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KATIE KHAN

 

I write books about light and space.

 

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HOLD BACK
THE STARS

'The new One Day' — Stylist
'The most unique love story I've read in years' — Rowan Coleman, author of The Summer of Impossible Things
'Gravity meets The Versions of Us' — Red

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THE LIGHT
BETWEEN US

'A bold new talent' — Matt Haig, author of How to Stop Time
'Katie Khan's tale of time travel and friendship takes you on a "will they, won't they" journey with an ending you'll never predict...' — Grazia

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THE LIGHT BETWEEN US

 

'Pay close attention: this is a will they, won't they tale with a jaw-dropping twist at its heart' — Express

'Sure to have you weeping' — Grazia

'Gripping, fascinating, funny, romantic, exciting, and hopeful with a great cast of women, The Light Between Us
is a cracking good read' — Rowan Coleman, bestselling author of The Summer of Impossible Things

 'This is a love story, but with a great twist that takes it beyond a classic "will they, won’t they?"' — Stylist

 'A remarkable reading experience  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★' — Heat

'After her intriguing debut, Hold Back The Stars, Katie Khan is back with another sci-fi romance,
which will even appeal to readers who don’t normally do the sci-fi thing' — Red

'A bold new talent' — Matt Haig, bestselling author of How to Stop Time

 
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Thea and Isaac first met at university. Theirs was an instant connection but it never went further than friendship.

Because, then and now, Thea only has eyes for her work. Not just her course, but also a private project - Thea is determined to prove that time travel is not just the stuff of science fiction. And she has never told anyone the reason why.

When one of their friends goes missing in an experiment, Isaac and Thea must work together to find her - forcing them to re-examine their own friendship.

Is it really as platonic as they used to think?

The Light Between Us is a story of unrequited love and second chances. It begs the dangerous question that we all ask ourselves - what could have been?

 

Katie Khan's writing...
'Will give you all the feels' Heat
'Breaks your heart then kicks it again for good measure in the most beautiful way possible' The Pool
'Will stay with you long after reading' Image

OWN THE U.K. HARDBACK

Available now
Published by Transworld on Aug 9th, 2018
(Penguin Random House)

 
 
 
 
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HOLD BACK
THE STARS

'The new One Day' — Stylist
'The most unique love story I've read in years' — Rowan Coleman
'Gravity meets The Versions of Us' — Red
'A bold new talent' — Matt Haig

 
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Ninety minutes.

A few years from now,
not too far in the future, two people meet.
It is a classic story of boy meets girl. 
Except that it's not.
When we find them, they have an hour and a half left.
Unless they can save themselves, they won't survive.

The clock is ticking.

Bittersweet and life-affirming,
Hold Back the Stars is the love story of the year.

 

'An edge-of-your-seat tale' — Vogue
'An incredibly imaginative debut' 
— Sunday Mirror
'Prepare to shed tears' — Heat
'Original, surprising and romantic' 
— Woman & Home

 

 
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OWN THE U.K. PAPERBACK

Available now
Published by Transworld on Nov 30th, 2018
(Penguin Random House)

 

OWN THE U.S. PAPERBACK

Available now
Published by Gallery on Feb 18th, 2018
(Simon & Schuster)

 
 
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HARDBACKS

Also available

 
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U.K. HARDBACK

Published by Transworld (Penguin Random House)
Jan 26th, 2017

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U.S. HARDBACK

Published by Gallery (Simon & Schuster)
May 30th, 2017

 
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TRANSLATIONS

Hold Back the Stars is being translated into more than twenty languages around the world.


Head to the INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS page for details including foreign publishers,
international cover designs and publication dates.

 
 
 
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PRESS REVIEWS

“The new One Day”
— Stylist
“An edge-of-your-seat tale”
— British Vogue
“A tense survival story with an unexpected ending ★★★★”
— The Sun
“As thought provoking as it is wrenching, prepare to shed tears ★★★★”
— Heat
“Think Gravity meets The Versions of Us”
— Red
“Original, surprising and romantic”
— Woman & Home
“The ticking clock of the novel will have you tearing through it as quickly as you can, all the while getting caught up in the couple’s beautiful love story”
— Hello!
“An incredibly imaginative debut”
— Sunday Mirror
“Breaks your heart, then kicks it a few more times for good measure in the most beautiful way possible”
— The Pool
“Intriguing and moving, it’s a love story that’s out of this world ★★★★”
— Sunday Express
“This is a stirring, unique and beautifully crafted story on the complexities of first love that will stay with you long after reading. This is going to be huge”
— Image
“A space romance with a political edge”
— Irish Times
“A unique take on the usual dystopian fiction . . . a worthy read which will keep you up past bed time ★★★★ ”
— Sci-Fi Now
“Just the ticket if you’re looking to get lost in a breathless love story”
— Grazia

BOOK TRAILER(S)

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

Nice things some brilliant authors have said about HOLD BACK THE STARS...

