I’m not sure I have just one… But in the realm of post-apocalyptic/dystopian novels, it would be Earth Abides by George R Stewart, which is a beautiful thoughtful post-apocalyptic novel written in the 1940s (ecological, anthropological, about surviving and starting again – not crawling with zombies and violence, though I’ve read plenty that feature those too) or Station Eleven, The Road, The Dog Stars... Katie ventures out in risky scouting missions for food to ensure their survival, resulting in a chance encounter with a group of survivors putting she and Harry at risk. What follows is a decision to take a life threatening journey in search of a new and better life for her son. An ode to the ferocious power of motherhood, even in the face of Earth’s utter devastation. Part dire warning, part love song, Not Alone explores how, like a tree bending toward sunlight, life may endure if our worst climate nightmares become reality. Haunting, endearing, and captivating.”

I’m writing something new, which is a delicious and freeing feeling, and enjoying writing for publicity and marketing too about Not Alone, writing, ecology and environmental issues. At the moment, the new novel is a dystopia where extreme environmental revolution has allowed nature to recover, but people live in walled towns, the wild so sacred they are cut off from it, their own natures too – emotion a dangerous brutality of the past. It’s about greenwashing, censorship, human beings split off from nature, and finding hope, truth and connection. Katie never explaining basic things like cars and trains to her kid or allowing him to see books about themAccept that writing and creating will likely always be squeezed in amongst other parts of your life, and try to be grateful for the time you have. A focused hour can be more useful than an unstructured day. Katie being bitchy to the nice people who help her and give her their food and take her to get supplies I’m reaching for a particularly bright unmarred leaf, thinking of Harry’s collages, when a breathy bark freezes me to the spot. It’s followed by a low gravelly howl that rips through the air and through my chest. Although I did enjoy the writing style mostly, the jumping ahead was not always easy to noodle. At times, the unwritten parts were difficult to work through and I found myself just giving up and going along. She painted a very descriptive picture of the changing world and landscape but I think being American, some of it was so foreign that it didn’t always make sense. It was a huge benefit to be with other creative people on similar journeys on the course – to feel that connection and shared goal. It made me feel much more settled and determined in this big dream to write published books, and it made me be more open with other people in my life about my writing and become more disciplined and scheduled in my approach. I think the encouragement and support are also massive factors – it’s easy to underestimate how important it is to have a few people like what you’re doing and encourage you, especially when you’re developing confidence in your own writing.

There is nothing new, or imaginative to be found here. There is no urgent call to action, there is very little science in this cli-fi novel. Somehow this micro plastic fiasco effects women significantly more than it effects men, and the book never attempts to explain this even a little bit.

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I have to add, Harry makes Cailou look like a saint. He is the most annoying, whiney child in the universe. I couldn't handle anytime he spoke. He was afraid of his own shadow, whined about everything did stupid things, and just all around was not a charming and endearing child. The world outside is full of terror for the isolated Harry, and for his mother, who knows that only with persistence care can they avoid death. Not Alone is as much an examination of the mother-child bond as it is a warning of impending climate disaster. Katie is a true mama bear. She loves Harry fiercely and will do anything to keep him healthy and safe. The lengths she takes are both admirable and risky, but she has no choice. She’s raising a child while the world collapses, without help and with few resources. He shakes his head. “I didn’t touch anything, Mummy!” he says, but I still get into every crease and under every nail. The oceans have accumulated a veritable mountain of micro-plastic. So when a hurricane whips up the seas, literally megatonnes become airborne to smother North America and Europe (and presumably similar events affect the rest of the globe). The world is caught unprepared. Those outside and not in a reasonably airtight environment choke to death either immediately, or get such lung damage that they soon die.

Dust and mould cake the walls of the stairwell, crumbs of mud and dead vegetation littering the stairs. Particles drift in the air, blinking in and out of the muted light. Not Alone is a sharp exploration of environmentalapocalypse—and a celebration of pure, boundless love that can survive anything. This triumphant debut finds hope in thedarkest places, and it made me want to be a better person.”Wanting to soften his understanding, Katie assures him, “You get to live every day, you only die once.”

When I’m aiming for a deadline for my writing, I try to start out with a clear schedule and routine, but I’m afraid I soon become completely absorbed and I am all-in until I finish.

Sarah K. Jackson

Not Alone is the story of the harrowing journey of a mother and son, fighting for survival and a future, in a world ravaged by environmental disaster. ⁣ You worked on an early version of your debut novel Not Alone during our Writing Your Novel course in 2017, how did your time on the course impact your approach to writing? You and me are the only things that matter, OK? I love you, from the centre of my heart right to the edges. Wholeheart.' But the worst part is that the whole thing is based around Katie's selfish, idiotic, ridiculous decision to I specialise in botany and habitats as an ecologist, so my love of plants, their uses, their ability or not to thrive or adapt, and all those experiences outdoors amongst trees and hedges and rivers definitely fed into Katie’s journey and the world she inhabits. It’s an altered, toxic world, but it is still beautiful.