James A Lyons

A cartoon field background. On the right is the cover of Half the World Away, with the characters of Theo and Alex nearby. ON the left, in a peach box, is the text: Coming this November. Heartstopper x Boy Like Me. When Theo joins Year 9 at his local state school, he reluctantly agrees to take part in a new national pen pal project. After losing hope of a reply, an unexpected letter arrives from Alex, a confident private school boarder, sparking a connection that could change everything. Under is a four star review saying “I absolutely loved it. The flow of the writing between Alex's letters and Theo's day were really well done and made it seamless to the point that you knew exactly what was going on.” ~ ARC review. And then the order link - www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

Half the World Away - Coming this November through @srlpublishing.bsky.social .

Are you a fan of #heartstopper or Simon James Green and looking for your next LGBTQ+ young adult read? Why not check it out.

A cartoon field background. On the right is the cover of Half the World Away, with the characters of Theo and Alex nearby. ON the left, in a peach box, is the text: Coming this November. Heartstopper x Boy Like Me. When Theo joins Year 9 at his local state school, he reluctantly agrees to take part in a new national pen pal project. After losing hope of a reply, an unexpected letter arrives from Alex, a confident private school boarder, sparking a connection that could change everything. Under is a four star review saying “I absolutely loved it. The flow of the writing between Alex's letters and Theo's day were really well done and made it seamless to the point that you knew exactly what was going on.” ~ ARC review. And then the order link - www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

Half the World Away - Coming this November through @srlpublishing.bsky.social .

Are you a fan of #heartstopper or Simon James Green and looking for your next LGBTQ+ young adult read? Why not check it out.

If people can give a 3⭐ review for a thirty year old film on Letterboxd then they can give a star review for the last book they read.

Pam St Clement - End of an Earing
or
Paul Sinha - One Sinha Lifetime

If you have a second, please add my new novel Half the World Away to your 'want to read' list if you use Goodreads.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

A yellow and blue poster. IN the top half is the cover for Half the World Away, with the character of Alex leaning against the book, and Theo sitting on the floor in front of it. Underneath is the title, along with the text : The BBC have launched a national pen pal project for Year 9 pupils. Theo writes in. Alex replies. This is what happens next.

Half the World Away - 11/11/2025

HEARTSTOPPER x BOY LIKE ME

My brand new young adult novel is available to pre-order now from all your favourite places.

🛒 - www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

HALF THE WORLD AWAY - 11/11/2025 My new young adult novel is available to pre-order now!

"Section 28 bred isolation for so many kids that is was supposedly brought in to protect."

Find out more about my novel Half the World Away here:

jamesalyons.substack.com/p/half-the-w...

Have followed. Will do this later when back from work as just about to head out from the office.

One thing I will say: You don't have to have your characters name in the pitch.

EG.

When Dorothy, a 12yo young girl from Kansas, goes over the rainbow due to a tornado....

v

When a young girl from Kansas ends up over the rainbow...

Save yourself those 30 characters for putting stakes!

#predv

My Tips for Writing Your Pitch Ways to condense your whole book down into two sentences

PS here's my word vomit piece on pitches.

jamesalyons.substack.com/p/my-tips-fo...

Whoops, think they're set to following. Will try and fix that

If anyone wants me to help with their #DVPit pitches during #predv hit me up. DM's should be open.

Just reading an interview with a celebrity author explaining how a Big 5 publisher kept visiting their house asking them to finish writing their book so they could publish it.

Might laugh because otherwise I'd cry.

HALF THE WORLD AWAY - 11/11/2025 My new young adult novel is available to pre-order now!

"Section 28 bred isolation for so many kids that is was supposedly brought in to protect."

Find out more about my novel Half the World Away here:

jamesalyons.substack.com/p/half-the-w...

A picture of a smallish box of coco pops on the shelf at co-op. They are priced at £4.15. Underneath is the text Half the World Away from £3.99. Link in Bio.

Things that are more expensive than the young adult book I spent two years writing: Part 1.

🥣- Half the World Away: linktr.ee/jamesalyons

The front cover of Half the World Away. It features the title over a globe, with a fireplace underneath. on the fireplace sits a pot plant, an open letter, and a flamingo ornament.

The back cover. It features Theo sitting on the floor, and Alex leaning on the blurb. the blurb reads: Heartstopper meets Boy Like Me. Thirteen-year-old Theo has been home-schooled since he was ten, but his mother’s terminal illness forces him to enter Year Nine at his local state school. Struggling to fit in, he reluctantly agrees to join a national pen pal project. His letter lands on the desk of Alexander —a confident, upper-middle-class private school boarder, gifted classical musician, and aspiring county rower—everything Theo is not. Despite their differences, the two boys begin to secretly confide in each other, sharing their struggles with grief, loneliness, and the pressures of a society that is demanding conformity. As their correspondence blossoms over three academic years, Theo realises he has fallen for the boy in the letters. Concerned that the world around him remains unwelcoming, and with their schooling coming to an end, Theo must step out of the shadows and express his feelings before he and Alex miss their final chance to meet.

