Joe’s back… in the sequel to What Happened to You?

By Lucy & James Catchpole

You’re So Amazing! is coming in May 2023, and pre-orders are now open. We both wrote this one, so you’re getting two disabled authors for the price of one, really.

Writing this together, as a married couple with such different experiences of disability, has been fascinating.

As an amputee, James is called “amazing” a lot – as a wheelchair user it’s a reaction I get far, far less. But of course this is James’s story really, because Joe is basically child-James – just as he is in What Happened to You? Over to him for the rest of this post…

– Lucy Catchpole

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Ah, the Difficult Second Book. It really is a thing. You spend years dredging the first one from the depths of your soul, fussing over every last detail until it’s truly, finally ready. And if it flops, well, that’s awful. But at least the pressure’s off. If it flies, though…then what?

Here’s what. Your publisher says, ‘well done and all – now, have you started thinking about the sequel? No? Ah. Well, get thinking, because if we’re to keep your momentum going, you’ll need to deliver it this side of Christmas. Give or take a few days.’ I exaggerate. A bit.

Luckily, the wife said, ‘I know. The next one should be about the narratives that are always attached to disability. And it should go like this:

Joe was amazing.
He knew he was amazing,
because everyone kept telling him
he was amazing.

And who am I to disagree with that?

– James Catchpole

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Pre-orders and orders

Wherever you are in the world, if you’d like to, you can order through our Blackwell’s link – just below. It works literally everywhere, and shipping is included in the price you see. We get a small extra percentage – and see your order going through – which is a lovely feeling! A UK copy will be sent out to you. With a very handsome bookmark if you’re lucky.

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A note on North America

We’re planning a post about US editions of both books imminently to explain more. We now have a US publisher – Little, Brown – but they’ll publish What Happened to You? first so there’s a bit of a wait for the US edition of You’re So Amazing! Of course there’s always the Blackwell’s option – above.

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More reading

• If you’d like to hear more about You’re So Amazing, you might be interested in the Bookseller announcement.
• There’s more about What Happened to You? – the first Joe book – in our 2020 cover reveal here.
• We have lesson plans for teachers, too.
• If you’re looking for a list of great books by disabled authors, you can find our favourite 20 here – children, adults, novels, non-fiction, poetry.

[Image description:

1. A digital image of a picture book cover – You’re SO Amazing! Joe, a blonde white child with one leg and yellow crutches is trapping a football. The background is white, and Joe looks quizzically out at the viewer. Next to it, the US edition of You’re So Amazing – a dark cream background, two non-disabled children are beside Joe.
2. A full-length photo of James & Lucy, with a small jpg of You’re So Amazing! in the corner. We’re a white couple with brown hair – James has one leg and is holding crutches, Lucy is sitting in her wheelchair. We were on holiday, there’s woodland behind us and we look happy. Text reads: ‘By James & Lucy Catchpole’
3. Two jpg book cover images side by side – What Happened to You? and You’re So Amazing! The background image is dark wood. Our text reads: ‘Joe is back & pre-orders are open!’
4. Text reads: ‘Why pre-order? Bookshops & publishers check pre-orders to see how a book’s likely to sell. So if you know you want to support a book. you’re genuinely helping its chances of getting into bricks & mortar shops, onto bestseller lists, & earning a nice fat print run. 
5. Background image of Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford – an impressive old shop with an eighteenth century facade. Text reads: ‘You can pre-order anywhere. If you order through our affiliate link, you’ll be buying from Blackwell’s. Sometimes, they include a very handsome bookmark.’]