Doors opening May 2024

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows

Step into the Theatre District.

Put on your mask.

Discover a world unlike any other.

PRE-ORDEREXPLORE

About me

 

Hello, I’m Anne. I’m originally from the north-east, but I sort of slid down the map, ending up in a tiny village near Bath, where I live with my partner and our three sons.

I’m the author of The Space Between the Stars, published in 2016 by Pan Macmillan in the UK and Random House in the US, and The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, which will be published by Bonnier in May 2024.

I started writing seriously in 2011, after many years working as a criminal lawyer. This was slightly unfortunate timing, given that I was right in the middle of moving from London to Somerset with my family, who thought that a little less novel-writing and a little more packing might be a good idea. They probably had a point.

Nevertheless, I persisted, and, since then, my writing has appeared in various newspapers, magazines and anthologies, and has won several awards.

I have an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, and I enjoy working with other writers through teaching, editing and mentoring.

You can contact me via this website, or through my agent, Laura Williams at Greene and Heaton.

Sometimes the greatest spectacle hides the darkest secrets . . .

In an alternate London, at the heart of the mysterious Theatre District, an immersive show has been running for centuries, growing ever bigger, more sprawling and lavish. 

When Juliet learns that she was born in the District, she travels there, hoping to discover the truth about her identity – and perhaps to finally belong somewhere.

But in a world where illusions abound, and powerful men control the narrative, some will go to any lengths to ensure certain stories are never told . . .

‘Marvellous’

– Bridget Collins, author of The Binding

‘Original and captivating, this intricately woven tale had me enthralled from page one . . . The theatre district holds dark secrets and hidden menace. I didn’t want to leave.’

– Karen Coles, author of The Asylum

‘Luminous prose, a sense of otherworldly magic & characters that leap & twirl off the page.’

– Stef L, Reviewer

Welcome to the Theatre District.

Step in through the gates.

Put on your mask.

The show is about to begin.

When the world ends, where would you go?

 

In the aftermath of a devastating virus, a woman sets out on an impossible journey across the stars to the place she once called home.

 

‘A thoughtful, even meditative apocalypse’

– SFX

‘It spoke straight to my heart and unstrung it.’

– Speculative Herald

‘A striking effort that explores life, death, love, isolation, and the search for meaning.’

– Tor.com

‘An original thinker and a very, very effective writer’

– Fay Weldon

News and updates

All the latest book and event news, as well as reviews, writing tips and blog posts.

News and blog

Bacchanalia review

Immersive Theatre Review - Bacchanalia by Sleepwalk Immersive A few days ago, I paid my second visit to Sleepwalk Immersive’s Bacchanalia, and came away thinking that I might just have to try and...

Cover reveal

Cover Reveal The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has a cover and it’s beautiful.

What is immersive theatre?

What is immersive theatre and why did I decide to write about it? If you look at my social media, you’ll see a lot of posts about immersive theatre. This is probably unsurprising, given that I’ve...

Introduction

Introduction Hello, and welcome to my blog. I’m Anne, and I’m the author of The Space Between the Stars, published by Pan Macmillan, and The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, which Bonnier are...

Bonnier Books Fiction Showcase 2024

My publisher, Bonnier Books, held their 2024 fiction showcase on 8 November, and I was delighted that The Theatre of Glass and Shadows was one of the six titles presented to journalists and...

Latest posts from the writing room

Keeping the reader close

In my post on psychic distance, I made a sweeping generalisation - that most modern-day writers want to create a close perspective, in which the reader has insight into the inner workings of the...

All a Matter of Perspective

Narrative perspective is the window that a writer opens up for the reader to look through onto a fictional world. If the reader is going to stay at that window for as long as it takes for the story...

An Introduction to Psychic Distance

In my post entitled It’s all a matter of perspective, I touched on something called psychic distance - sometimes known as narrative, authorial or emotional distance. Psychic distance is about how...