Daniel Ingram-Brown

Awards

• Taner Baybars award for original writing in the field of science fiction, fantasy and magical realism. Awarded by the Society of Authors Authors' Foundation.
• Doctorate in creative writing and educaion
• Creative Writing and Drama in Education. Deans Award for Academic Achievement at Masters Level.

Organisations

• Storymakers Comapny: Leeds Beckett University
• The Society of Authors
• Leeds Big Bookend Festival (Chair 2013-16)
• First Story Author in Residence
• Suitcase and Spectacles Children's Theatre (Artistic Director)

Details

Thanks for visiting my Contact an Author page!

As a published author, theatre maker and educator, I love inspiring students to read and write for pleasure. I have over twenty years' experience of visiting primary and secondary schools across the country and offer one-off workshops, day visits and longer residencies. I also have a doctorate in creative writing and education.

“It was brilliant… The children were so engaged… They went on to do lots of follow up work. The teachers also said they were ‘inspired’... The aim was to inspire children to read and that was very much achieved. The workshops also inspired them to write too!”

The Grammar School at Leeds

My books:

I am the author of four middle grade fantasy books and have edited eight anthologies of students' writing and two anthologies of adults' writing. I have also written several plays.

→ Bea's Witch: A ghostly coming-of-age story for children aged 9-12. The story explores themes of adoption, the care system, identity, home and displacement (Collective Ink, 2021).

→ The Firebird Chronicles series for children aged 9-12 (Collective Ink) - Rise of the Shadow Stealers (2013), The Nemesis Charm (2016) and Through the Uncrossable Boundary (2018).

→ My doctoral thesis, The Writer's Cauldron, explores the process of writing and teaching writing, with a focus on the theme of adoption.

“Mystery…foreboding…highly atmospheric… This bildungsroman of a journey captures the vulnerability of a child in care and considers the emotional effect of adoption and bullying. It blends a contemporary character with an historical tale, adding a splash of fantasy and a sprinkle of magic. I have said before that a good book is a good book whether it is written for children or adults and this latest novel, by Daniel Ingram-Brown, and described as young adult fiction, is a good book!”

The Yorkshire Times on Bea's Witch

My approach includes:

• • → Building students’ investment, ownership and enjoyment of creative writing.

  • → Encouraging reading and writing for pleasure.

  • → Co-creating stories with students using drama, oracy and other interactive techniques to inspire un-confident writers and reluctant readers.

  • → Modelling writing as a career through Q&As, writing alongside students, book readings and signings.

  • → Asking critical questions to encourage young people to develop empathy, understanding and wisdom through writing.

My experience and qualifications:

• • → Doctorate in creative writing and education, with a focus on exploring adoption.

  • → Royal Literay Fund Fellow based at the University of York (2024-present).

• • → Recipient of the Taner Baybars Award (2016) for original fiction in the field of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Magical Realism, awarded by the Society of Authors Authors' Foundation.

  • → Consultancy and CPD for developing story based curriculum approaches.

  • → Masters in Creative Writing and Drama in Education, graduating with distinction and the Deans Prize for Academic Achievement at Masters level (2019).

  • → Artistic Directior of Suitcase and Spectacles Theatre Company.

  • → Trustee for Alive and Kicking Theatre Company.

  • → Associate of the Storymakers Company, a group of artists and educators delivering creative, child-centred learning opportunities.

  • → My work has been featured on BBC TV & radio, in Juno Magazine, The Scotsman, Living North Magazine, The Lancashire Times, The Care Experience in Literature Archive and many other media outlets and publications.

My school visits often include a whole school assembly followed by workshops for specific classes or year groups, with a book signing after school or at lunchtime. My visits tend to either focus on modelling my job as a writer with 'Meet the Author' sessions that include a talk, readings and a Q&A, or on encouraging the children with their own creative writing through interactive workshops. I can design bespoke workshops to connect with aspects of your curriculum. Please get in touch to talk about specific requirements. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have a suggestion or question. I look forward to hearing from you.

A list of my workshops and author talks can be found at www.danielingrambrown.co.uk

For further enquiries or to book a visit, please contact me.

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "A coming of age story featuring ghosts, witches, childhood trauma, and adoption. A true must-read for middle readers! …Without a doubt, this is one of my favourite reads of the year…"

Reedsy Discovery on Bea's Witch

“Visiting Emerald Publishing was such an amazing experience and offered an interesting insight into the world of writing and publishing. I particularly loved hearing from author Daniel Ingram-Brown who spoke about his experiences as an author… He was open and honest about any questions we had for him. I really welcomed the feedback he gave me on the short 500-word story... Overall, my peers and I really enjoyed the visit, and we will definitely be submitting our stories to their creative writing contest.”

Meliazah McMahon, Student

"Completely enthralling… Spooky, magical moments… Highly impactful and skilled prose… Hard to put down."

Exclusive Magazine on Bea's Witch

“The room was buzzing all afternoon and Daniel really has the knack of firing children’s imaginations, especially boys. He helped the children to create their own individual stories whilst working in a collaborative way to build a wonderful island in the middle of the library. It was fantastic to see the children growing in confidence during the afternoon and being able to share their thoughts and ideas with their peers in a supportive atmosphere.”

Wendy Kent, Service Development Officer at Knaresborough Library

"This rollicking adventure... is reminiscent in tone to the Harry Potter series and Jeanette Winterson's Tanglewreck. Packed with literary references and cleverness, it focuses on the age-old conflict between light and dark, good and evil, and on the power of story. An engaging read for 9- to 14-year-olds."

Juno Magazine on Rise of the Shadow Stealers

“Not like a normal English class; it’s more relaxed and chilled… It’s fun because I’m allowed to freely express my thoughts and ideas with no wrong answers… [These sessions are] beneficial for all students (even teachers) to develop a sense of understanding how to create a story with complex and interesting characters.”

Aarzoo Khan, First Story Student

"9 out of 10. The writing is rich with atmosphere... Daniel Ingram-Brown has a way of setting the scene so that reader becomes immersed... I was gripped... Fans of the Narnia books or Inkheart will love this read."

The State of the Arts on The Nemesis Charm

“We were absolutely thrilled… You not only sent 70 children home feeling inspired and creative but a whole load of adults as well. The students had an excellent time and they are very excited about continuing their stories… We were really impressed with how you ran both days, with two very different audiences. Both schools felt that they'd had a real author experience and I have to say I got quite a kick out of the slightly anarchic scattering of children around the Hall.”

Beningbrough Hall

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