The Theatre of Glass and Shadows

Step into the Theatre District.

Put on your mask.

Discover a world unlike any other.

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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

The Great Unboxing

The Great Unboxing When you’ve written a book about immersive theatre and your author copies...

A very immersive launch event

A very immersive book launch The Theatre of Glass and Shadows had the best possible send off with...

Bookshop sightings of The Theatre of Glass and Shadows

Sightings of The Theatre of Glass and Shadows I don’t think the novelty of seeing something...

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has its own Book Trail!

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has its own book trail! The Theatre of Glass and Shadows has its...

Type! Interview

Type! Interview Read my author interview with Type! magazine...

Bath Festival

The Theatre of Glass and Shadows is featured on the Netgalley homepage!   If you’re a...

Cover reveal

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

Blog

Questions, questions…

Questions, questions... Recently, I’ve been talking about questions in fiction with my online...

Type! Interview

Type! Interview Read my author interview with Type! magazine...

Cover reveal

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

What is immersive theatre?

What is immersive theatre and why did I decide to write about it? If you look at my social media,...

Introduction

Introduction Hello, and welcome to my blog. I’m Anne, and I’m the author of The Space Between the...

Bonnier Books Fiction Showcase 2024

My publisher, Bonnier Books, held their 2024 fiction showcase on 8 November, and I was delighted...

Keeping the reader close

In my post on psychic distance, I made a sweeping generalisation – that most modern-day...

All a Matter of Perspective

Narrative perspective is the window that a writer opens up for the reader to look through onto a...

Book and Theatre Reviews

Immersive Theatre Review – The Key of Dreams

Immersive Theatre Review - The Key of Dreams Anyone who has spent any time on my website or social...

Review – Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent

Review - Guilty By Definition by Susie Dent I’ve been excited about Susie Dent’s first novel since...

Review – We All Hear Stories in the Dark

Review - We All Hear Stories in the Dark by Rob Shearman My first introduction to Rob Shearman’s...

Double review – The Book of Secrets by Anna Mazzola and The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman

Double Review - The Book of Secrets by Anna Mazzola and The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman My...

Review – The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden

Review - The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden Katie Lumsden was in my Bath Spa...

Review – The List of Suspicious Things and Deadly Animals

Double Review - The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey and Deadly Animals by Marie...

Review – Termush and They

Double Review - Termush and They This one is a double review of two unique and compelling short...

Review – The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands

Review - The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands I’m finally getting round to posting my...

Immersive Theatre Review – A Morte do Corvo

Immersive Theatre Review - A Morte do Corvo A couple of weeks ago, I paid my second visit to the...

Immersive Experiences

Six immersive experiences to try Immersive is something of a buzzword at the moment. If you search...

Latest posts from the writing room

Questions, questions…

Questions, questions... Recently, I’ve been talking about questions in fiction with my online...

Keeping the reader close

In my post on psychic distance, I made a sweeping generalisation – that most modern-day...

All a Matter of Perspective

Narrative perspective is the window that a writer opens up for the reader to look through onto a...

An Introduction to Psychic Distance

In my post entitled It’s all a matter of perspective, I touched on something called psychic...