I used to be a big fan of Emily Barr’s. I’ve not necessarily stopped; it’s just that life changes and you simply end up doing different stuff.
For instance, I could have sworn that Emily wrote her travel column (which is what I enjoyed so much) for the Guardian maybe a little over ten years ago. But it does seem like time has flown somewhat, without me noticing.
Her new YA book, The Truth and Lies of Ella Black – out next week – is something like her 13th book! Back when she was travelling and telling Guardian readers about it, she was single and childfree and had written no books (that I know of).
Now, Emily has a family, and a dozen books behind her. I remember hearing about her first novel being published, and I’ve read the odd article about her over the last ‘ten’ years, but I still wasn’t allowing for the twenty years it must have been…
Anyway, here are my tulips bowing to her latest book.
