When I was a child, my greatest wish was to own a pony. Unfortunately, we lived in the middle of Glasgow, and a pony would have decimated the family finances anyway. I had to make do with a budgie, and a visit to the ponies on Ayr beach in the summer hols. So, like beggars, I didn’t ride.

Joya is eight years old, and she’s growing up in Glasgow too. She’s one of the main characters in my new book, Death Wish, and she’s special to me because, although all my books have child characters, this is the first time I’ve given a ‘point of view’ voice to a child. We get right inside Joya’s head in the story, so we know exactly what she thinks and feels  – and wishes. She doesn’t formulate her wish in words, but like most children, she wants to be happy and she wants her family to be happy too, her mum and dad and Grandma Vee. She doesn’t know how fleeting happiness can be.

Martine is Joya’s mum, and she has one very simple, very understandable wish – she wants to live. And she knows better than most people that wishes aren’t horses…
Leo is Martine and Joya’s neighbour, and like Joya, he wants to be happy. But Leo makes the biggest mistake ever, a mistake that could destroy his happiness and his partner Ashley’s – a mistake that directly affects the family next door, too.

Death Wish will be available from August 31st, and is on preorder now. Bloodhound Books have made a lovely striking banner for it – click the pic for book and pre-order details:

And for those who haven’t read Baby Dear – it’s half-price now, for a limited time!

Going back to my own greatest wish, I never did own a pony. When I was old enough to afford them, I started riding lessons – and discovered I’m allergic to horsehair. Wishes definitely aren’t horses…

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