Roz Maclaren

Teen Fiction with a Dark Twist

Archives for November 2025

Is there life after YALC?

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Mentally, I’m still at YALC. Physically, I’m at home working through edits of my upcoming YA sci-fi novel.

It’s hard to believe YALC 2025 was TWO WEEKS AGO. All is not lost, though, as I’m already planning for next year’s convention. And juggling lots of other exciting projects. Here’s what’s going on at the moment.

Join my Street Team

YALC 2025 was officially the day my Street Team was born! Street Team members receive exclusive first looks at the character art and cover reveals. They might get the chance to input on character names. And they’ll definitely be first in line for ARCs and the latest news.

If you dare to join us, you’re more than welcome.

JOIN MY STREET TEAM!

Stuff your Kindle

I’m participating in my very first Stuff Your Kindle event (kicking off today!). Typically, these events involve free or discounted books available to download to your Kindle as part of a team effort. So I’ve included Venom and Blaze.

The event runs from 28-30 November and you can check it out below.

STUFF YOUR KINDLE

The Boy With Wings For Hands

I’m currently editing The Boy With Wings For Hands, my upcoming YA sci-fi novel. It’s due out with Evernight Teen (release date yet to be announced). If you want to be first to see the cover reveal and get access to ARCs, click on the link above to join my Street Team.

I’m working with an amazing editor at Jesterbell Editing, who really goes above and beyond to make my work shine.

Seventeen-year-old Sparrow has never known freedom. An alien from the planet Mykzon, she’s caged and forced to perform in Obsidian’s Travelling Show of Rarities and Fascinations.

That is, until Felix crashes into her world. He’s human, reckless and has wings where his hands should be. And when Felix’s arrival attracts powerful enemies, Sparrow’s world is thrown into chaos.

As Sparrow is drawn into a rebellion she never asked for, she must choose between staying hidden or risking everything to fight back.

Because Obsidian doesn’t just want the spotlight.

She wants the world.

The Mirrordom Legends on sale

My first three books in my Mirrordom series are all on sale. The Amazon Kindle versions are either free (Venom and Blaze) or heavily discounted (Fable and Legend, City and Shadow). Grab them while you can!

YALC 2025 – Day One!

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It’s been an incredible first day at YALC!

From kicking off the day with a 6:30am start, I quickly set up camp in the Inspiring Indies zone and arranged my stall.

Inspiring Indies’ POV

This year, I had four books to sell – and I was shocked and thrilled to sell out of Venom and Blaze before the afternoon was over! Fable and Legend, City and Shadow and January are all still available at the Inspiring Indies zone – so if you’re at YALC tomorrow, come and grab one. I should be floating around in the general area to sign one for you.

My lovely friend and fellow author, Marie Voinson

I was thrilled to share my slot with Marie Voinson, author of Us Against The Likes. Marie is just the loveliest person and her story about sisterhood and finding your place in the world is simply beautiful.

The Inspiring Indies zone

It really felt like being reunited with family. Some of the original Inspiring Indies from last year came back for more – including Kiera Nixon, Sara Sultane and John Tarrow. We were joined by lovely new faces, like Luke O’Connor, S. J. Clarke, Emma Whitehall, Alex Darkfell and Kestral Gaian.

My slot ended at 1pm, and then it was immediately over to the panel to discuss Breaking The Rules – The Rise Of The Indie YA Rebel. The room was packed (which was lovely but did nothing to assuage my deep discomfort at speaking in public!) and the answers from my fellow authors were fabulous. I learned so much just from listening to them. The intelligent questions from the audience were deeply insightful and made us think too – so it was one of the most rewarding panels I’ve been part of.

I also met the amazing team behind UKYA spotlight. Their non-profit organisation does so much to publicise UK YA authors and it was great to put faces to the names. I also learned it’s surprisingly hard to sign a T-shirt with a Sharpie…

Do it all again tomorrow

Sunday Panel – Indie Author Life

Join us for Indie Author Life: What They Don’t Tell You About Going Solo.

It’s on from 4-5pm.

Come and see me and:

  • Kiera Nixon
  • SJ Clarke
  • John Tarrow

From 1:30 until 6pm, you’ll get the chance to meet John Tarrow (who is also participating in a workshop at 1pm), S. J. Clarke and Kestral Gaian.

