Sue Barrow
About Me
Cardiff was my birthplace… and it’s where I've lived for most of my life. There is no end of open spaces to explore - the Taff Trail, Bute Park, the Ridgeway. And then Caerphilly just up the road, with its ancient castle and mountain top views over the Valleys.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories. Though I cringe now reading over my early efforts! Boarding school antics and horse riding adventures - all inspired by the books I buried myself in as a child.
When I left school I studied for a history degree in London. It turned out to be an excellent choice especially when I was asked to write two local history books for children.
These days I prefer writing contemporary fiction for teens and the challenging, real-life situations they often find themselves in.
When I’m not working on a story I enjoy visiting schools and libraries to talk about how and why I wrote my books, and to encourage new readers and aspiring writers.
I also love walking the Wales coastal path, eating shellfish and getting beaten by my family at board games!
My Books
I’m thrilled that Sold, my Young Adult novel about child trafficking was chosen by Empathy Lab for the 2024 #ReadforEmpathy collection.
‘Fifteen year-old Roza is told she’s leaving Albania for better things in the UK. But when she arrives she discovers her father has sold her to pay off his debts. Forced to work as an unpaid servant, beaten and abused, Roza doesn’t think life can get much worse…until she escapes.’
‘Powerful, gritty and engrossing.’ - Miriam Halahmy, Children’s writer
‘Compulsively readable, harrowing yet hopeful, SOLD shines a fierce light into the shadows of child trafficking.’ The Guardian
I first became aware of people trafficking in the early noughties. Organisations like Save the Children and Tear Fund were writing about the exploitation of children in developing countries.
Talking to my own teens and their friends at the time, I realised modern slavery was a little-known subject. So I decided to write a book about it.
Twenty-five years later we know so much more about trafficking. It’s a worldwide trade, making slaves of millions of adults and children alike. And it’s not just about sex and prostitution; it includes forced labour, domestic servitude and organ trafficking.
SOLD was published in 2022 by Cadence, a small, independent press. It’s available in paperback and hardback and as an e-book.
Sold: What will it take to find freedom? : Barrow, Sue: Amazon.co.uk: Books
My book was more than ten years in the making! And undoubtedly helped to the finishing line after I gained a place with the prestigious Golden Egg Academy (www.goldeneggacademy.co.uk ) on their Writing for Children programme.
Along the way I wrote a piece for the GEA blog explaining what motivated me to write on such a gritty subject. It predates some of the later changes I made but still makes a good read!
https://goldeneggacademy.co.uk/writing-the-unthinkable-child-trafficking/
The news of Olympic athlete, Sir Mo Farah’s own early life experience of being trafficked, has further heightened awareness of modern slavery. You can read his story here -https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62123886
Related websites
My first novel was an adoption story for young adults. It’s a subject that has always fascinated me – an adopted child searching for their roots, uncovering family secrets, battling a range of conflicting emotions.
In Keeping Secrets I set out to explore the feelings of Ceri, a sixteen year old girl who feels out of place in her adopted family and the lengths she goes to, to try and track down her birth mother. I also wanted my readers to understand the impact on her adoptive parents; how hard it was for them.
'Sue Barrow has written a first novel which evokes the uncertainties and anxieties of the teenager's world with insight and perception.'
Yvonne Coppard, Children's Writer
'It really made me understand how people might feel who don't know who their parents are. I think anyone who's had any kind of problems in their lives would really get something from this book.'
Natalie Maceira, Holy Rood High
'I would not hesitate in recommending this book to those pupils I teach. The issue of adoption has been dealt with in a sensitive but 'real' manner. Sue Barrow writes with ease and style.'
K. T. Phillips, High School Teacher
Hometown Histories help bring local history alive. Written for children aged 8 - 14 they’re a bit like the Horrible Histories, but less gory! I’m delighted that so many schools are still using them to expand young people’s knowledge and understanding about the historical events that shaped Cardiff and the Welsh Valleys.
Although they’re out of print now, both books are still available on Amazon Used and New.
Read a review of my Hometown History books here
Out and about
Primary
My local history sessions (based on my Cardiff and Welsh Valleys Hometown History books) are interactive workshops around topics featured in the books.
'I thoroughly recommend Sue Barrow to you as a real asset to have as a visitor to your school! Her books about the local area ensure that her work is relevant and accessible to pupils and her passion for writing and history is evident for all to see. Well prepared, with interesting resources, her engaging manner and enthusiasm are infectious and she certainly left our pupils eager to learn and write more! She is a great choice for an Arts week, to enhance local history studies or as a welcome boost to Curriculum Cymreig!'
Judith Davies
Former Headteacher - Danescourt Primary School, Cardiff
Visiting Schools and Libraries
Meeting groups of schoolchildren of all ages is one of the best things about being a writer! They invariably have interesting questions to ask, like, ‘How much money do you make from your stories?!’
Getting them thinking about what makes a good book, and where ideas for stories come from always leads to lots of hands going up! And at the end of the session I give them a free sheet of writing tips to take away.
On Friday 14th November, I’ll be at The Blandford School, Dorset, as part of the Blandford Literary Festival. Another great opportunity to engage with young people about the power of storytelling. And maybe inspire some future writers!
A visit from Cardiff author Sue Barrow brought the hard-hitting subject of human trafficking to life in an engaging and sensitive way. Our Year 9 pupils were gripped by her reading from Sold and, after the quiz that followed, the hall was a flurry of hands. Educational and entertaining, I can thoroughly recommend a workshop with this author.
K Thomas
Curriculum Leader for English
Bishopston Comprehensive School
Secondary
A lively, engaging session based on my novel Sold, gives students an opportunity to think about human trafficking, an important, contemporary issue of social justice, and how they might respond.
The session supports the Statements of What Matters under the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience in the Curriculum for Wales.
If you’re a librarian or teacher and would like to book me for a visit, please email me ( suebarrowauthor@hotmail.com)
Talks for Adults
With plenty of experience talking to WI meetings and other adult groups, I typically talk about my books and my own stop-start journey to becoming a published author! And answering questions like:
How do you set about writing a book?
How easy (or not!) is it to get published?
How much research do you need to do?
If preferred I can tailor my talk to the group’s requirements, e.g. set writing challenges, outline publishing options and suggest resources to help with polishing writing projects.