Hello, I'm Jen Campbell. I'm an award-winning poet and bestselling author of twelve books, spanning short stories, poetry, picture books, and nonfiction.
My books for adults include The Beginning of the World in the Middle of the Night, The Girl Aquarium, The Bookshop Book, and The Sunday Times bestselling Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops series. My picture book trilogy Franklin and Luna, and my middle-grade book The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers, are published by Thames & Hudson.
I've worked in the publishing industry for over fifteen years, first as a bookseller, and now as a freelance editor, book reviewer, content creator and disability advocate. I offer online writing workshops and editorial services, give talks at schools, publishing companies, universities and book festivals on a variety of topics, and I run a book club for TOAST clothing.
If you would like to speak with me about the possibility of working together, please get in touch: www.jen-campbell.co.uk/contact
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Lovely to have you back, Jen. I’m adding a few more books to my TBR so thank you. 😄💙
Foster made me absolutly sob! and don't worry about happy baby sounds, they are lovely!
Hi 👋 ya Jen🤗 Brilliant hearing baby singing in background. ❤
Good to see you Jen, excited to hear Sarah Moss and Evie Wyld have new books coming out. Hello to your little one!
I love The Hole so much, just go in knowing that it's super super weird lol
I also didn't really like The Factory, but loved Weasels in the Attic. Personally I thought The Hole was more similar to Weasels in the Attic so hopefully you like it!
Would be cool to see your spreadsheets if its not to personal. :D
Great to see you Jen. Thanks a milkion for new reading recommendations. I have Foster next to me, due to start so am exited to pick it up now.
I thought you had some weird birds in the background. Or my dryer was on the way out down in the cellar 😆
I really missed your videos. There's no one quite like you! 😊
Lovely to see your face! I just finished reading Antarctica and I think maybe Claire Keegan isn’t for me. It’s the third of hers I’ve read and they seem to shoot entirely over my head and out into space… I duno what that’s about 😂
Congratulations on the little precious one! 🥰💋 we can hear her, but don’t apologize. It is sweet 💜🥰
Great video Jen
My day is now made! Thanks for posting/sharing! My TBR has grown exponentially. 🙂
Missed you Hope all is well.
An update from Jen is a complete delight! Also I'm deaf and read your captions, thank you for your work making your content accessible!
Awesome you posted! Love your channel!
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Woohoo! I've been anticipating this like the new House of the Dragon season! Probably more actually. :D
I missed you 😭❤️
I just found you and am 5 months post partum myself with my first. Love books and your vibe and your content is very relatable right now. Also had a complicated outcome to my cesarean, although yours sounds much more complicated and challenging. Solidarity and compassion your way Mama. Thanks for sharing!
Love your reviews❗️❗️
You are amazing, I could barely function after having my first child. Thanks for the video . 🤗
Watch The David Tennant Hamlet
Thanks for your amazing background history of the Pied Piper of Hamelin
You’re too white
I have read Elena Knows by Claudia Pineiro. I will never forget that book, it packed a big emotional wallop. I just found your channel and am really enjoying it.
I like the story where the 3 bears become her pals
Goldilocks is nice
WE MISSED YOU ❤ Saying that, hope all is well and please don't overdo anything, just do things at your own pace.
Regarding books centered around dinner parties, you may consider Babette's Feast, by Isak Dinesen. Please note that I've only watched the film, but I absolutely loved it. I'm thinking the book may be wonderful as well.
I've just finished the favour, I think I've read them all except the freida kline series. I disagree about killing me softly that was the first one I read about 24 years ago and what got me hooked. I thought I remembered reading one that was not a mystery, maybe that was one that was written by one or other of them. Great video 😃 📚
WOW this was an incredible analysis. I love Peter Pan as a literary device and this gives me soooo much to think about. Thank you!! ❤
Of the shortlist, I had only read Brotherless Night (really enjoyed) and The Wren, The Wren (didn't enjoy). I appreciate your reviews and will probably check out River East, River West next. Hope you and your family are doing well!