The authors taking over the bookseller stand will be:

  • John Tarrow 11-12
  • Kerry Williams 12-1
  • Becky Jones 1-2

I’ll also be floating around in the general vicinity of the Inspiring Indies zone – as well as circulating around the other amazing stands I didn’t get the chance to see on the first day. You’ll probably see me – I do an excellent impression of a human disco ball.

Are you coming tomorrow? Let me know in the comments!

Less than a week until YALC!

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The Young Adult Literature Convention is FOUR DAYS AWAY! I’ll be joining several other indie authors in our very own stand. This means you can:

  • come and get your books signed and personalised
  • participate in exciting giveaways
  • snag epic merch
  • meet indie authors in person and chat all things books

Tickets, please…

It’s not too late to grab your ticket for YALC.

I found getting tickets a little confusing, so here’s a few instructions which you can scroll past if you’re more tech savvy than I am!

  • Click the link below. Don’t worry about the fact that it seems to take you to the London Comic Con website and not YALC (this threw me off at first!)
  • Click ‘Get Tickets’.
  • Scroll down the list of options until you get to YALC. You can choose to buy a Saturday ticket, a Sunday ticket or weekend entry (you need to scroll slightly further down to see this).
  • Your YALC ticket will also gain you access to the London Comic Con, so it’s well worth doing. Also, David Tennant will be there. You can buy a ticket for a photoshoot with him.
Get your tickets

Inspiring Indies zone

The Inspiring Indies zone is in the bottom left corner – so come and see us!

Here’s what you can expect:

Author appearances

Saturday morning

From 9am until 1pm on Saturday morning, I’ll have my own dedicated stand. This is the best time to come and chat to me, get your books signed, participate in my extra-special giveaways, snag some free merch and your exclusive opportunity to join my Street Team.

I’ll be accompanied by my lovely author friend, Marie Voinson. Marie is the author of Us Against The Likes, a gorgeous novel about the bond between sisters. Joining us will be fellow indie author, S. J. Clarke.

You’ll also get the chance to see some of the indie authors taking over the bookseller stand. Come and meet:

  • Kiera Nixon 11-12
  • Emma Whitehall 1-2

Saturday afternoon

The authors on the stand are Luke O’Connell, S. J. Clarke and Kestral Gain.

On the bookseller stand will be:

  • Alex Darkfell 2-3
  • Sara Sultane 3-4

Sunday morning

The authors appearing on the stand will be S. J. Clarke, Daniella Draven and Emma Whitehall. Catch up with them from 9am until 1pm.

John Tarrow will be on the bookseller stand.

Sunday afternoon

From 1:30 until 6pm, you’ll get the chance to meet John Tarrow (who is also participating in a workshop at 1pm), S. J. Clarke and Kestral Gaian.

The authors taking over the bookseller stand will be:

  • John Tarrow 11-12
  • Kerry Williams 12-1
  • Becky Jones 1-2

The Inspiring Indie panels

Helen Lewis, Director of Literally PR, is going to chair two awesome panels. I’ll be participating in both of them, so here’s when you can come and see us. This is a very special chance to hear from real life indie authors about their experiences. I see this as a lovely chance to encourage aspiring authors to think about the direction they want to go in; not just for their books but for their careers.

Saturday Panel – Breaking The Rules

Join us for Breaking The Rules – The Rise Of The Indie YA Rebel.

It’s on from 1-2pm.

I’ll be joined by the following authors, including two familiar faces you might recognise from last year’s YALC:

  • Kiera Nixon
  • Kestral Gaian
  • Luke O’Connell
  • Sara Sultane

Sunday Panel – Indie Author Life

Join us for Indie Author Life: What They Don’t Tell You About Going Solo.

It’s on from 4-5pm.

Come and see me and:

  • Kiera Nixon
  • SJ Clarke
  • John Tarrow

Roz MacLaren at YALC

I’ve got plans. Big ones.

I’ll be running a couple of fun competitions and giveaways.

You’ll also have an exclusive chance to join my Street Team and win yourself a phenomenal prize.

This is the perfect chance to shop all four of my books and get them signed and personalised.

Plus, you’ll be able to snag exclusive merch, including very special, limited-edition postcards with this gorgeous portrait of City and Shadow.

Will you be joining us at YALC? What are you most excited to see? Let me know in the comments.