If only...

If only I had magical powers like this wonderful wizard - illustrated by the amazing Andy Elkerton for our book The Wizard's Wish - I wouldn't have to spend over 4 hours driving the 240 miles to Watton at Stone later on today. But alas, I don't have magical powers and I haven't got a helicopter so I will be driving there. The good news is that tomorrow I will be spending the day at Heath Mount School (which is of course at Watton at Stone) so here's a BIG HELLO to everyone at Heath Mount School.

I don't often think about having magical powers myself, however, I was recently asked to fill in a little questionnaire by my publishers - that was full of odd questions. I know you're dying to to see it - so here it is.

What is your earliest childhood memory?

Lying in bed with measles and waiting for my Dad to come home from work so he could do one of his tricks. He would ruffle an old silk scarf around in his hands until something appeared – a packet of peanuts or a bar of chocolate. I though it was magic.

If you had one magical power, what would it be?

I occasionally dream that I can fly. In these dreams I don’t effortlessly whizz around like Superman – I have to actually flap my arms like a bird. It’s really hard work but absolutely amazing. So my magic power would definitely be to fly like a bird… or breath underwater or…

Where is your favourite place to write?

On the deck of my beach house. The sun is shining, the sea is clear and the gulls are crying to each other as they lazily float on the warm breeze. I might go surfing later. Sadly though, I don’t have a beach house so I write in my shed at the bottom of the garden.

If you won £1million on the lottery what would you buy?

I would have to do lots of sensible things like make sure the bills are paid, and that there’s enough money for our girls to go to university… but then I’d buy a boat, have sailing lessons and drift around the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and anywhere else that takes our fancy.

What was your favourite subject at school and why?

I didn’t really have a favourite subject, but I loved anytime that people told stories – some in English lessons where one enthusiastic teacher shared his love of books - others real memories as one teacher could easily be persuaded to tell us about life in the army.

Why did you choose to write children’s books?

Characters, stories and ideas seem to continuously fill my head so I had to let them out somewhere. I started with the intention of writing something to entertain our children but it grew into a desire to write, share stories and encourage a love of books with all children.

Time to get going I think... bye for now.