Congratulations! The Branford Boase shortlist has featured many popular authors as they started out. What does it mean to make this shortlist?

It’s so exciting, especially to be on the list with Emma and Charlie!! And yes, looking at all the authors that have made the list before… it feels like powerfully good company to be in! Pleased as punch.

Lots of librarians use this list to host book clubs in their schools, what would you love young readers to take from your book?

I really hope they see that a bit of delusion can be a good thing, especially when it comes to love.

Many readers of your nominated book will be students between 8 – 13 years old (some are slightly older ahem). What book do you remember reading at that time that has stuck with you into adulthood?

Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging and His Dark Materials were two big ones for me. And I still love romance, comedy AND fantasy so nothing has changed much.

We’d love to know: the Worst Bit, the Best Bit and a Random Rest bit about writing a book for young people.

Worst Bit: CARING TOO MUCH WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE THINK- I’m still on a desperate mission to impress my younger cousins and it is a humiliating experience for all involved.

Best Bit: Seeing how the culture has changed in young people, I think they get a lot of bad press but I have found the young people I’ve met through the experience of writing the book to be so much more welcoming, progressive and kind than I anticipated.

Random Rest: I would say having people respond to Jean has been such a lovely thing, she’s my favourite (don’t tell Patch).

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Congratulations! The Branford Boase shortlist has featured many popular authors as debuts and their editors. What does it mean to make this shortlist?

It means the world to us to be recognized by the Branford Boase Award – what an honour! Not only is it recognition of Harry’s fantastic debut, but it’s also so meaningful to be highlighted alongside Harry for working on this brilliant piece of queer fiction, especially in the current climate. It’s never been more important to champion inclusive stories and we are so proud to be on this shortlist.

How has being an editor changed in the last 2 years with the increasing access to AI tools?

While there are some AI tools that can be helpful in improving operational efficiency, AI hasn’t changed the heart of what we do as editors. We will always continue to search for brilliant authentic voices, which are irreplaceable!

For students reading wondering how a book comes together, what top three skills do you think are necessary for being an editor in 2026?

First and foremost, a passion for stories, and a sense of your own personal taste. This will ensure you’re always working to make a book the very best it can be for its intended readership. It’s also important to be able to look outward – an awareness of the wider world your readers are living in, so you can engage with what people actually care about right now. Finally, being able to approach a project with a big-picture lens is crucial to ensure you can see how all the elements of a story stitch together and provide cohesive, holistic notes.

Many readers of your nominated book will be teenage students.  What book do you remember reading at that time that has stuck with you into adulthood?

Charlie: For me, it was big, iconic, speculative worlds. Twilight, The Hunger Games, Divergent . . . you know the type!

Emma: I loved those too, but I was all about voice-led, relatable fiction when I was a teenager. Judy Blume and Jacqueline Wilson – I couldn’t get enough!

We’d love to know: the Worst Bit, the Best Bit and a Random Rest bit about editing a book for young people.

• Worst bit: The humbling moment where you suggest an edit that your author has to correct – because you’re too old to get the reference . . .
• Best bit: It’s always going to be hearing from young people about what they loved. The editing process puts us straight back into that teenage headspace, and getting that feedback from kids and teens is so rewarding.
• Random rest: It’s always fun to try and get a room full of serious adults thinking like kids!

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Many thanks to Harry, Charlie and Emma for answering our questions about Harry’s debut novel The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King.  You can find out more about this book below and catch up with all the Branford Boase shortlist books on our Book Awards page here.