Matt Haig

So lovely to meet so many of you this year on the Notes on a Nervous Planet tour. I’m taking some time out of doing events now and cracking on with writing a new novel. Hope to see some of you next year. In the meantime, Reasons to Stay Alive, has been adapted for the stage by English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, dates and links are below:

Friday 13th September to Saturday 28th September, Sheffield Crucible, Tickets

Tuesday 1st October to Saturday 5th October, Bristol Old Vic, Tickets

Tuesday 8th October to Saturday 12th October, Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield, Tickets

Tuesday 15th October to Saturday 19th October, Northern Stage Newcastle, Tickets

Tuesday 29th October to Saturday 2nd November, Manchester Home, Tickets

Tuesday 5th November to Saturday 9th November, York Theatre Royal, Tickets

Tuesday 12th November to Saturday 16th November, Leeds Playhouse, Tickets

STUDIOCANAL, Netflix and Blueprint Pictures are making a live action movie of A Boy called Christmas! It stars tonnes of amazing people, Jim Broadbent, Zoe Colletti, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Maggie Smith, Henry Lawfull, Michiel Huisman, Rune Temte, Indica Watson & Kristen Wiig, and is simply a dream come true. The amazing Gil Kenan is directing. Ol Parker wrote the script! More info here and here.

My new book for children, Evie and the Animals, is out now. It has been illustrated by the wonderful Emily Gravett and she has done an amazing job!

Here’s the book blurb:

Eleven-year-old Evie has a talent. A SUPERTALENT.

A talent that can let her HEAR the thoughts of an elephant, and make friends with a dog and a sparrow.

The only problem is, this talent is dangerous. VERY dangerous. That’s what her dad says.

So when she frees the school rabbit from its tiny hutch, she vows to keep her talent a secret. But after a face-to-face encounter with a lion, things start to go very wrong. Her dad – and every animal in town – is now in danger. Evie is determined to save them. And to find the truth of her own past. To do that she must battle a mysterious man with a talent more powerful than any other.

As time runs out, she must seek help from the animals, and finally DARE TO BE HERSELF?

Here’s what people have said about my children’s books:

“Absolutely brilliant”
CBBC

“The perfect package of happiness”
OLIVIA COLMAN

“Full of heart and humour”
Daily Express

“Touching, funny and packed with memorable characters”
Sunday Mail

You can download a bookmark or poster or activity pack here.

Thanks to the wonderful rights team at Canongate my books have found some lovely homes around the world. Reasons to Stay Alive has just been sold to it’s 39th international territory. (For any further information on international rights please contact the Canongate Rights team.)

Notes on a Nervous Planet is published in America by Penguin

More international rights info is here.

So lovely to meet so many of you this year on the Notes on a Nervous Planet tour. I’m doing some more events and would love to see you there.

Saturday 1st June

5.30 pm Hay Festival event on Notes on a Nervous Planet, Baillie Gifford stage Tickets

Sunday 2nd June

 11.30am-12.30pm  Hay Festival event on Evie and the Animals, Wales Stage, 6+ Tickets

Sunday 9 June 

12-1pm   Cheltenham Science Festival event, Notes on a Nervous Planet. Chair: Claudia Hammond, broadcaster, Town Hall, Main Hall,  Tickets

4.30-5.30pm Cheltenham Science Festival, panel event,  Mental Illness: What’s To Blame?, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Parabola Arts Centre, Tickets

Friday 5 July

7.30-10pm Caroline Lucas in conversation with Matt Haig event, St George’s Church, St George’s Road, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1ED, Tickets