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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · 9d

Did you know, you can read The Ghosts of Hawkthorn, in print AND online?? If you like spooky adventure stories, give it a go. All the cool cats are loving it! 🐾👻 #readforpleasure #kidslit #fiction #adventure #ghosts

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · 11d

No tricks, just a treat!

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · Sep 2

I’m excited to share ‘The Shoe Creeper’ cover and key info!

In ‘The Shoe Creeper’ - a MG Horror with adventure and heart - a boy seeking control of his complicated life must uncover the link between his unwell grandmother and a fairy-tale monster that kidnaps children.

#books #reveal #kidlit

Cover for ‘The Shoe Creeper’ book which is released 25.09.2026

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

I think I get a feeling/idea for a story, and that quickly develops. Soon the plot is taking shape and the characters are popping into my mind (and heart) so rapidly it’s hard to keep up. I don’t have a set approach yet. I like seeing how things happen naturally. #TheShoeCreeper #ukteenchat

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

I needed to ensure anyone who read Fyn Carter and expected more of the same was clear what to expect this time. #TheShoeCreeper still has fun and adventure, but it does have some darker moments too. I also needed to put thought into how dark was too dark to try and get the balance right #ukteenchat

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 14d

3, What are the biggest challenges you faced in writing a middle-grade horror compared to the sci-fi adventure of Fyn Carter? @ianhcreates.bsky.social #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper

Elmo Let The Challenge Commence GIF

ALT: Elmo Let The Challenge Commence GIF

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

😂 It seems soooo good right now! #ukteenchat

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 14d

Ooh, I need to visit your house 😅 #ukteenchat

an older woman with blue hair and red glasses says absolutely perfect

ALT: an older woman with blue hair and red glasses says absolutely perfect

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

Sure! #TheShoeCreeper is an upper MG horror story based on the idea of an original folk tale about a monster that kidnaps and eats people, leaving behind a single shoe as a calling card. I came up with the idea after wondering why there are so many random shoes on the side of the road! #ukteenchat

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 14d

1, Could you tell us a little bit about your new book, The Shoe Creeper, please? @ianhcreates.bsky.social #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper

a closet with lots of shoes and dresses

ALT: a closet with lots of shoes and dresses

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

For #TheShoeCreeper I wanted to set it in real time in a real place so researched times of sunrise, sunset, high tide, low tide, moon visibility, school terms etc. I also did a walking tour of the key locations in the book (in Seaton) at the same seasonal time to pick up extra details. #ukteenchat

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 14d

2, Did you need to do any research for The Shoe Creeper? @ianhcreates.bsky.social #ukteenchat

a cat is playing with an apple laptop with the words research time written below it

ALT: a cat is playing with an apple laptop with the words research time written below it

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

Seaton is a town I love, and some of my favourite people live there. With its location in Devon on the south coast of England, it felt like a nice place to explore in writing. I also like the feeling of the people I know there seeing the place through different eyes 👀 #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 14d

4, Why did you choose to set The Shoe Creeper in Seaton? @ianhcreates.bsky.social #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper

waves crashing on a sandy beach with trees in the distance

ALT: waves crashing on a sandy beach with trees in the distance

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 14d

Now realising some of favourite spooky tropes (graveyards, a stormy night, and foggy areas) are not in the book 😂 I do like a spooky forest, the threat of the unknown, and a connection to the past. You can definitely expect those (and some atmospheric weather) in #TheShoeCreeper 👟🎃📖 #ukteenchat

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · 21d

Really looking forward to this!! Thank you ☺️👟🎃📖 #ukteenchat #kidlit #TheShoeCreeper

Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 21d

Next #ukteenchat will be on Tues 7th October 8-9pm BST with the fabulous @ianhcreates.bsky.social - who will be chatting all about his new spooky MG - The Shoe Creeper 👟 All welcome to cone along and join in the chat 🙂
#TheShoeCreeper #writingcommunity #writerslife #kidlit

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Emma Finlayson-Palmer @finlaysonpalmer.bsky.social · 21d

Next #ukteenchat will be on Tues 7th October 8-9pm BST with the fabulous @ianhcreates.bsky.social - who will be chatting all about his new spooky MG - The Shoe Creeper 👟 All welcome to cone along and join in the chat 🙂
#TheShoeCreeper #writingcommunity #writerslife #kidlit

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · 21d

My next spooky middle-grade adventure is coming soon. Stay tuned…

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Warwick History Post-Doc Club @post-doc-club.bsky.social · 22d

Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month

www.jstor.org/action/showL...

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Michael Rosen @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social · 24d

Last night, at Goldsmiths University of London, we launched my book that introduces students (or anyone else) to the study of Children's Literature:
@GoldUnivMACL
@GoldsmithsUoL

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · 22d

A little nudge to draw you to my website where you’ll find * author updates & news, * Writing tips, * Book reviews * A free newsletter subscription, and an online shop featuring books and book swag! 📚🥳 stephaniecotela.com

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · Sep 9

If you’re in the area, stop by and say hi! 👋🏼

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Julie Hedlund @juliefhedlund.bsky.social · Sep 8

I'm so honored to be a guest on the Women, Books & More podcast! Thanks @irenerawlings.bsky.social for having me! www.iheart.com/podcast/1323... #kidlit #picturebooks #kidlitart

Let's write a picture book---Julie Hedlund tells us how - The Women Books & More’s Podcast | iHeart

<p style='font-weight: 400;'>Maybe you want to write a book. A children’s book. A children’s picture book.</p> <p style='font-weight: 400;'>Maybe about a wee hedgehog who wants to be a ballerina.</p> ...

www.iheart.com

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Ian Hunter - Children’s Author @ianhcreates.bsky.social · Sep 3

I’ll do a proper video to say thanks and more soon, but thanks so much for the initial support and excitement for ‘The Shoe Creeper’! I am really looking forward to sharing it in 22 days! 👟🎃📖

#kidlit #theshoecreeper #kindle #newbook #books #bookstagram #halloween

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Ian Eagleton @ianeagletonauthor.bsky.social · Sep 3

Spooky, cosy season has arrived, am I right?!

uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

#LGBTQ #KidLit #BookSky #PrimaryEduSky

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Indie Book Spotlight @bookspotlight.bsky.social · Aug 25

go grab my fantasy novel in the big indie sale!! 🎉

it's 400+ pages and features protective siblings and an unexpectedly caring vampire and demon. 🥹

universal: mybook.to/D3rL5
itch.io: rebecca-crunden.itch.io/the-wish-and...
book sale link: indiebook.sale

Narratess Indie Book Sale, August 23-25. Banner shows several ebooks around a graphic of a dragon reading.

Cover for The Wish and the Demon, book one in the Half Swallowed by Shadows duology, by Rebecca Crunden. Cover shows three men's silhouettes standing in the middle of a road in winter. There's dark red trees and snow on the ground. One figure is approaching the other two, surrounded by shadows.

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · Aug 7

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · Jul 31

New trailer for The Ghosts of Hawkthorn. 🥳

Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · Jul 27

Thank you @authorsaragrant.bsky.social for my signed copy of #theultimateguidetoeditingyournovel! I’m sure it will come in handy as I plod on with my first draft for book 3! 💐

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Stephanie Cotela @stephaniecotela.bsky.social · Jul 27

Join me at @surreylibraries.bsky.social Walton on Saturday 13 Sept! 🥳