Laura Blake

They say home is where the heart is. Unless the immigration office comes knocking. Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family ― her sharp-witted daughter Carmen, her son Scott who no one mentions, and five grandkids who keep her on her toes. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie ― until a letter from the Home Office arrives. It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica ― a country she hasn’t seen since childhood. As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built ― and the family that built her? @laurablakewrites 's GO HOME BIRDIE BROWN is a powerful and emotional novel inspired by the Windrush Scandal and Laura's family. Coming 18th June 2026

🚨New Event Alert!!🚨 The group chat is stepping out…📚 📌Monday 1 June, 6.30pm @piccadillywaterstones Join us for TEXT OF KIN - our second Dark Matter x Waterstones Piccadilly event - an evening of conversation around family and fiction that cuts close to home. In this live panel, three incredible authors dive into their latest novels to explore family dynamics across generations, continents and communities. 🎤Hosted by Sarah Gwonyoma - writer, book critic and founder of @WhatSarahReadNext ), and featuring our guest authors: @marieclaireamuah SISTER OF MINE (Out now) @krystlezara HALF LIVES (Out June 4) @laurablakewrites GO HOME BIRDIE BROWN (Out June 18) You’ll know them from - ‘One For Sorrow, Two For Joy’, ‘Rootless’ and ‘Home is not Here’. Expect a thoughtful, lively conversation, giveaways and the chance to connect with fellow readers. + Pre-publication exclusives In addition to Sister of Mine, you’ll be able to purchase Half Lives and Go Home Birdie Brown ahead of release, with ALL authors signing on the night. 🎟️ Visit waterstones.com/events or tap the link in our bio for tickets. See you there! 🙋🏿‍♀️ Don’t sleep on this, our first event in the series sold out 🙏🏿 #SisterOfMine #HalfLives #GoHomeBirdieBrown #LondonBookEvent #DarkMatterMktg

Join us on the 30th June where we'll be in conversation with Laura Blake to discuss her debut novel, Go Home Birdie Brown, a powerful and emotional novel inspired by the Windrush scandal. Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family — her sharp-witted daughter Carmen, her son Scott who no one mentions, and five grandkids who keep her on her toes. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie — until a letter from the Home Office arrives. It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica — a country she hasn’t seen since childhood. As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built — and the family that built her? This event will consist of an author interview, followed by an audience Q&A and a signing. Tickets can be bought on the Waterstones website via the link in our bio, or in store with a bookseller. 📚✨

A bit late, but April 2026: A visit from Mum, theatre trips, outdoor yoga, checking my seedlings every two hours to see if there’s any progress, befriending the neighbour’s cat, reading at @storiebrum , temporarily living in a building site and cuddles with the best pup in the whole wide word. Favourite read: One for Sorrow, Two for Joy, Marie-Claire Amuah Currently reading: Ghost, Robert Harris #writersofinstagram #april

March 2026: Gentle moments of joy, and little reminders of love. Favourite read: Convenience Store Woman, Sayaka Murata Currently (re) reading: Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery #march #writersofinstagram #spring #bookstagram #reading

When I was little, my nan would tell me stories from her childhood. I had my favourites and would request them so often I knew them off by heart: the time she climbed a drainpipe and got stuck on the school roof; the time she fell out of a window and broke her leg; the time she put her wet shoes in the oven and then forgot about them, burning them to ashes. She was always getting into scrapes, and I wished I could have known her when she was a girl. To have had a friend, as brave and brilliant as her? I would have been over the moon.   My nan was so funny, and so kind. She had a razor-sharp wit and a compulsion to feed everyone that walked through her front door. When I think of her, I think of my childhood: blackberry picking in Borth; rifling through her wardrobe to play dress-up; listening to her sing to my baby siblings. But I also think of her childhood, and the little girl I never met but knew so well from her stories. What a woman. Love you, Nan.   Nancy Patricia May, March 1937 - March 2026

February 2026: Went to Rome, moved house, explored my new neighbourhood and saw my name on the cover of a book for the very first time! Favourite read of the month: The Lamplighter’s Bookshop, Sophie Austin Currently reading: Open Water, Caleb Azumah Nelson #writersofinstagram #february

Four years ago today I finished the first draft of my first novel. I was writing during a particularly challenging time in my life, and for months all I did was eat, sleep and write and very little else. I was so proud of myself for pushing through and getting to the end - up until that point, I’d only ever written short stories and wasn’t convinced I could pull off a whole novel! But here we are, four years later, and I get to hold the proof in my hands. Honestly, I can’t stop staring at it! I am beyond grateful to my agent @lauraewilliams12 and my editor @bradley4254 , as well as the @harperfiction team for making this a reality. It’s been a really long road, but I am so glad I kept going. I cannot wait for readers to meet Birdie and her family. Go Home Birdie Brown is available for pre-order. Follow the link in my bio (25% off at Waterstones until 20th Feb!) #bookstagram #debutnovel #comingsoon #newbook #contemporaryfiction

A little bird told me that you can get 25% off if you pre-order my debut novel by Friday… I am so thrilled to share that Go Home Birdie Brown has been selected for a Waterstones pre-order promotion AND also offer a first glimpse of the BEAUTIFUL cover. Use the code FEB26 by Friday 20th Feb to get 25% off. Follow the link in my bio - every single pre-order means so much! Thanks @waterstones *** Birdie Brown’s life is held together by family. Retirement is bingo nights, babysitting, and TV with her granddaughter Saffie – until a letter from the Home Office arrives. It says she’s here illegally. That she must return to Jamaica – a country she hasn’t seen since childhood. As the system threatens to erase her, Birdie must confront buried truths and fractured ties. Can she hold on to the life she built – and the family that built her? #waterstones #bookstagram #windrushscandal

January 2026: Bought a house, finished proofreading my first novel, finished the Christmas cake, snow! Started decorating (and packing, which is less fun), read a bit, wrote a bit. A busy, brilliant start to the year. Favourite read of the month: The Best of Everything, Kit de Waal Currently reading: The Mercy Step, Marcia Hutchinson #writersofinstagram #debutauthor #january

December 2025: proofreading, quality time with family and friends and little moments of Christmas joy. It’s been an incredibly busy end to a rewarding year and I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store. Six months until Birdie Brown takes flight! #writersofinstagram #debutnovelist

This time last year, I was prepping with my agent, the incredible @lauraewilliams12 , to go on sub. Twelve months later and I’ve just finished the copy edits for my debut novel. It’s been a rollercoaster of year but I am so grateful for all the support from the brilliant team at @harperfiction . So excited for what comes next - watch this space! (It’s also been exactly one year since I fainted and came round with a concussion and a black eye. Finalising copy edits was a much nicer way to spend the day!) #writersofinstagram #bookstagram #debut #debutnovel