“Hold Back the Stars is a rare combination of thrilling action, deep emotional depth and intelligent ideas. The most unique love story I’ve read in years.”
— Rowan Coleman, bestselling author of THE MEMORY BOOK
“Dazzling . . . a truly stellar debut, full of wonder and heart. I’m sure it’s going to be a mega hit.”
— Emma Jane Unsworth, author of ANIMALS
“Terrific . . . a beautiful story.”
— Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of THE BONE SEASON
“Playfully serious, imaginatively assured, Hold Back the Stars packs real emotional punch.”
— Laline Paull, bestselling author of the Baileys Prize nominated THE BEES
“Gorgeous, brilliant, heartbreaking . . . A love story to remember.”
— Debbie Howells, bestselling author of THE BONES OF YOU
“What a shiny jewel of a read! Such heart, such brilliance, such exquisite observation. I envy those who are yet to discover this bold and captivating delight.”
— Caroline Smailes, author of THE DROWNING OF ARTHUR BRAXTON
“A high-stakes, high-concept love story from a bold new talent . . . All of the obvious ‘out of this world’ comments apply.”
— Matt Haig, bestselling author of HOW TO STOP TIME
“Bittersweet and beautiful. An intricate and heart-breaking vision of the future.”
— Lauren James, YA author of THE NEXT TOGETHER
“Beautifully, frustratingly, heart-breaking.”
— Maggie Harcourt, YA author of UNCONVENTIONAL
“A beautiful, moving, truly original tale. I loved this book for taking me by surprise.”
— Renee Knight, bestselling author of DISCLAIMER
“A tense, crisp, edge-of-your-seat love story and a completely unexpected ending, I was gripped from the first line to the last. Hold Back The Stars is out of this world. I loved it.”
— Anna McPartlin, author of THE LAST DAYS OF RABBIT HAYES
“This story is gorgeousness in book form.”
— Miranda Dickinson, bestselling author of FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

And nice things authors have said (so far) about THE LIGHT BETWEEN US...

““Gripping, fascinating, funny, romantic, exciting, and hopeful with a great cast of women, The Light Between Us is a cracking good read.””
— Rowan Coleman, bestselling author of The Summer of Impossible Things
““Full of friendship, romance and hope, The Light Between Us asks what truly defines who we are... and who we love.” ”
— Maggie Harcourt, author of The Last Summer of Us
““An intriguing and wonderfully told story full of brilliant women, friendship, love, art and time travel. Perfect for fans of The Time Traveller’s Wife and Sliding Doors.” ”
— Lydia Ruffles, author of The Taste of Blue Light
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audioBOOK

Read by Games of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan.

Available on Audible and all good audio sites.

Listen to an extract below.

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about katie

 

 

Katie Khan is a writer from London whose first novel, HOLD BACK THE STARS, is published in twenty-four countries internationally and translated into twenty-one languages. HOLD BACK THE STARS is being adapted into a film by producers Dan Cohen and Shawn Levy (Arrival/Stranger Things), directed by Lee Toland Krieger (The Age of Adaline/Riverdale), and exec produced by Good Universe (The Disaster Artist).

HOLD BACK THE STARS was a finalist for the Romantic Novel Awards 2018, and shortlisted for Brave New Words, celebrating originality in genre writing. THE LIGHT BETWEEN US is published in August 2018.

A fan of love stories with epic settings both on the page and on screen, Katie spent 10 years working in online editorial and technology, including 4 years as Head of Digital at Paramount Pictures, before joining Warner Bros. in 2017 to work on a major film production. Named in the 40 Under 40 working in European Cinema at CineEurope 2016, and The Drum's Top 50 most influential people in social media marketing in the UK, Katie was also selected as a Rising Star by The Media Eye.

Katie is represented by literary agent Juliet Mushens, and represented for film rights by Howie Sanders at Anonymous Content.

