End of the Holiday and Back to School

Phew... it's hot outside today.

We've just had dinner - pizza and garlic bread - now we're going for a little walk along the beach, then after that I'm driving down to Leicestershire ready to visit Asfordby Captain's Close County Primary School in Asfordby, Leicestershire in the morning. So HELLO to everyone at Asfordby Captain's Close.

Later in the week I'm visiting Brindle Gregson Lane Primary School at Hoghton, Preston - so HELLO to you too. (see you on Wednesday)

I've got lots of other work to do this week as my shed will be arriving next week - so it's going to be a busy couple of weeks.

Off to the beach - bye for now.

Bank Holiday activities

For a change, I've actually managed to get some writing done during this school holiday - not easy to do as I am still working at the table. My shed won't arrive for another 10 - 12 days.

As well as writing we've managed to do a few other things too. Over the weekend we had a little walk along Blackpool Promenade and saw a little bit of the Dance festival that's on. We didn't see very much of it but I was impressed by this trio who performed their dance/drama on a moving platform in the the air. Very interesting and very different.

On Sunday evening we visited the cinema and saw the film version of Neil Gainman's Coraline... And it was excellent. Not quite the same as the book - but that' doesn't matter - it was still very nicely done and deliciously creepy.

On Monday the weather was nice so we went for a walk in the Hodder Valley. The walk was supposed to take a circular rout which means we could park the car - do the walk, and end up back at the car.

The walk would involve crossing a river in two different places on stepping stones, however, one of the stepping stones were missing - which left a big gap so we couldn't get across without getting very wet feet (the water is deeper than it looks) so we ended up having to walk back in the same direction instead of going all the way round. We still had a good time though.

There were lots of styles and gates to go through but they didn't cause a problem. But there were also a few little rope fences dividing up one of the larger fields - and for some reason, Laura found these a bit tricky for reason and decided to have a rest.

Distractions

This morning a grey squirrel has been charging around the garden, running along the fences and racing up and down the trees. It's also been playing chase with a magpie.

Sitting here at the table with my lap top and a cup of coffee I've also discovered what's been happening to our cat food.

For those of you that don't already know - we have four cats. If it isn't raining in the morning I often put their food bowls outside. They don't always eat their food straight away - but often have a little bit and then keep going back to take a nibble. Sometimes they miow for more food when they can't possibly have eaten everything in their bowls. And sometimes their food disappears very quickly. I always thought it was other cats that had been eating their food but now I know the truth... It's the magpie.

As you can see, I'm easily distracted this morning.

Hopping About

I went out to feed the rabbits this morning and found one of the babies hopping about - eyes wide open and looking very lively. The other little ones were still fast asleep. As soon as I opened the cage door to put the food in, the little one came hopping straight over to see what I was up to. Mum and Dad were keeping a close watch so I took a quick photo and left them in peace.

Kennington Primary School

Today I visited Kennington Primary School in Fulwood, Preston. I'm happy to visit schools, libraries and festivals ANYWHERE, but it was nice to be visiting a school that is not too far from where I live for a change.

Thank you very much to Mr Carroll for inviting me in for the day - it was great. Visiting schools can be exhausting but good schools that are full of enthusiastic teachers and pupils can make it all worth while. This year I've been lucky to visit lots of great schools all around the country - so now that I'm home I feel exhausted but happy because it's been a great day.

There were some great displays on the wall in the school hall - including this one of Simon Bartram's excellent book - Man on the Moon.

It was especially nice visiting Kennington Primary School today as I got to meet Sue Hogarth and her lovely daughter Sarah again - Hi Sarah...

Most schools are on holiday next week - so no visits then. Hopefully I'll get time to catch up on some writing.

Bye for now....

Giving up the day job...

