Book Launch in London!

📚 Calling all book lovers! Join us at The Abbey Centre, just steps away from Westminster Cathedral, London, for the much-anticipated launch of There’s a Monkey on Your Shoulder! 🎉

✨ Hosted by: Multi-award-winning film director Kate Blewett

✨ Meet the Author: Tana Macpherson-Smith

Discover the inspiration behind this captivating debut novel, written for Young Adults and anyone ready to dive deeper into their own story. Connect with fellow book enthusiasts, hear an exclusive reading, and grab your signed copy of a book that’s destined to leave a mark.

🌟 Don’t miss this unforgettable literary event—where storytelling meets self-discovery. See you there! 📖

🎟️ Secure your spot now on Eventbrite!

Review from Dr Zina Alhilali :

"In There’s a Monkey on Your Shoulder, Tana Macpherson-Smith delves into the inner world of teenagers grappling with psychological struggles, offering a deeply thought-provoking exploration of mental health, self-awareness, and personal growth. The novel is not only a compelling read but also serves as an important resource for understanding the complex emotions that shape the lives of teenagers. It is a must-read for anyone interested in young adult literature that tackles serious issues with empathy and insight.

Sixteen-year-old Jack has an overbearing brute of a dad, a reputation as the school bully, and dyslexia that makes every day in the classroom feel like a war zone. Just when it seems like he’s hit rock bottom, he’s invited to a mysterious retreat on a remote Scottish island, alongside seven other teens, each with their own life baggage. But this is no ordinary retreat. Jack’s not just battling the wild—he’s fighting the monkey on his shoulder.

Every teen has their own “monkey,” a creature born from their deepest traumas that whispers doubts, insecurities, and fears into their ears. Introduced to their “monkeys” for the first time before being left on an island to fend for themselves, at first, the teens think it’s a joke—until the monkeys start showing up for real.

Jack is used to fighting, but can he battle his way to the truth behind his anger and unlock the future he never thought possible? Why is he drawn to Sienna-May, the fragile beauty haunted by her childhood? Can she unlock the door to his deepest feelings? Or will the whispers of Ortner, Jack’s monkey, keep him trapped forever?

There’s a Monkey on Your Shoulder is a pulse-pounding adventure that tackles the battles we face within. Perfect for anyone who’s ever wrestled with their inner demons, this book will take you on a wild ride into the heart of what it means to truly overcome the voices, fears, and beliefs that hold you back so you can create a new path for your future.

In Praise of There’s a Monkey on Your Shoulder

What Tana Macpherson-Smith has achieved with this extraordinary book is the power to take all the key elements that make up our mental health issues in the young today - and to deliver them in a truly intriguing, entertaining, thoughtful, inspirational and original book. We should all be reading this creative and informed gift of a book - to inspire each and every one of us as we journey through life. Kate Blewett, Multi Award-Winning Documentary Producer and Director

This is not only a brilliantly clever, original and skilfully written book for young adults navigating their way through an increasingly challenging world, but a deeply important one too. I absolutely loved it! Santa Montefiore, Sunday Times Best Selling Author

I can’t say enough for this book, except that every child, parent, educator and health professional would do well to read it. Tana Macpherson-Smith has devised a brilliant way for young people to understand their inner strengths and gifts, then turned it into a captivating story. For any child—or adult—who struggles with a sense of self-worth and purpose (and that means all of us), There’s a Monkey on Your Shoulder will give you a new way of looking at yourself and the world. A must read. Debra Engle, Executive Director: Story Summit, international lecturer, writing mentor and best-selling Author

Faced with serious issues regarding their mental health, eight troubled teens are given a challenging week-long trip off the coast of Scotland which will test their physical and most of all, their emotional limits. Traveling with them are their "inner monkeys" who will accompany each of the teens on a life and death journey to face their fears and provide them with the much-needed strength they need for self-survival and a promising future. Written by acclaimed coach and therapist Tara Macpherson-Smith, There's a Monkey on Your Shoulder is a truly riveting, page-turning story that will seize the soul of young and old alike.

Kathie Fong Yoneda, Author of The Script-Selling Game; Exec Producer, former studio executive at Disney and Touchstone

I really enjoyed this book - it is honestly one of the best books i have ever read! I could not put it down. It really helped me understand the concept of “monkey's” and made me actually believe it too. The book is full of cliffhangers that will make you sit on the edge of your seat. The story made me really change the way I see life and that I need to tell my “monkey” to stop living my life for me! I'm very sure that reading this will change so many people's lives. There are a variety of emotions that come along with this book: some parts made me really cry! It shows how hard life can be and the many problems with the world. It teaches you to never give up and to always keep going! Thank you for letting me read such a brilliant book! L-R Butler (a teenager!)

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, London, United Kingdom