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Can horror be comforting?

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

It’s absolutely no secret that I adore horror. The films, books, campfire stories, haunted houses, ghost buses, ouija boards – you name it, I’m into it. One of the things I…

How to write a scary doll in children’s and YA horror

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By: Siobhan O'Brien Holmes

As I write this, my Chucky doll sits silently on my windowsill, staring at me and contemplating how he will murder me in my sleep tonight. If I don’t make…

Hello and welcome to The Cubhouse, a blog about writing, reading, finding, researching and analysing children's and young adult books 📚

I'm Siobhán, a developmental editor working with authors of middle grade and YA fiction. I'm also a mum, a volunteer school librarian and a Children's Literature MA grad, so my interest in kidlit is personal and academic as well as professional!

I passionately believe that children and teenagers need and deserve access to great stories, not only because reading for pleasure develops empathy, boosts comprehension levels and contributes to overall happiness and success in life, but also because it's fun.

That's why I spend my days helping brilliant writers create wonderful books fo children and teenagers.

Joelle Wisler
Siobhán's advice shaped my manuscript and query into a project that got a full manuscript request from an agent in the first week of querying.

Jennifer Grolemund
I am completely BLOWN AWAY! Your feedback is SO helpful and SO thoughtful. You are a truly talented editor!

Hazel Compton
One of the best things I’ve ever done for my writing. I’ve been writing for years, but this manuscript critique has developed and delved into a much stronger, deeper and focused version of my novel.

Angela Kecojevic
You’ve nailed everything and picked up on the things only an editorial expert can spot! You really have been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better editor to help with this!