Photograph: Philippa Gedge
Agent
Assistant
Biography
Joe Heap was born in 1986 to a biology teacher and a drama teacher, and grew up in a house that was 70% books, 25% bags of unmarked homework, 18% underpants drying on radiators, and 3% scattered Lego bricks.
He is very bad at maths.
In 2004 Joe won the Foyle Young Poet award, and his poetry has been published in several periodicals. He studied for a BA in English Literature at Stirling University and a Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University, during which time he ate a deep-fried Mars Bar. It was okay.
Joe is now a full-time writer, but previously worked as an editor of books for kids and young adults. He has also been a subtitler for BBC News, a face painter at a safari park and a removal man for a dental convention. Before smartphones were invented, he manned a text service where people could ‘ask any question’, but he has since forgotten most of the answers.
He lives in London with his long-suffering girlfriend, short-suffering sons, and much-aggrieved tabby cat.
Life Number Nine (HarperCollins 2025)
‘A beautifully written love story that travels beyond epic’ ANSTEY HARRIS, author of THE HOUSE OF LOST SECRETS’A cosmically thwarted romance’ DAILY MAILFrom the critically acclaimed author of THE RULES OF SEEING and WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS
For Mika and Jem, love is love; wherever, whenever and whoever they are…
When they meet by chance, perfect strangers, they recognise each other – not from life, but from a shared dream.
Both are wary of forming new connections, but as their dreams – or are they memories? – grow in intensity, they are forced to consider the possibility that they have known and loved each other over and over, across the centuries.
Will they find happiness together this time?
LIFE NUMBER NINE is an extraordinary literary achievement and a groundbreaking love story.
Publications
Fiction
What you see depends on what you’re looking for…
RULE OF SEEING NO.399
Learning to see is often a thankless task. Then, sometimes, the world opens up and you understand nothing will ever look the same again.
Nova can do many things. She can speak five language. She can tell when someone is lying from the sound of their voice. She can even make an excellent sandwich with peaches, pepperoni and pickles…although she can’t convince anyone to try it.
But there’s one thing Nova can’t do. She can’t see. Until an operation restores her sight, and everything changes.
Nova meets Kate when both women need each other the most. And, as Kate comes into focus, Nova learns that the world isn’t as bright as she first thought it would be. She can sense that Kate’s problems are the ones you can’t see, and from an unspoken connection, an unlikely friendship blossoms.
It’s time for Nova to open her eyes and see the world differently, in the very best way.
‘A truly original, bittersweet tale of life, loss and enduring love that had me completely hooked. A treasure of a book!’ Sunday Times bestseller, Ruth Hogan
‘Stunning, stunning, stunning’ Anstey Harris
This is the story of Ella.
And Robert.
And of all the things they should have said, but never did.
‘What have you been up to?’
I shrug, ‘Just existing, I guess.’
‘Looks like more than just existing.’
Robert gestures at the baby, the lifeboat, the ocean.
‘All right, not existing. Surviving.’
He laughs, not unkindly. ‘Sounds grim.’
‘It wasn’t so bad, really. But I wish you’d been there.’
Ella has known Robert all her life. Through seven key moments and seven key people their journey intertwines.
From the streets of Glasgow during WW2 to the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll of London in the 60s and beyond, this is a story of love and near misses. Of those who come in to our lives and leave it too soon. And of those who stay with you forever…