Lots of people think that writers are all rolling in money - sadly this isn't true and most writers have another job that they do as well as write. I've been working in a boring office for years but I'm delighted to say that from next week I will no longer be there. This means I'll have a lot more time to write stories, visit schools, libraries and festivals and hand the washing out at home. I will still be doing a bit of no-writer work to help pay the bills but it will be much more flexible and will take up much less of my time. Hurrah!

Today I'm busy working on a story that has sabre-toothed tigers prowling around it - I'm also taking the car to the garage, popping over to see my mum and hanging out washing (washing never seems to end in our house). I'll also be going out from time to time to make sure the rabbits have plenty of food... the babies are getting bigger all the time and were even hopping around this morning. By the time I took a picture though they were all fast asleep in bed.

Tomorrow I'm off to Kennington Primary School in Fulwood, Preston so here's a big hello to everyone at Kennington Primary School (especially Sarah) see you tomorrow.

Writing Time

I've got the house to myself for a little while - which doesn't happen a lot at weekends - so I'm making a start on a new book.

Getting started can be the hardest part... At the moment I'm imagining that it's a bit like jumping out of an aeroplane (with a parachute of course - plummeting probably wouldn't be as much fun). I know that the journey is going to start with one simple step and I've got a rough of idea of where I'm going to end up. It's exciting, but frightening at the same time.

I know that once I've taken that first step on my journey it will get easier. I'll have a better idea of where I'm going. I'll become more familiar with the scenery and what's around me. Once I get going I know that I'm going to enjoy the journey - I'll go faster and faster, and nothing - absolutely nothing - is going to stop me until I get to the end.

But as with jumping out of the aeroplane, taking that first step can be the hardest part, and I find myself looking for other things to do just to delay it...

The cats have been fed, the washing's been done, the house is tidy... there's nothing else to do but get going. So here I go - it's time to take that leap

GERONIMOOOOoo...

Baby Rabbits Again

Yes, it's that time of the year again... Regular visitors to my diary might remember the baby bunnies from last year - well it's happened again. Thumper and Louis are now the proud parents of about 6 baby rabbits (well - what did you expect, baby rhinos).


This year we have a much bigger rabbit hutch and this, understandably, seems to be making the whole having little bunnies thing much easier - and safer for them. (The cats can't stick their noses in to see what's going on.)

Last year I received lots of emails about how to look after baby rabbits and what to do when/if your rabbits have babies. We are definitely not experts on bringing up baby rabbits, but here's my advice.


1. Leave the babies alone and let the parents look after them. Mum and Dad won' be happy if you start rooting around to see what's going on.


2. Make sure you provide the rabbits with plenty of food and water. Mum eats and drinks more whilst looking after the babies.


And that's about it.


People often wonder whether they should take the male rabbit out of the cage. Some people say you should and some say you shouldn't. We didn't take the male rabbit out of the hutch but our hutch is big enough to allow a safe area for the babies to nest and for Dad to run around a bit without stepping on them.

Hello Heath Mount

Yesterday I spent a wonderful day with everyone at Heath Mount School, Watton at Stone. And what a fantastic day it was too... The sun was shining when I arrived at school at 8 in the morning and didn't stop shining until it set as I arrived home in Blackpool at 9.30.

The day was packed with storytelling, chat and lots of fun. Here's a BIG HELLO to everyone in Nursery (Caterpillar and Elmer) Reception, Year 1 and Year 2... I hope you had a great time and that you all enjoy the books your bought. I'd also like to say a massive thank you to all of the wonderful teachers and staff at the school for making me feel so welcome - and especially Mrs Morris for inviting me in and looking after me.

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.

A rather blustery day...

I think I am definitely to blame for this strange weather we are having. Everything was fine until we bought some new fence panels. They were delivered last Monday and ever since then it's been wet and windy so I haven't been able to take the old, rotten fence panels out and put the new ones in - but this morning was different. It was nice and sunny and there was only a small breeze... Hurrah!

