Writing

I work with words in all their forms, solo and with collaborators, via publishing, lyrical essays, film, poetry, making books, spoken word, middle grade novels, in galleries, in theatres and in the community. Some people say I’m a word-artist – I say I do stuff with words. These are some words examples.

I am represented by Molly Ker Hawn at The Bent Agency.

photo description: logo of The Bent Agency – capital letters in black, blue and grey

The Secret of Haven Point

Publishing February 2022 from Puffin books, part of Penguin Random House UK, THE SECRET OF HAVEN POINT is a lyrical voice-led middle grade novel set on the north east coast, in a lighthouse, with a captain with a kitten in his beard, and a gang of disabled friends having a cracking adventure. As yet untitled, book two will follow in early 2023.

You can pre-order a copy here – please and thank you.

WriteNow graduate Lisette Auton signs deal with Puffin - Puffin has acquired The Secret of Haven Point and one other book from Lisette Auton, a 2018 graduate of Penguin's WriteNow programme — screenshot description: headline from the Bookseller magazine. A photo of me looking wistful, wearing a dress with tigers on, my purple stick is hooked over the fence I’m leaning on. Text in Alt text for screenreaders.

This adventure began when I won a coveted spot as one of 10 mentees out of over 1700 applicants on Penguin RHUK’s WriteNow programme. You can read more about it here:

photo description: 12 squares containing in each a photo of the 12 mentees, I am one of them. The Penguin logo and the words Write Now are mid left hand side.

You can read about other books and publications here.

Best British and Irish Flash Fiction

I have a coveted place on the #BIFFY 50 List celebrating the Best British and Irish Flash Fiction 2018-2019 for my piece SECOND BEST ROOM.

A horse with a mermaid's tail holds a quill. Text reads: Best British & Irish Flash Fiction 2018-2019 #BIFFY50 — photo description: #BIFFY50 logo

Creative Non-Fiction

These articles are examples of commissions for creative non-fiction:

On Difference and Disability – commissioned by The Bookseller

On Not Writing – commissioned by Northern Gravy

Turning limitations into possibilities – commissioned feature article for Arts Professional

Access is Kindness – commissioned by Luxi Ltd

I can zoom – If… – commissioned by Little Cog

Crap-Bag Days – a lyrical essay, commissioned by Carmen Marcus

What’s in a name? – Opinion Piece

Diverse – Finding my Tribe – Review

Karen Sheader – The Need to be Creative – Interview

Kev Howard – A Photo Essay – Showcase

Lisette Auton & Vici Wreford-Sinnott in Conversation – Is Emerging even a Thing? – Interview

Secret Diary of a Fledgling Freelancer – commissioned article for development agency, New Writing North

Disconsortia – A Lyrical Essay – commissioned piece as Writer in Residence for Disconsortia – part poem, part essay, part transcript.

Poetry

The following are links to a few examples of my poetry online:

Second Best Room – commissioned poem for Visual Verse

Surrender and Go To War and Fight For Me – published at I am Not a Silent Poet

The Fallacy of Saving – published in Snakeskin 233

We Rule – published in Issue 3: Locations of DNA Magazine (p.34)

Editor

photo description: logo for Disability Arts Online

I was appointed as Guest Editor for Disability Arts Online from December 2018 – February 2019. I wrote seven pieces including interviews, an opinion piece, reviews and showcases, and commissioned a further 12 articles which were published in 4 newsletters in a takeover in February 2019. I also conducted an Instagram takeover and hosted a live Twitter debate. The theme for the editorship was Northern Emerging Disabled Artists – to give this region, and other artists in my position, a platform to showcase their unbelievable talent. This is the link to the project page with all the articles I wrote and commissioned.