poetry #naturalworld #blueskypoetry
April 27, 2025 at 4:59 PM
'Loveliest of trees, the cherry now/Is hung with blooms on every bough...' Springtime in the East Riding of Yorkshire, and it's gorgeous! #springtime #poetry #naturalworld #blueskypoetry
Just read 'Small Bomb at Dimperley' and absolutely loved it. It was a Christmas present and it definitely goes on the 'will read this again' pile - it's humane, humorous, engaging, beautifully observed, convincing and moving. Highly recommended - I'll be hunting down more of her books!
April 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Just read 'Small Bomb at Dimperley' and absolutely loved it. It was a Christmas present and it definitely goes on the 'will read this again' pile - it's humane, humorous, engaging, beautifully observed, convincing and moving. Highly recommended - I'll be hunting down more of her books!
Celebrating the US and Rest of the World launch of 'Calm' today! #neemtreepress #boundlesspublishing #booksky #blueskybooks #authormilestones #yadystopia #readingmatters
April 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Celebrating the US and Rest of the World launch of 'Calm' today! #neemtreepress #boundlesspublishing #booksky #blueskybooks #authormilestones #yadystopia #readingmatters
'Calm' is published in the US and Rest of the World tomorrow: "A gripping examination of our human need to feel" (Kirkus Review).
#Booksky #authorlife #yadystopia #Blueskybooks #author #booklaunch
#Booksky #authorlife #yadystopia #Blueskybooks #author #booklaunch
April 21, 2025 at 9:17 AM
'Calm' is published in the US and Rest of the World tomorrow: "A gripping examination of our human need to feel" (Kirkus Review).
#Booksky #authorlife #yadystopia #Blueskybooks #author #booklaunch
#Booksky #authorlife #yadystopia #Blueskybooks #author #booklaunch
'Calm' has its US and RoW launch on 22/04.
"Whilst aware of the danger of naïve idealism, I wanted to assert that – though evil exists and seems to flourish – people can retain compassion and humanity; they can make selfless choices; they can fight for what is right and good and true." (Author blog)
"Whilst aware of the danger of naïve idealism, I wanted to assert that – though evil exists and seems to flourish – people can retain compassion and humanity; they can make selfless choices; they can fight for what is right and good and true." (Author blog)
April 18, 2025 at 10:50 AM
'Calm' has its US and RoW launch on 22/04.
"Whilst aware of the danger of naïve idealism, I wanted to assert that – though evil exists and seems to flourish – people can retain compassion and humanity; they can make selfless choices; they can fight for what is right and good and true." (Author blog)
"Whilst aware of the danger of naïve idealism, I wanted to assert that – though evil exists and seems to flourish – people can retain compassion and humanity; they can make selfless choices; they can fight for what is right and good and true." (Author blog)
'Calm' has made it to the local Oxfam bookshop! Somewhat bizarrely, it's labelled as 'History' - I know the world has a dystopian feel just now, but I don't think 'Calm' has become reality yet... #authormilestone #blueskybooks #yafiction #oxfambookshops #oxfam #yadystopia #booksky
April 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
'Calm' has made it to the local Oxfam bookshop! Somewhat bizarrely, it's labelled as 'History' - I know the world has a dystopian feel just now, but I don't think 'Calm' has become reality yet... #authormilestone #blueskybooks #yafiction #oxfambookshops #oxfam #yadystopia #booksky
On Friday I stood in the school where I had been a student in the 1970s and talked with current students about my novel. I wonder what the teenage me, secretly nurturing an ambition to write, would have thought?
#booksky #yafiction #schoollibraries #authorvisits #yadystopia #authorlife
#booksky #yafiction #schoollibraries #authorvisits #yadystopia #authorlife
March 24, 2025 at 5:01 PM
On Friday I stood in the school where I had been a student in the 1970s and talked with current students about my novel. I wonder what the teenage me, secretly nurturing an ambition to write, would have thought?
#booksky #yafiction #schoollibraries #authorvisits #yadystopia #authorlife
#booksky #yafiction #schoollibraries #authorvisits #yadystopia #authorlife
We teach this each year to our GCSE students. For some reason, it has been on my mind in recent days.
