Laura Baggaley, YA Novelist
My debut novel Enough comes out in May 2025 and is available to pre-order here
Sign up for freebies and updates in the meantime!
When you sign up, you'll receive monthly messages with YA book recommendations,
reader giveaways and inspiring eco tips..
I value your privacy, would never spam you and, of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.
author photo: William Cheung
About me . . .
Words were always The Thing.They were The Thing for my parents too – my New Zealand-born English teacher mum and my England-born international-journalist dad. By the time I was twelve, we had lived in four different countries and I could happily fly alone from Heathrow to Nicosia. Travel was an essential part of life, and every journey involved a rucksack full of books.Books took me to university, to study literature – then came a plot twist. The theatre lured me away from writing. I trained as a director, and for years told stories on the stage.But I missed other kinds of storytelling. Coming back to writing was like returning to my own country after years of exile. Hard work, a lot of adjustment, but a feeling of rightness – ah yes, this is where I’m meant to be.I changed. And so did the world. I don’t travel by plane anymore (you can get a long way by train). I think a lot about the new world we need to build – a world with climate justice, renewable energy and sustainable economies.When I was a kid, the books in my rucksack were stories about rebels and poets. About people being brave enough to tell the truth and stand up to bullies. About people believing in a different, better world and, by imagining it, making it possible.Those are the books I try to write.
Books
My debut novel Enough comes out in May 2025 and is available to pre-order here
Sign up for freebies and updates in the meantime!
Workshops
I love visiting schools, libraries, festivals, bookshops – anywhere there are potential readers to connect with!
My theatre background has given me extensive experience in leading workshops, and I'm happy to tailor my visits to the needs of different groups.
Please contact me to discuss any of the following options:
Writing workshops for teenagers or adults (e.g. dystopian fiction, climate fiction, world-building, character creation)
Talks for adults or teenagers (e.g. the writing life, inspiration, writing & the environment, editing & publication)
Book readings, book signings, author Q&A
Combined drama & writing workshops for teenagers
Panel discussions, readings or interviews
This is me in workshop mode!
News & Events
My debut novel Enough comes out in May 2025 and is available to pre-order here.
Enough was previously a finalist in the Mslexia Children's Novel Competition and an even earlier draft was longlisted for the Times / Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition.I'm currently working on two new projects . . .The first is a novella, which will come out in early 2025.I'm also working on the final draft of my next novel, an early draft of which was longlisted for the Yeovil Literary Prize.Sign up below to be the first to hear more - you'll receive monthly emails with YA book recommendations, reader freebies and inspiring eco tips.
Contact
I love to hear from readers! What books are you enjoying at the moment? Do you have an all-time favourite YA novel? What fictional character would you most like to meet?
Use this form to drop me a line . . .