Heard Word is back! We’re thrilled to an announce that our first featured guest is award winning children’s author Ali Sparkes. Join us to meet Ali and find out how to hold the attention of the most demanding, and easily distracted, readers of all: kids. That’s Monday the 6th of October, 2025 from 5-7pm GMT on Zoom.
To get feedback on your work sign up to be one of our presenting writers. There are both 20-minute (1500 words) and 5-minute (700 word “lighting round”) slots available. You can sign up here: https://docs.google.com/…/1TfI5…/edit…
Even if you aren’t presenting, please join us to offer feedback. Here is the link. https://bournemouth-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/85437743352…
A bit more about our Featured Writer:
Ali Sparkes should have been a superstar by now. And if they’d had StrictlyXPopFactorIdol back in the olden days, she would be! A former singer, actress, BBC radio presenter and newspaper journalist, what is Ali now?
- Confused
- Out of work
- An award-winning children’s author
If you answered a. Fair play – she is often confused.
If you answered b. You’re rather unkind. Although realistic. Which is a useful trait in the tough 21st Century.
If you answered c. You are correct and Ali loves you.
Oh, and she writes fast paced action/comedy/adventure/sci-fi/fantasy. Best known so far for The Shapeshifter series and Blue Peter Award winning Frozen In Time, she has also written crime for adults as A D Fox and comedy drama for BBC Radio 4.