March 2, 2025 at 9:34 AM
We teach this each year to our GCSE students. For some reason, it has been on my mind in recent days.
As a book-loving child growing up in Kent, a trip to London was a rare treat - and if I was lucky, we went to Foyles Bookshop - the biggest bookshop I'd ever seen. I could never have dreamt that half a century later, my son would find my own book on sale there. My heart is full!
February 8, 2025 at 9:53 PM
As a book-loving child growing up in Kent, a trip to London was a rare treat - and if I was lucky, we went to Foyles Bookshop - the biggest bookshop I'd ever seen. I could never have dreamt that half a century later, my son would find my own book on sale there. My heart is full!
Delighted and somewhat reeling to learn that 'Calm' has been awarded a coveted Kirkus Star prior to its release in the US: #unbound #neemtreepress #yafiction #dystopia #kirkusstar #kirkusreviews
January 18, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Delighted and somewhat reeling to learn that 'Calm' has been awarded a coveted Kirkus Star prior to its release in the US: #unbound #neemtreepress #yafiction #dystopia #kirkusstar #kirkusreviews
Signing copies today in @waterstones.bsky.social in Hull - thank you for being so welcoming! #yafiction #yadystopia #authorlife #readingmatters
December 21, 2024 at 6:44 PM
Signing copies today in @waterstones.bsky.social in Hull - thank you for being so welcoming! #yafiction #yadystopia #authorlife #readingmatters
One of the challenges I've really enjoyed in writing 'Calm' and now working on its sequel is to try and conjure an abandoned countryside, left to itself for 15 years. Yesterday I was hunting synonyms for 'brambles' (there aren't many!).
December 15, 2024 at 6:08 PM
One of the challenges I've really enjoyed in writing 'Calm' and now working on its sequel is to try and conjure an abandoned countryside, left to itself for 15 years. Yesterday I was hunting synonyms for 'brambles' (there aren't many!).
Very chuffed to have made it on to the table display in @waterstones.bsky.social in Hull. #unbounders #neemtreepress #childrensbooksnorth
December 5, 2024 at 5:32 PM
Very chuffed to have made it on to the table display in @waterstones.bsky.social in Hull. #unbounders #neemtreepress #childrensbooksnorth
I published my first novel this September - a YA dystopia - in my mid-60s. It's never too late... Very much enjoying the journey!
December 4, 2024 at 1:32 PM
I published my first novel this September - a YA dystopia - in my mid-60s. It's never too late... Very much enjoying the journey!
So many interesting questions from 180 Y9 students at King's School, Peterborough, today. We talked reading, writing, dystopias, titles... and pet rabbits, for some reason. A huge privilege to talk books with young people. #unbounders #neemtreepress #authorvisits #schoolvisits #yafiction #dystopias
November 29, 2024 at 8:47 PM
So many interesting questions from 180 Y9 students at King's School, Peterborough, today. We talked reading, writing, dystopias, titles... and pet rabbits, for some reason. A huge privilege to talk books with young people. #unbounders #neemtreepress #authorvisits #schoolvisits #yafiction #dystopias
Spot the earring - excited to be setting off for an author visit to my old school in Peterborough! @unbounders.bsky.social @neemtreepress.bsky.social
November 29, 2024 at 7:47 AM
Spot the earring - excited to be setting off for an author visit to my old school in Peterborough! @unbounders.bsky.social @neemtreepress.bsky.social
When you discover you've been reviewed in a parish magazine... thank you, Scarborough!
November 23, 2024 at 4:39 PM
When you discover you've been reviewed in a parish magazine... thank you, Scarborough!
My first post on Bluesky - hoping to meet many other writers, booklovers, storytellers...
#Unbounders #YAfiction #blueskybooks #dystopias #goodconversation #choosebookshops #Calm
#Unbounders #YAfiction #blueskybooks #dystopias #goodconversation #choosebookshops #Calm
November 16, 2024 at 5:27 PM
My first post on Bluesky - hoping to meet many other writers, booklovers, storytellers...
#Unbounders #YAfiction #blueskybooks #dystopias #goodconversation #choosebookshops #Calm
#Unbounders #YAfiction #blueskybooks #dystopias #goodconversation #choosebookshops #Calm