Welcome

Hi everyone. Welcome to my website. Do look out for my new novel SECOND TIME LUCKY which has just been published by Hodder & Stoughton. It's only £6.99 and is available from most bookshops including Waterstones in the three for two section. You can also buy it on Amazon for a discounted price. SECOND TIME LUCKY is about four people who are starting life again after some big ups and downs in life. They're also neighbours in a converted country house so there are a lot of goings on! Below, you'll find some information about me and some of the events I'm going to be doing. There might be something going on near you!

Sophie King is the pen name for journalist Jane Bidder. She is the author of the best-selling novels The School Run and Mums @ Home, both of which are published by Hodder & Stoughton in paperback, £6.99.

Sophie King's books are aimed at teenagers, mums and grans or anyone else who can identify with a chaotic family life. Sophie has three children, a dog, a cat and a sleepy terrapin – all of whom make her laugh or cry, depending on how she feels.

Sophie has a pen name to distinguish her novels from her journalism. As Jane Bidder, she has written for The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, Woman, Woman’s Weekly, My Weekly, Good Housekeeping and many other national publications.

She has interviewed several big celebrities including her childhood hero David Essex, Michael Palin, Penny Vincenzi, Deborah Moggach, Julie Walters, Nigel Havers, Carolyn Quentin, Lord Lichfield, Martina Cole, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph, Barbara Taylor Bradford and countless others.

Sophie also writes short stories and teaches creative writing.

NEW!

Online tutorial course now available, covering characterisation, dialogue, viewpoint and ideas etc. The course consists of eight modules and can be taken over eight months. £200 (which includes marking).

I also give individual advice on manuscripts (both full and partial).

NEW BOOK!

Look out for my new novel THE SUPPER CLUB due out on September 4th . Hodder & Stoughton £6.99.

LATEST NEWS

• SOPHIE KING WILL BE TALKING AND RUNNING WORKSHOPS AT WINCHESTER LITERARY FESTIVAL FROM FRIDAY JUNE 27 - 29. She'll be giving advice on how to get non-fiction published - and how non-fiction can give you ideas for novels and short stories!
• SOPHIE WILL ALSO BE APPEARING AT KINGSTON LITERARY FESTIVAL ON TUESDAY MAY 6TH AT 7.30PM.
• Sophie will also be talking at the Gerards Cross Literary Festival on Wednesday August 6th.
• Meanwhile, do look out for her new book THE SUPPER CLUB which will be published on September 4th (Hodder & Stoughton £6.99). It's about four friends who take it in turns to have supper parties at each other's homes once a month. The plot revolves around what happens in between - and at the parties themselves....
• Sophie's latest novel SECOND TIME LUCKY was published on August 9th 2007 and is available at all bookshops, throughout the country, and also on Amazon. Click here for the Press Release (Word document).
• Look out for her new non-fiction book on how to write short stories. 'HOW TO WRITE SHORT STORIES FOR MAGAZINES' by Sophie King is being published by How To Books in July. From most bookshops and also Amazon.
• Sophie King is also available as a speaker and creative writing workshop leader (for adults and in schools).
• Sophie King also offers a manuscript appraisal service. She will look at your novel and/short stories to provide help with structure, characterisation and plot etc. She can also give advice on how to get published.

AWARDS

Sophie King was runner up in the Harry Bowling Award 2002 and the winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Elizabeth Goudge Award in 2004. She was also shortlisted for the World One Day Cup Novel.