Introducing… Sam Spier
Happy New Year! Our first new author of 2026 is Sam Spier.
Sam currently lives and works in London with her husband and her cat, Luna. A fantasy lover by nature, she is heavily inspired by the rural landscapes around the UK, and can often be found up a mountain, by a lake, or lost in the wild. Sam is proudly neurodiverse and is open about having late-diagnosed dyslexia and ADHD, as well as difficulties with her mental health. When she’s not writing, she can be found curled up with a book, drinking her third (or fourth) cup of tea.
What is your writing routine?
My writing routine isn’t so much a routine as it is a mad grab for any free time I have throughout the day. But I do use my (very) long London commute to write as much as possible on my way to work. When I do settle down to write at my laptop, I always need two things: my airpods and a cup of tea!
Who is your favorite author and how have they inspired you?
There are so many I could mention here. If I had to really narrow it down, Maggie Stiefvater is one of those authors whose books absolutely changed the trajectory of my life. Maggie does character like no one else; they’re complex and gritty and real and I took so much inspiration from her as a young writer when it came to my own characters. She’s also the absolute queen of the hooky first line!
What was the inspiration for your manuscript?
I wrote the first iterations of my manuscript at 16 from the top bunk of my bunkbed. I’ve always been inspired by characters who overcome and preserve despite the odds, so I guess it was inevitable that my own characters would take on those characteristics. I am also incredibly privileged to have three beautiful sisters who inspire me every day and remind me how different and complicated and wonderful girlhood really is.
Who is your favourite character in your book?
This is such a difficult question. How to choose between my girls? I suppose I love all three of them in different ways. Eleanor because she embodies the strength that comes from kindness. Wren because she hopes, despite everything that happens to her. Cecily because she fights fiercely for the people she loves. To me, they kind of come as a package deal. The story isn’t complete without all three of them working together.
What inspires you first: character or plot?
Always character. I don’t think I’ve ever written anything without it being anchored in a character first. I’m deeply interested in people, and I think this is a big part of why my stories always have such big casts. I love exploring the intersectionality of society and the people in it.
Describe your perfect day.
It absolutely has to start early and it has to be sunny. Not hot, slightly chilly, but blue skies. Ideally, I’d be in some kind of cabin with my husband in the middle of the countryside. We’d have a cup of tea in bed, then a huge (and I mean huge) breakfast followed by a hike either on a mountain or by the sea. My husband would take pictures (he’s a photographer) and I would use the scenery as inspiration while we walked. At the end of the hike, there would be tea and cake or a pub with a fire where I would write and he would look at his pictures.
In the afternoon, we’d have a nap, put a film on (probably Harry Potter) and then we’d go to a pub quiz or a games night with family and friends. Ideally, the night would end in the early hours and I’d fall back into bed exhausted but content (and probably ready to wake up and do it again the next day).