Three Things I’d Tell My Younger Self (E-Story)
A very special FREE collection of advice for our younger selves, compiled by Joanna Cannon – the author of THREE THINGS ABOUT ELSIE and THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEPIf you could send a message to your younger self, what three things would you want to tell them? This inspiring, moving and frequently hilarious collection includes advice from – among others – authors, journalists, clergy, nurses and doctors; and their words will offer both solace and entertainment to readers at any milestone in life, from exam results and educational choices to love, health, friendship and careers. Here you will find the wise words of:Ignasi AgellSue ArmstrongHannah BeckermanAnn BissellDr Sue BlackFern BrittonWendy BurnJoanna CannonTracy ChevalierJulie CohenCharlotte CrayDr John CrichtonMiranda DickinsonSuzie DooréJanet EllisNathan FilerPatrick GaleSam GuglaniDr Helen-Ann HartleyKerry HudsonMandy HuxleyReverend Andrea JonesAdam KayErin KellyMr KiplingDr Kate LovettKaty MahoodAnna MazzolaLydia Elise MillenDame Helena MorrisseyHannah O’BrienFemi OyebodeLev ParikianNina PottellJonathan and Angela ScottAnita SethiLionel ShriverGraeme SimsionDr Laura VarnamKate Williams
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THREE THINGS I’D TELL MY YOUNGER SELF
Joanna Cannon and others
The Borough Press
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF>
First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2018
Copyright © Joanna Cannon; Ignasi Agell; Sue Armstrong; Hannah Beckerman; Ann Bissell; Dr Sue Black; Fern Britton; Wendy Burn; Janice Cannon; Tracy Chevalier; Julie Cohen; Charlotte Cray; Dr John Crichton; Miranda Dickinson; Suzie Dooré; Janet Ellis; Nathan Filer; Patrick Gale; Sam Guglani, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley; Kerry Hudson; Mandy Huxley; Reverend Andrea Jones; Adam Kay; Erin Kelly; Mr Kipling; Dr Kate Lovett; Katy Mahood; Anna Mazzola; Lydia Elise Millen; Dame Helena Morrissey; Hannah O’Brien; Femi Oyebode; Lev Parikian; Nina Pottell; Jonathan and Andrea Scott; Anita Sethi; Lionel Shriver; Graeme Simsion; Dr Laura Varnam; Professor Kate Williams 2018
Cover design: Holly Macdonald © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2018
Cover photography © Shutterstock.com
The authors assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This book is a work of non-fiction based on the authors’ experiences.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Ebook Edition © AUGUST 2018 ISBN: 9780008318673
Version: 2018-11-12
Contents
As authors, I think we always write about the ideas that fascinate us, the unanswered questions, life’s small mysteries, and my second novel, Three Things About Elsie, explores something I’ve often thought about: how the smallest decisions can make the biggest difference to our lives – and the lives of those around us.
A postcard about a first aid course, pinned in a newsagent’s window, led me to a degree in medicine. A chance tweet about a mentoring programme for writers began my journey to becoming a published author. Seemingly small moments which, further down the road, turned out to be very big moments indeed.
These moments not only change the direction of our lives, they also have the ability to change our very sense of who we are. The postcard didn’t just eventually take me to medical school, it gave me a chance to try something I’d always thought I wasn’t smart enough to do. The tweet I saw travelling through my timeline didn’t hand me a publishing contract, it handed me an opportunity to gather a little of my self-belief. Small moments which allowed me to rewrite my own story.
No matter how often we change our stories though, our past self is always contained within our older self, and I wondered what advice I would give the younger version of me, if I could travel back in time. The girl collecting her A-level results. The girl who pined for a boy who didn’t pine for her. The girl who stared at a postcard in a newsagent’s window. What three things would I tell my younger self, if I had the chance? I decided to ask the same question to the wisest people I know – people from many different backgrounds, whose stories, lives and friendships continue to inspire me – and their answers to that question are contained within these pages. Some of the responses made me laugh out loud, some of them moved me to tears, and quite a few managed to do a little of both. Everyone very generously gave their time and their words for free, and we released this to coincide with exam results day (when everyone could do with more than a little moral support!)
I hope you find their advice as brilliant and inspirational as I do, and who knows, you may find a small moment of your own, hidden away within the pages of this book.
Thank you so much for reading!
Joanna Cannon
1. On many occasions I have struggled between the yes’s and the no’s, and not always remembered a lesson from the past; that renewing your dreams is renewing your sorrows. A battle between light and darkness. My young self, I would tell to be curious; to live in the light of the dreams, because in darkness we can’t see our shadows; to be authentic to overcome those shadows; and don’t be a prisoner of your own opinions.
