Nicola Garrard

A profile of Nicola Gerard:

I grew up in Devon, France, and West Sussex. I studied English Literature at university and have taught in secondary schools for 23 years, including 15 years at an inner-city London comprehensive.

Before writing novels for young adults, my passion was poetry. I was a runner up in the Poetry Book Society poetry competition, judged by one of my heroes, Carol Ann Duffy. My words have been published in Mslexia Magazine, the IRON Book of Trees, The Frogmore Papers and the Writers & Artists Yearbook Guide to Getting Published.

My debut novel, 29 Locks, was shortlisted for both the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition and was longlisted in the Berkshire Book Award 2022. It was chosen by Suzi Feay, books editor of The Financial Times, as one of the ‘Best Books of 2021’ It is also on the longlist for the prestigious Branford Boase Award for outstanding first-time novelists.

I now live in West Sussex with my wife, three children and a Jack Russell terrier called Little Bear.

Published book:

29 Locks – 2021