Clare Furniss

Clare Furniss is a bestselling author of novels for young adults. Her books portray complex family relationships and the power of teenage friendship, tackling subjects such as loss and grief, dementia, and teenage pregnancy with an element of humour. Her first book, The Year of the Rat (Simon and Schuster), tells the story of a teenage girl who loses her mum but gains a baby sister and her struggle to come to terms with both. It was published to critical acclaim in 2014 and translated into many languages. Its follow-up, How Not to Disappear (Simon and Schuster), about a pregnant teenager and her great-aunt embarking on an unlikely road trip, examined themes of memory and secrets. Both books were longlisted for the Carnegie medal, and between them were shortlisted for the Branford Boase, UKLA, and Independent Bookshop Week Indie awards, and the YA Book prize.

Clare has worked as a lecturer on the BA Creative Writing at Bath Spa University and as a Manuscript Tutor on the Bath Spa MA Writing for Young People, of which she is a graduate herself. She also delivers creative writing workshops for young people and adults in schools and at literary festivals. She previously worked in media relations in politics and the charity sector.

Her forthcoming book, The Things We Leave Behind (Simon and Schuster), interweaves fairy tales with a story set in a near-future world where two sisters are forced to flee their London home due to political unrest, and explores the relationship between stories and hope.