I’m a hopeless romantic so clearly when I heard about this book I wanted to read it!  How to Write a Love Story by young adult author Katy Cannon, tells the story of Tilly Frost, who has grown up reading her grandmother’s bestselling romance novels. When her grandmother is taken ill, Tilly has to finish her latest work and so begins a brand new chapter in her life, that will bring new meaning to the words ‘love story’.  Written with warmth, humour and a great deal of insight into teenage heartaches, How to Write a Love Story is bound to delight its readers.

I’m delighted to be hosting this stop on the blog tour to celebrate the publication of How to Write a Love Story and to welcome Katy Cannon to the blog. Katy has written several successful YA novels including Love, Lies and Lemon Pies which has been published in eight languages.

Today Katy has written a very special guest post for me to share.  What would you say to your sixteen year old self?  The benefit of hindsight can be hugely revealing and I’m very honoured to share this personal letter written by Katy to her sixteen year old self.

A Love Letter To Young Katy 

“Dear Sixteen Year Old Me 

Right now, with GCSEs looming and friends getting into all sorts of trouble, I know it feels like this year will never end. But I’m here to tell you that it does, and that life gets better. Being a teenager sucks, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But, twenty years on, I can look back at you and smile. You’re not perfect, but you’re me, and you’ve got a lot more going for you than you think.

You’re a great friend – supportive and sympathetic. And that’s something I hope I’ve held onto from those times, to always help a friend in need. They’ll help you back when you need it too, but that’s not why we do it. We do it because we care. 

You’re smarter than you think. Yes, GCSEs are hard. So are A-Levels and your degree, when you get there. But you do get there. You work hard and you achieve what you set out to do. (Even passing your driving test. So don’t stress out too much the first time you fail. Or even the fourth time, come to that. Just keep at it.) That ability to keep on trying, to keep going even when the odds seem stacked against you (like that U grade in your Science GCSE mock) will take you great places. You’ll travel the world, meet incredible people, even fall in love, for real this time.

And most of all – you’ll get to live your dream. It’ll take every last bit of courage and perseverance and determination you have in your bones and blood, but one day you’ll see your own book on the shelf in a bookshop, with your name written in bright letters on the cover. (And sometimes other names, and lots of other books, but that’s another story.)

But for now, just be kind. Not just to your friends, but to our family (even Dad when he’s grumpy) and to yourself. They’re all trying their best, and so are you. It’s hard figuring out your place in the world. But you don’t have to be perfect at it – or anything else – right now. There’s time to get it right, and honestly? You’ll never be perfect. But as long as you keep trying, you’ll get a little better every day.

And that’s all any of us can hope for.

With love, always

Your older self xxx”

Find out more at www.katycannon.com 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the blog tour!

With thanks to Stripes Publishing for sending me this book to review.