My new YA, Half the World Away, is currently sat at Number 3 in the Amazon Young Adult Gay Fiction ebook charts!

Don't miss out securing your copy.

👀 www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

Are there any agented and published authors on here from diverse backgrounds who might be willing to answer a few short questions in relation to querying etc for some Substack bits with me please?

DM's should be open.

#writingcommunity

A fake magazine cover with a drag queen on a light background. She is wearing a short purple dress and has a large styled blonde wig. At the top is EAST END BOYS AND WEST END GIRLS. Autumn Winter 2025. £2.80. Tropes Road trip! Found family! Rivals to lovers! Forced proximity! Comps Here we go again, It's a sin, Priscilla, kinky Boots. Adult contemporary fiction. In the bottom right is a barcode.

Hey, what if we created MagazinePit?!*

Sharing cos why not. I made the graphics so might as well use them. Editors let me know if you wanna see it etc.

#unhingedpit #OS #LGBT

(*Don't start another pitch event).

MURDER NIGHT AT HOTEL ADAIR

MURDER NIGHT AT HOTEL ADAIR pitch

MURDER NIGHT AT HOTEL ADAIR comps and tropes

MURDER NIGHT AT HOTEL ADAIR first page

The new Agent's Guide to
MURDER NIGHT AT HOTEL ADAIR, my The Haunting of Hill House x The Shining #A #H project.

───── ⋆⋅🩸⋅⋆ ─────
At Hotel Adair, the rooms are luxurious, the deaths are creative, and the check-out time is non-negotiable.
───── ⋆⋅🩸⋅⋆ ─────

A pitch card on a pink to blue gradient background. It features the front cover for Half the World Away, with the character of Alex leaning against the book, and the character of Theo sat on the floor. behind them are faint outlines of envelopes. Towards the bottom is a world map, with the following text over the top: When Theo moves into a state school during the era of Section 28, he’s persuaded to join a national pen pal project. His letter lands on the desk of private school boarder Alex. Despite their differences, the two begin to confide, sharing struggles with grief, loneliness, and the pressures of a society demanding conformity. With Alex set to move to France, Theo must express his true feelings before they miss their one chance to meet.

Half the World Away -11/11/2025

HEARTSTOPPER x BOY LIKE ME

My brand new young adult novel is available to pre-order now from all your favourite places.

🛒 - www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

A pitch card on a pink to blue gradient background. It features the front cover for Half the World Away, with the character of Alex leaning against the book, and the character of Theo sat on the floor. behind them are faint outlines of envelopes. Towards the bottom is a world map, with the following text over the top: When Theo moves into a state school during the era of Section 28, he’s persuaded to join a national pen pal project. His letter lands on the desk of private school boarder Alex. Despite their differences, the two begin to confide, sharing struggles with grief, loneliness, and the pressures of a society demanding conformity. With Alex set to move to France, Theo must express his true feelings before they miss their one chance to meet.

Half the World Away -11/11/2025

HEARTSTOPPER x BOY LIKE ME

My brand new young adult novel is available to pre-order now from all your favourite places.

🛒 - www.linktree.com/jamesalyons

It'll start with a book featuring a trans character and then spread across all books with positive representation of LGBTQ+ people. And then it will escalate further.

We know exactly who will be leading the protests about such books being in schools already. We can't let another Section 28 happen.

I think we're within a year of an outrage about a trans related book that will echo the language around Jenny Lives with Eric and Martin in the 80s. The knock on effect will be huge and there will be media outcry, protests outside schools & book bans led by "concerned parents".

HALF THE WORLD AWAY - 11/11/2025 My new young adult novel is available to pre-order now!

Find out more about my new novel Half the World Away, and why I wrote it, here:

open.substack.com/pub/jamesaly...

Publishing NOVEMBER- pre-order now!

A book cover featuring the title HALF THE WORLD AWAY in handwriting on top of a globe. Underneath is a fireplace with a plant, a letter and a flamingo statue. Surrounding the picture is a yellow border, plus the release date of 11th November 2025.

My new YA novel HALF THE WORLD AWAY is out 11th November!
It's an LGBTQ+ book set during Section 28.

Pre-order now at linktree.com/jamesalyons

Published by @srlpublishing.bsky.social

🥹🥹

this book sounds like it's going to break my heart 💔 in the best way possible 😭

A book cover featuring the title HALF THE WORLD AWAY in handwriting on top of a globe. Underneath is a fireplace with a plant, a letter and a flamingo statue. Surrounding the picture is a yellow border, plus the release date of 11th November 2025.

My new YA novel HALF THE WORLD AWAY is out 11th November!
It's an LGBTQ+ book set during Section 28.

Pre-order now at linktree.com/jamesalyons

Published by @srlpublishing.bsky.social

Bots out here thinking I wrote The Wizard of Oz lol