Sometimes this is why I think Mandem was written. To remove the invisible cloud that stood between myself and the sun. To remove the cloud that stands anywhere between us boys and the sun. J D Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye sums it up the best: “Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them—if you want to. Just as some day, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It’s a beautiful, reciprocal arrangement. And it isn’t education. It’s history. It’s poetry.” The synopsis of the series reads: “Twelve-year-old girls Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries. When their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage. Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery – and becoming best friends. Can they work out what is going on in time to prevent a murder?”

My belief has guided me through life's ups and downs, and I hope that sharing what I've learned will help you face your own challenges armed with hope, and plenty of lasagne.But as we grew up, we started to realise that home became a sanctuary out of necessity rather than anything else. The aggressive frisking of a stop and search regime could do that to you. The closing down of youth clubs and public parks could do that too. The people in the area changed. Didn’t look quite the same as they did before. Seeing your friends move further and further out of London because the council had relocated them elsewhere. Birmingham. Cardiff. Ipswich. MSN was the only common place. Our centre of gravity. The writers were found in an organic way. There were a number of contributors that I had been following their work for a long time such as Yomi Sode, Sope Soetan and Jordan Stephens. I knew they were contemporary thinkers who were excited about the idea of writing in unique ways. I knew they would be able to contribute something powerful within the medium. But I also was intrigued about other writers who had been at the forefront of these conversations in different ways. I researched a lot and found a number of writers that I thought would be great for the book, such as Athian Akec and Dipo Faloyin. I’m currently writing and developing ideas for new mediums of storytelling. I’d love to develop Mandem and the anthology into a short series or TV show, enveloping all the characters from each story and putting them in a fictional world.

saw hot strike summer unfold across the UK. A wave of collective action took workplaces by storm, with employees demanding change as the cost of living crisis laid bare the scale of worker exploitation – all while CEOs and executives made (and continue to make) astronomical profits. Troublemaking combines years of conversations with workers on the frontlines across the globe with clear points for action. Written by two union members who have experience in organising, this book is a great entry point if you’re new to the world of unionising and worker solidarity. Liz Bankes, editorial director and Aleena Hasan editorial assistant at HarperCollins imprint Farshore, formerly Egmont, acquired world rights in all languages from Jasmine Richards at Storymix. The first title will be published on 4th August 2022, with a second book to follow in summer 2023. The North Will Rise Again is an in-depth exploration written by a native Northerner who wants answers to some of the biggest political questions facing the North in modern times. The North/South divide, the collapse of Labour’s Red Wall and the impact of austerity are all explored within this book, interwoven with Niben’s own personal story and family history. This book delves into how our country came to be so starkly divided, how geographical divides have shaped socioeconomic inequality, and what the future looks like for the North. So, yes, this book is about faith, but it's also about being human, because believing in things is just part of our existence. Wherever you sit on the faith spectrum, I'm here to tell you it's okay. You don't have to sign up to all of something to get something out of some of it. You don't have to like every song on the album. In this reflective book, activist and writer Munroe Bergdorf reveals how transitioning is a universal part of the human experience, and something that all of us can relate to. By w riting from her personal experience of gender transition and integrating theory from key experts and activists, Bergdorf reveals how we can understand transitioning as a shared experience. By shining a light on the inevitable reality of change, it aims to bring us together and build a more understanding and inclusive world.

Summary

IL: I think its come with the good and the bad. Naturally, in any form of time alone, you can start to overthink. Overanalyse and compare yourself with people that you shouldn’t. I guess this is the bad side of being in any isolation – it forces you to stare at yourself, which can be painful but also cathartic. For example, as an artist myself and for many artists, I rarely break down my creative processes and investigate my work. I’ve spent a lot of time doing just that so I guess the pandemic forced me into reflecting on my work and why I choose to do what I do – something which was slightly scary but has refined my interest for telling film in a completely new way.