“A strong Black female lead (who isn't poor or from the ghetto)" #booklaunch

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28.

March

2017.

“A strong Black female lead (who isn't poor or from the ghetto)" #booklaunch

Good afternoon,

We're really excited to finally be able to confirm that A. Bello's Emily Knight series is back - after the success of her debut book in 2012.

Emily Knight - I Am...Awakened will launch on 1st June, published by Hashtag Press as a paperback and eBook.

Abiola Bello, a 28-year-old writer, dancer and dance teacher (also the co-founder of The Author School), first created the idea for a story featuring a strong, black, female protagonist when she was 12 years old. She wanted to read stories with amazingly strong black girls who weren't poor, or on drugs, or into crime, or in the ghetto. Her books are classed as YA Fantasy Fiction but she writes for her 12 year old self - and her books are enjoyed by 8-15 year olds and beyond... YA is too much of a strict category for a book like this - one which promotes diversity, strong black females, and shows boys and girls as equal. These are key messages that need to be communicated to children and teenagers - they're obvious - but they're still missing from literature years after Abiola had that first idea for Emily Knight 16 years ago!
PDF advance review copies are available upon request, printed copies will be available at the end of April. Abiola Bello is available for interview (telephone, in person in the London area, Skype, email) and editorial commission.
The advance information sheet is below and also online here: https://literallypublicrelations.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/a-strong-black-female-protagonist-who-isnt-poor-or-from-the-ghetto-in-a-book-for-10-15-year-olds/ .

Kind regards,
Helen Lewis
Director - Literally PR

ADVANCE INFORMATION SHEET

Emily Knight

I am...Awakened

By A. Bello

Emily Knight is back! A. Bello's eagerly anticipated second book in the Emily Knight series is due for release in June 2017, following rave reviews for the debut novel that was first published in 2012. The series is written for 10 to 15 year olds with a female black protagonist who isn't poor, or from the ghetto, or struggling...she's rich, she's famous, she's talented, and she's finding out who she really is and facing her fears as a warrior.

Dark times are upon us. Neci is back and she is more dangerous than ever. The warriors are forced to pick a side and to stand up for what they believe in. The race is on to find the missing warrior first. It's the only way to prevent a war from happening and to stop Neci from destroying everything. Emily Knight has to get sharper, stronger and faster because Neci has made her a target and someone is going to great lengths to hurt her. Can Emily win the race? Or will Neci take her down once and for all?

About the Author

A. Bello is a 28-year-old author who was born and raised in London, where she still lives and works. She wrote her first novel at the age of eight - she fought monsters and dragons on a daily basis - and experienced her first taste of ‘being published' after winning a school poetry competition at the age of 12. Seeing her words in print fuelled a passion for writing that remains to this day. A. Bello first began writing the Emily Knight saga shortly afterwards (still only 12 years old!) with the intention of filling the gaping hole in children's fiction for an inspirational, strong, black female, young protagonist. This gap, nearly 18 years later, remains in the publishing world despite continued calls for more BAME background authors and diversity within characters and plotlines.

A. Bello received rave reviews for her debut book, ‘Emily Knight I Am...', as well as outstanding success with her Emily Knight Warriors pop-up book, which went viral in 2015 when it was gradually released online throughout the month of August. She is the founder of The Lil' Author School and co-founder of The Author School. The Author School was shortlisted for The Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2016.

[image] A. Bello is regularly called to talk at literary events and within the media, she has appeared in Female First Magazine, The Mirror, BBC1XTRA to name a few.

As well as being a writer, A. Bello is a professional dancer and teacher. She has performed for more than a decade in prestigious venues including The Royal Opera House, The Barbican, Sadler's Wells, Hammersmith Apollo, Stratford Theatre Royal. A. Bello has also appeared on The Apprentice, Got To Dance and Street Dance AllStars The Movie.

Talking points...

The series promotes diversity, strong black females, and shows boys and girls as equal... These are key messages that need to be communicated to children and teenagers - they're obvious - but they're still missing from literature or delivered in a patronising or non-effective manner.
Inspiring girls to go against the grain, break boundaries, question who they are ‘destined to be' in the eyes of others, fulfilling their own dreams and goals.
A.Bello will be part of the Stoke Newington Literary Festival this June and is the co-founder of The Author School and Lil' Author Skool - she is so much more than ‘just' an author and wants to inspire children and teenagers to live their dream as she is doing.

ESSENTIAL DETAILS

Title:Emily Knight I am...Awakened

Author:A. Bello

Genre:Tweens,YA, Fantasy Fiction

Publisher:Hashtag Press

Publication date:June 1 2017

Availability:Paperback, eBook, International distribution

ISBN:9780995780644

Price: £7.99

Website:www.a-bello.com

Twitter:https://twitter.com/emilyknightiam

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/A.BelloAuthor/