Fiona Mozley is the youngest writer on the Man Booker shortlist, and admits she often gets distracted by Facebook, Twitter and fantasy football

Who is she?

Fiona Mozley is one of the writers on this year’s Man Booker Prize shortlist. She’s the youngest person on the list (she’s 29), and the book, Elmet, is her debut novel. Fiona wrote most of Elmet on her phone during her commute. She didn’t tell her friends about it at first because “they were doing impressive things, but I didn’t want to say too much because I didn’t want it to become real before it was the right time.” We like her because she admits to getting distracted a lot – with Facebook, Twitter and her fantasy football league.

What does she write?

Elmet is the story of Daniel and Cathy, two teenagers who move with their father into a house they build themselves in a wood in Yorkshire. As they hunt their own food and settle into their new life, a local landowner starts a fight with their father that could have troubling consequences. This is a book about family, identity, power, nature and relationships, which will leave you with lots to think about.

Why should you read her books?

The themes in Fiona’s writing will feel familiar to anyone who feels confused or frustrated about going into the adult world of working, paying rent and moving away from home. When she started writing Elmet;

“I was finding London life difficult — the strain of the capital was taking hold… I was living for the next pay cheque and at a loose end. I didn’t know what career I was going to have or where I was going to live in the next year.”

Where can you find out more?

Read an extract from Elmet here
Discover Fiona’s writing routine here
Follow Fiona on Twitter @FJMoz

Get involved

Tag @ReadingHackers on Twitter or Instagram with a comment about Elmet (or any other Man Booker title) and you could win the whole shortlist. Use the hashtag #ManBooker2017.