Definitely agree on your review of Soldier, Sailor - it was sos raw at times (and I also felt anger at my partner and all men haha) but it was definitely a lot at times in terms of writing style. I'm hoping to pick up Brotherless Night soon, it's one of the Women's Prize list I'm most excited for. Lovely to see you back, and hope you and all the family are doing well x
This was so much fun! Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! ❤
So, where are social services when you need them? 😂
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So lovely to see you back! The more I see people talking about the short list the more I want to read them all. I think Brotherless Night and Enter Ghost are at the top of my list at the moment. The articulation struggle you spoke about regarding River East River West is exactly how I feel every time I read Ali Smith 😅
We really do tie books to life times. I read Life of Pi when I had horrific hyperemesis and I'll never be able to disconnect it from that.
First vlog back and it's one of my favorites ever!! I loved your energy, I love your present state (though I obviously wish you rest and to be in whatever state feels great for you).
I hadn’t made the connection between Brotherless Night and Transcendent Kingdom, but it’s a great connection. I loved both books. Really great to hear your reviews on these books.
But the rats were never mentioned in the earliest stories 🤷♂️
Lovely to see you back! Interested to read so many of these books. What you were saying about books that focus on one small section of someone’s life vs zoomed out books looking at someone’s entire life really resonated with me; I feel the same a lot of the time.
Hi Jen, congratulations on baby and good luck with the missing schedule. Loved this video - really appreciated your sense of humour. As you were saying that you were getting progressively more dishevelled as the video progressed, I was thinking to myself how gorgeous your skin was looking ☺️. All POV, my dear … I listened to Enter Ghost on audio; I loved it and was totally absorbed by it. I haven’t read River East, River West but it had gathered such brilliant reviews from everybody, I think I had better get to it soon .
Welcome back Jen! Really enjoyed the way you expressed your thoughts on Soldier Sailor and all the other books too. The Wren, The Wren sounds so up my alley. Your focaccia dough looked perfect! And you quick scones looked delicious, I need to make some now too.
I loved Enter Ghost! I have a 5 month old and so Sailor Soldier sounds like something to check out. Have you read The Long Form by Kate Briggs? It's about a 24 hours with a six weeks old and about the novel form and time and I read 9 months pregnant and it was great! Also if you're interested in more fiction about the Sri Lankan civil war have you read any Shankari Chandran? Love Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and I'm currently reading Song of the Sun God (though trigger warning for death of a child in Cinnamon Gardens) So lovely to come along on your reading vlog again as always more to add to my reading list. Thank you!
I've DNFed 3 books on the shortlist - Sailor Soldier (I just did not enjoy the sentimental tone - in my opinion, Ordinary Human Failings should have made the shortlist instead but unfortunately I think Sailor Soldier might win), The Wren, the Wren (couldn't get into the 'roomba of thoughts' style), Restless Dolly Maunder (might get back to it but wasn't in the mood for a folksy story). I appreciated Enter Ghost but would have wished for multiple POVs. Really enjoyed River East, River West and Brotherless Night for the stories they told.
Well this was abit lovely and cosy wasn't it? Lovely to see you in my sub feed again and as someone who very much hasn't had time to read the shortlist for the first time in a while I very my appreciated this run down so I can sound like I somewhat know what I'm on about at the party this week. I've read Soldier Sailor and it was so immersive I started worrying that I would leave my child in the woods and I had to keep reminding myself I did not have a child and I was not the character lol, but the heart palpitations were REAL! I wasn't looking forward to River East but NOW I AM, thank you. Now off to finish Enter Ghost... Can't wait to see u in person soon but this was a lovely digital hit of your face xxx
p.s. I'm making this my video of the week on my community tab! ;)
Have you read "The house in the cerulian sea" by TJ Klune? Books by Shion Miura? "The Dallergut dream department store" by Miye Lee? Satoshi Yagisawa "Days at the Morisaki bookshop"? Glad you are back💖🙏🫂🫖☕🥧🍵🕯📓🖋📚Warm hugs from Sweden