 
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NEWS & Updates

 

INSTAGRAM

It’s an exciting day because Hold Back the Stars is starting to kick off in Asia. In Taiwan, my publisher has made this gorgeous video (as well as a longer concept film they launched with the preorder today), and the book itself will have a VERY beautiful 180° his/hers cover flip. (Swipe to see it! Carys is the front because books go the other way.) I LOVE the way it shows both Carys and Max, among the stars... it‘s like an album cover 🎶 The book is available for pre-order now and published in Chinese (Simplified) October 1st. 🌌 I’m really loving the different approaches for how the book is being published across East Asia. Soon I‘ll show you the v sci-fi Korean cover; it’s already out in Japan (with the amazing manga astronaut design; I was tagged in pictures in Japanese bookshops next to Blade Runner—hello I’m dead), and then lastly it will come out in China (in traditional/complex Chinese). 🌌 Taiwan has absolutely knocked it out the park with this one, I’m so happy! 🇹🇼🇹🇼🇹🇼 Watch the longer concept film ▶️▶️▶️ #Repost @booklife_booksoul . 🌌搶先看 #墜入星星的九十分鐘 這是一個有待抽絲剝繭的愛情謎團 揪心結局將由你親手揭曉 他和她，誰能活到最後一頁？ ★《時光邊緣的男人》作者大讚：一口氣光速讀完，此書只應天上有！ ★英國媒體盛讚：這故事會先讓你心碎，再以世上最美的方式，在你受傷的心狠踹好幾下。 #holdbackthestars
It’s @katy_pegg’s birthday today so last night we went to see Crazy Rich Asians (amazing!) and ate burgers. We first met in 2010 on Twitter; we lived in the same part of London, and one day Katy tweeted: “Tell me a secret.” I can’t remember the secret I tweeted back, but it must have been good because we met up soon after and we’ve been friends ever since. When we first met “in real life”, she was a bit standoffish because (she told me later) she thought I was “a bit too cool”. (Hahahahaha AN ILLUSION.) But soon after, when I was going through a heinous breakup, I remember Katy turning to me in surprise and saying, “oh my god! You’re just as crazy as I am.” That’s always brought to mind the C.S. Lewis quote on friendship, for me (“What! You too? I thought I was the only one...”), which is why, when I wrote a novel about friendship, not only did I include that C.S. Lewis quote, but I dedicated the book to Katy too. (Swipe to see that, if you like that kinda thing. It’s in the front of The Light Between Us.) Happy birthday @katy_pegg, thank you for making me laugh most days of my life with an annoying amount of stupid in-jokes. Finding you on Twitter was like finding a piece of my own heart. xx
Portrait goals. I mean, seriously. That glowing filter (Clarendon?). That orb and sceptre. The cinched waist! The frame! 😍 Elizabeth I would have made one helluva influencer and smashed instagram. 💯 👑 (I visited the Portrait Gallery two or three times over the past year, because a key beat in my time travel novel, The Light Between Us, is set there. In this very room, in fact. This scroll-y gold frame always caught my eye!) 👑 (As you can probably guess, I’m a bit tired tonight and unable to be highbrow or cultured. I just really, really like this frame 🤗)
Sky for days and days. And oh, that skyline... #londonist 🌆🏙
Serious “holy hell I made it through the week” vibes today. And it’s so chilly! I’m on my fourth cup of tea already ☕️☕️☕️☕️ What are your weekend plans? I’m doing a book event tomorrow (are you in Hertfordshire? Come to Berkofest, it’s shaping up to be a great day!), then I’m planning to climb under a blanket and never come out. 📸 I love this cosy photo of #holdbackthestars posted by @nora.reads ✨
Reading Kate Atkinson is like spending time with an old friend... Which is why I’ve bought a couple of signed copies for my old friends 😊 TRANSCRIPTION is out today, and I was lucky enough to read an early proof (with that amazing typewriter art of the flamingo). With Kate Atkinson I often feel she’s standing behind me, whispering confessionally in my ear. When you get lines like this on page 10 — “Older men of a certain type were drawn to her. They seemed to want to improve her in some way. Juliet was almost thirty and didn’t feel she needed much more improvement. The war had seen to that” — you know you’re in the hands of a master. 💖 #TranscriptionBook
Hello! The Light Between Us has been out for a couple of weeks in hardback and ebook. If you’re looking for a new Autumn read, this is what you’d get: 🍂 A main character convinced she can establish time travel — in chapter one Thea breaks into the University of Oxford science labs to attempt just that (with disastrous consequences); 🍂 A tight knit group of female friends who support each other, help each other, and tell one another when they’re being idiotic! Each has their own skill, and brings something different to the group — until one of them goes missing; 🍂 An estranged friendship between two old university friends which may not be quite as platonic as the two characters think; 🍂 Autumn in Oxford, a deserted farmhouse in the exact centre of the country, and London locations including the National Portrait Gallery and a pier on the Thames covered in festoon lighting at sunrise; 🍂 Light - glass - dawn - dusk - unrequited love - platonic friendship - classic paintings - spectrums of colour - prisms - a mystery that needs unravelling through time - and TIME TRAVEL - ✨STYLIST’S BEST NEW BOOKS OF AUGUST ✨RED MAGAZINE’S 10 BEST BOOKS IN AUGUST ✨IRISH EXAMINER AND IRISH NEWS HOTTEST SUMMER READS ✨”Sure to have you weeping” - GRAZIA (“with an ending you’ll never predict”) ✨FIVE STARS and “a remarkable reading experience” - HEAT ✨“Pay close attention: this is a will they, won’t they tale with a jaw-dropping twist at its heart” - SUNDAY EXPRESS - The hardback is beautiful (not biased! It really is) and it’s currently a tenner on Amazon. Signed copies are available online from Goldsboro Books. Free shipping to anywhere in the world from Book Depository! #TheLightBetweenUs 🍂 What books are on your Autumn TBR list? I’m going to read the new Pat Barker next, I think... Any recommendations for me? 😊
It is a truth universally acknowledged that if you leave a book lying around, you will often return to find someone else reading it.

