ZUNTOLD PUBLISHING’S LATEST YA NOVEL TACKLES ONLINE GROOMING

Young adult novel Always Here For You by Miriam Halahmy will be launched by ZunTold Publishing on 11 February 2020, as part of its Fiction as Therapy arm, coinciding with Safer Internet Day.

Drawing from real life accounts, Always Here For You gives voice to important issues in an accessible and compelling read, ideal for fans of Holly Bourne and Alice Oseman. Halahmy brings her rich and varied background to the novel; a former secondary school teacher and special needs educator, the writer also has experience of working with refugees and is most known for her Carnegie-shortlisted novel Hidden.

A gripping story, Always Here For You focuses on how 14-year-old protagonist Holly is groomed via a social media app as she becomes more and more isolated from her family and friends. Shedding light on this current and significant issue, Halahmy drew from teenagers’ first-hand accounts before writing the novel.

Published by the Manchester-based publishing house ZunTold, Always Here For You is the second novel in the publisher’s Fiction as Therapy division, following the release of Samuel Pollen’s The Year I Didn’t Eat. Working closely with mental health professionals, ZunTold is publishing a tranche of new titles with therapeutic value, with an aim of supporting young people and their mental health.

Underpinning the serious message behind the novel, online mental health services provider Kooth will be supporting the launch by publishing online excerpts on its content channels accompanied by comments and advice from counsellors.

ZunTold founder and MD Elaine Bousfield has a strong background in supporting young people’s mental health; she is the founder of XenZone, the organisation that delivers the Kooth service. She said: “I’m thrilled to be bringing Miriam’s book to the YA market. She covers a vital topic for young people today and is a fantastic writer.

“Online grooming continues to be a serious issue affecting a huge range of families in the UK, and so we hope Always Here For You will help to raise awareness of this, especially in conjunction with Safer Internet Day.

“I’m especially pleased to have Kooth’s support on this book launch, who carry out invaluable work with young people and children via their online platforms. I’m confident that as part of our Fiction as Therapy branch Miriam’s book will be a valuable tool for ZunTold’s young readers, as well as an engrossing read.”

Always Here For You will launch 11February 2020, ISBN 9781916204218.