HM The Queen joined Francesca Simon and the other judges of the BBC 500 Words competition at Windsor Castle for a very special event. The winners of the writing competition were revealed in a special edition of The One Show broadcast on 7th March, which you can watch here. Here is Francesca with fellow judges […]
Read more »
The judges for this year’s BBC 500 Words competition recently gathered at Buckingham Palace. The panel of judges, which is chaired by Alex Jones from The One Show, includes Francesca Simon, Ruth Ayling-Ellis, Sir Lenny Henry, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Charlie Higson and Malorie Blackman was joined by Her Majesty The Queen. The judges debated which the […]
Read more »
Francesca took part in the launch of the BBC’s writing competition 500 Words in a special piece on The One Show. To watch the episode visit the BBC iplayer here. The annual competition which is the UK’s most successful writing competition for children, is now open for entries. She’s just one of a host of […]
Read more »
Francesca is a guest on Five Books describing her adult novel Salka and other mythological retellings
Read more » Francesca is a guest on the Spectator podcast talking about her adult book Salka
Read more »In an extensive review Gramophone magazine’s Arnold Whittall lauds The Faerie Bride for its structural terseness and psycholgical candour. Calling it a ‘fine example of contemporary music, which makes this splendid recording something to savour’. Francesca is singled out for praise – for her libretto that is ‘a model of economical expressiveness’. The review appears […]
Read more »
Francesca Simon writes: SALKA, Lady of the Lake, started life as a cantata called The Faerie Bride. My friend and opera collaborator, the composer Gavin Higgins, suggested we turn the medieval Welsh legend about a lake faerie who marries a shepherd on condition he never strikes her three heart-blows into a piece for two voices, […]
Read more » Salka is a passionate retelling of a haunting myth, a tragic romance that echoes through the ages. Faber will publish Salka: Lady of the Lake in April 2025. Francesca’s first novel for an adult readership is an exquisite and tautly moving tragedy told by multiple voices, both a richly woven retelling of an ancient Welsh […]
Read more »
A recording of the libretto Gavin Higgins created with Francesca Simon, called The Faerie Bride, will be released on CD. The production, which is a Horn Corncerto for horn and orchestra, features Ben Goldscheider (horn), the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Jaime Martin as conductor. In telling the tale of The Faerie Bride, Gavin […]
Read more »
Francesca Simon is very proud to be a judge for this year’s BBC 500 Words competition. This year she’s joined by author and Waterstones Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, author Charlie Higson, author Malorie Blackman, author and comedian Sir Lenny Henry as well as singer song-writer Olivia Dean. Entries close on 8th November at 9pm so […]
Read more »Did you know Horrid Henry has a website all of his own? It has all the books and lots of fun things to see and do…