TWITTER

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Featured
THE LIGHT BETWEEN US: BLOG TOUR

To celebrate the publication of my new novel, The Light Between Us, we're having a blog tour! These are all the places where you can read reviews and bits about the book every day across the next 2 weeks. Exciting! ✨I'll add the links to the blogposts below, so they're all collected in one handy place.

COVER REVEAL! THE LIGHT BETWEEN US
COVER REVEAL! THE LIGHT BETWEEN US

Introducing the cover for my second novel, THE LIGHT BETWEEN US, coming August 9th.

It’s a novel featuring light and time, dusk and dawn, day and night... summed up so beautifully in this cover! (Imagine those gold sparkles on a shelf!) Designed by Beci Kelly at Transworld, who also designed the HOLD BACK THE STARS paperback.

ANNOUNCING THE TITLE OF MY SECOND NOVEL
ANNOUNCING THE TITLE OF MY SECOND NOVEL

It's a story about light and time.

A girl and a boy.

The grey area between platonic friendship and unrequited love...

Oh, and time travel.

The alchemy of reading the right book at the right time
The alchemy of reading the right book at the right time

There is some kind of alchemy involved in finding the right book at the right time. I truly believe there is a specific and perfect time in anyone’s life to read a story—you just have to cross your fingers and hope that you’ll cross paths with it, or have the book pressed into your hands by a loved one, precisely when you need it the most.

I wrote about reading The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger exactly as I went through my own personal heartbreak - and how cathartic that was.

Hold Back the Stars shortlisted for Romantic Novel Awards 2018
Hold Back the Stars shortlisted for Romantic Novel Awards 2018

A big week for my little book.

First shortlisted for Starburst Magazine's Brave New Words, an award recognising original genre writing, today Hold Back the Stars was announced as a finalist for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award. Eeeee!

Run by the Romantic Novelists' Association, the awards -- called the RoNAs -- are fascinating in that they celebrate the best in romantic fiction each year, honouring works in Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Epic Romantic Fiction, Historical Romance, Romantic Comedy, Paranormal and Speculative Romance, Young Adult Romance and Shorter Romantic Fiction (with the RoNA Rose Award). It's fantastic to see an award recognise so many genres and facets a love story can take.

Hold Back the Stars is a finalist for Brave New Words
Hold Back the Stars is a finalist for Brave New Words

Now, this is a cool thing. An award for genre writing that considers novels, blog posts, short stories, screenplays, poetry, and anthologies. Run by Starburst Magazine, 'Brave New Words' boasts not only an impressive spread of different mediums, but the perfect sci-fi play-on-words title.

I'm so thrilled to be shortlisted - alongside some properly great genre writers, too! Here is the shortlist:

Hold Back the Stars: Music Playlist
Hold Back the Stars: Music Playlist

Every writer has a music playlist for their book. Don't they?

At the very least a brain trailer reel - the music you imagine the scenes of your book set to.
I, personally, use music as a way to transition from my day job back into the world of the novel each evening; I listen to a varied playlist as I drive home from work, letting the music lead my imagination away from Microsoft Outlook and office politics, and back towards the meteor showers, light-up dance floors, and first dates in abandoned observatories of the story I'll be writing when I get back home.