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Jez was born in Leeds in 1965. He studied English and American Studies at Leicester
University and went on to work in children's summer camps in America before returning
to Leicester to complete a PGCE in 1989. His teaching career has included a year
away at a New York High School on an exchange programme and he now works in an inner-city
secondary school.
Jez has been in a number of bands over the years and still loves playing and writing
music. He enjoys travel, playing and watching sport, movies, interior design and
makes frequent visits to family in America. He wants to write books that can be
accessed by all types of young readers, especially those who find there aren't enough
titles on the shelves that have relevance to their own lives. 'I feel like there
are a lot of stories that are not being told about large numbers of young people's
realities and I would like to try to provide a voice for those tales.' EXCHANGE
is Jez's first novel.
EXCHANGE Young Adults
Anisha is fifteen. She keeps her head down, registers top grades without exception
and acts the dutiful daughter at home. No-one really notices her and that's just
the way she likes it. But when the Gifted and Talented exchange to posh Fittenden
School is announced, Anisha knows she just has to go. Her strict father is easily
won over, but the real surprises are the other participants: musical geek Robbie,
wannabe gangsta KK, hip and cool Hani... Just communicating with these characters
is stressful enough for Anisha, but she is determined to make the most of a unique
opportunity.
Charlie picks out Anisha straight away when the group arrive at Fittenden.
Those beautiful brown eyes and a knockout figure. But what will his chances be of
making an impression in just a few days? Still, he's determined to try, despite
the amusement of his friends. And there's plenty more opportunities for cabaret
in some of the others from the city school: Who does that KK think he is? Does he
really think that Sophie could be interested in someone like him? Charlie hopes
not, considering her fragile state.
But maybe Charlie and KK have a lot more in
common than they first thought - and they begin to discover this as the week's events
build towards the last night party. Watchful Robbie can see that things are going
to go terribly wrong.
Anisha's relationship with Charlie develops to the point where
her own principles are tested, but it is Sophie's infatuation with KK which suddenly
concerns them all. And then she goes missing in the middle of the party…
Told principally
by Anisha and Charlie, EXCHANGE is about the differences between us that govern
our everyday lives - and the similarities that can unexpectedly stare us in the
face.
Approx 50,000 words
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