New author Jo Mabey’s debut novel, which was recently published by Preston publisher, Big Thinking Publishing, has been nominated for the Lancashire Book of the Year Award. The prestigious children’s literature award is judged by young people from schools across Lancashire and has previously been won by Philip Pullman, Malorie Blackman and Anthony Horowitz.

Polly Everett’s Other Worlds, described by Jo as, “a quirky little book for big thinkers,” was aptly published by Big Thinking in August. The book is about thirteen-year-old Polly, who is transported to a parallel universe whenever she sneezes. “I wrote it for twelve-year-old me,” says Jo. “It’s exactly the kind of book I would have loved to read at that age.”

Jo, who lives in Mirfield, West Yorkshire and works as a freelance editor as well as a writer, says she wrote the book, “quite a few years ago,” but wasn’t sure whether it was good enough to be published. She entered the manuscript for the Northern Writers Hachette Children’s Novel Award and was astonished when it was shortlisted. This gave her the confidence to submit to agents and publishers, where it was picked up by Big Thinking.

Jo is currently working on a sequel. “I have plans for at least two more books,” she says. “Readers are already asking for more!”

Polly Everett’s Other Worlds by Jo Mabey is available lfrom inkbookshop.com as well as Amazon and other online bookshops. It can be purchased locally from Yorkshire Makers in Mirfield.