Announcing Kia's new book: Take It Back

Announcing Kia's new book: Take It Back

Take It Back is a gripping courtroom drama perfect for fans of Apple Tree Yard, He Said/She Said and Anatomy of a Scandal

The day I got a book deal started inauspiciously. Our group of 13 had camped for a night in the Australian outback after battling broken air conditioning, a cracked windscreen, a vehicle change and an alarming amount of bugs at night - as well as a snake and a dingo - in 40°C heat.

In the morning we piled into our burning van and drove to Kata Tjuta. Within minutes we had a flat tire. We lost an hour to this final drama before getting back on the road.

Halfway through the four-hour drive, my phone suddenly pinged and loaded incoming emails. There was one of my literary agents.

The preview said: "I'm really excited to send this email. I really wanted to call, but since I didn't know exactly where in Australia you were, I didn't want to risk an early wake-up call."

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The rest of the email did not load. My heart pounded in my chest as I refreshed the screen over and over again, praying to the gods of Telstra Telecom. After 10 minutes of frantic waiting, the message finally loaded.

WE HAVE AN OFFER. And not just any offer, but a two-book deal with HarperCollins, one of the largest publishers in the world.

That was in February 2018, and because publishing works at a rapid pace, this book will be released this week - in hardcover on August 8th.

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Take It Back is a courtroom drama perfect for fans of Apple Tree Yard, He Said/She Said and Anatomy of a Scandal.

The victim is Jodie Wolfe, a 16-year-old girl with facial deformities who accuses four boys of the unthinkable. The defendants are four good-looking teenagers from hard-working immigrant families, all with corroborating stories.

Former lawyer Zara Kaleel takes on Jodie's case; she believes her, even if those close to Jodie don't. Together they enter the most explosive criminal trial of the year, exposing ugly divisions within British society. As everything around Zara begins to unravel, she becomes even more determined to do justice to Jodie. But at what cost?

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Take It Back was named one of the best books to read this summer and one of the books to read in 2019. It was also selected by The Pigeonhole as their first-ever audio serialization, which could be an industry first.

Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled. Writing a book is a leap of faith; a years-long mind trick that convinces you to let go of self-doubt and persist in the belief that one day someone will see the value of your work. I feel incredibly lucky that my gamble paid off.

I know a lot of people don't buy hardcover books because they're expensive (mine is £12.99) but as I told my sister and nephew, it'll cost a Nando's meal and will keep you busy for a lot longer.

Hardcover sales really make a difference in an author's career. Most of us don't get six-figure deals (I certainly don't) and so the only thing that sustains our careers is the support of our readers. To help you make your purchase decision, you can read the first chapter for free.

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I hope our dear readers at Atlas & Boots will want to read the book. I hope you will buy or borrow it and find something valuable in it. I hope you'll share it, review it, or tell a fellow reader about it. I hope it grabs you and surprises you and also makes you think.

I hope because hope, like rejection, is one of the few constants in a writer's journey. I hope you will share this part with me.

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