Aisha Bushby

Twitter: @aishabushby

Agent: Claire Wilson at RCW

Published books: My short story ‘Marionette Girl’ was published in ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ (Stripes Publishing, 2017). You can buy it in Waterstones (and from other retailers): https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-change-is-gonna-come/9781847158390.
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My MG debut ‘A Pocketful of Stars’ is out in 2019 by Egmont Publishing. You can find out details about it here: https://www.egmont.co.uk/blog/egmont-pockets-debit-from-rising-star-aisha-bushby/

Genre: Either MG or YA

Bio: Aisha writes children’s books, sometimes with a little bit of magic in them. She was born in the Middle East and has lived in Kuwait, England and Canada. Her dream is to live in a house where the animals – preferably cats – outnumber the people. Her short story Marionette Girl is featured in ‘A Change is Gonna Come’, a BAME YA anthology published in August 2017 by Stripes Publishing. Her debut MG novel, A Pocketful of Stars, is out in 2019 with Egmont Publishing.

Experience: I have been through the publishing process with a short story and I am currently going through the editorial process with a novel, so I can offer advice on what it’s like to experience both, including event touring. I have also worked as an intern and assistant at two literary agencies, with a focus on children’s books and YA, where I dealt with the submissions inbox and provided editorial feedback. As a mentor I can offer advice on the sorts of things agents look for when scouting for new clients, and more.

Mentoring style: I’m very open with regards to my mentoring style as I think it all depends on the mentee and the manuscript. Ideally, I would like to approach this process in the same way I work with my agent. I would read through the material, write up and send a report and follow-up with a phone call to discuss any thoughts or questions the mentee might have. Depending on location (I am not London based) we could even meet up and have a brainstorming session. If I feel the manuscript is at submission stage, I would also gladly help the mentee work on their cover letter and synopsis.

Mentee style: Someone who is open to editing and is full of ideas. Perhaps they have a great concept, or a heartwarming cast of characters, but just need help making the story the best it can be. I am particularly interested in contemporary and fantasy for both age groups, or a combination of the two genres.

Favourite novels: I am going to pick five favourites that I hope will encompass the range of my interests. The Harry Potter series, The Hate U Give, (new favourite) The Storm Keeper’s Island, Am I Normal Yet? and The Explorer.

Mentoring package offered: Full manuscript developmental edit report (1 read through and report only).

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