But as soon as we started moving the fence panels the wind started to blow and the rain started to pour. Thankfully we managed to get the job done without sustaining too many cuts and bruises - though we did end up soaking wet.

As soon as we'd finished the wind died down and the sun came out again. Grumble, grumble, moan, moan. Now that the job's done the weather might settle down.

Here you can see the nice new fence panels and a pile of the old rotten ones. I'll have to break these up into little pieces and take them to the tip because in a few weeks my writing hut will be standing here - I can hardly wait.

Congratulations...

... to Alex, James, Maddy, Daniel and Melissa - winners of the World Book Day Make Your Own Robot competition.

Earlier this year, schools all over the country were busy building robots using cereal packets, egg boxes, toilet rolls, sticky paper and other things like that. Photographs of the best robots were sent in to Hodder Children's Books and these were then sent on to me to choose 5 winners.

Over 200 entries were received for the competition - that's a lot of robots - and they were all absolutely ROBO-TASTIC. I had a really difficult time trying to pick the winners.

So congratulations once again to Melissa, Daniel, Maddy, James and Alex... you should have just received your set of Robo-runners books, Certificate and other goodies.

Big THANKS to the wonderful Lucy Rowley at Hodder Children's Books for organising the competition - and to everyone that entered.

Heathfield School - Rishworth

On Monday evening I packed the car and set off towards Halifax, ready to visit Heathfield School - Rishworth the following morning. I spent the night at the side of the canal - not in the canal of course, but in a hotel room very close to the canal.

The following morning I got up at 6.30, showered, had breakfast and then set off down the road towards Rishworth where I spent a wonderful day meeting all the staff and pupils... and what a great day it was. Mrs Wilby looked after me all day - thank you Mrs Wilby - and it was an absolute pleasure meeting everyone in school.

Today is soggy and wet, so I'm staying in and trying to get some work done. Lots of things to finish - and a few things to start too... so I'd better get on with it.

A Brand New Me

I've been looking for a suitable picture of me to put on my website, on letters, business cards and things like that for quite some time. I wanted a picture that showed me hard at work whilst having fun writing and thinking of new characters and stories.

Some people suggested that finding a picture of me hard at work would be very difficult indeed. Luckily, my wonderfully talented artist and illustrator friend, Lynne Chapman, stepped in and did this fantastic picture.

Lynne has illustrated many wonderful books - including An Itch to Scratch. One of her books - A Lark in The Ark, written by Peter Bently - has been shortlisted for the Red House Book Award. Click HERE to visit the Red House Book Award website and vote for Lynne's book now... you know it makes sense.

(There... that should do the trick)

Lots to do

Yes, I've definitely got lots to be getting on with at the moment - 2 picture books that I've been messing around with for a while (one of them almost finished) 2 slightly longer picture book stories, 1 story of about 6,000 words that really needs finishing and a detailed submission for an even longer book or series, however... it's a nice sunny day so I'm getting the wheelbarrow and leveling the ground to make way for my outdoor office / shed / writing hut. There's nothing like putting things off is there?

Michael Grant - GONE

A little while ago I attended the Federation of Children's Book Groups Conference at Worth School with our daughter, Deanna. Here she is with the excellent Michael Grant... author of GONE.

I did say I was going to put a few more pictures from the conference in my diary but I just don't seem to have found the time, however, as I've just finished reading Gone I thought now would be a good time.

I'm often asked to recommend books for older readers so here's a real page turner that should keep readers riveted. The book jacket contains a 12+ marking along with a warning! Contains scenes of cruelty and some violence. (So it's not for very young readers). Michael talks about Gone on You Tube HERE.

The Robots invade Seacroft Grange Primary School

Early on Wednesday morning I left home and set off across country to Leeds where I was due to spend the day at Seacroft Grange Primary School.

The motorways were ridiculously busy and it took me ages to get there - next time I visit Leeds I think I'll have to go the night before.

When I arrived at school, and was taken into the hall, I was greeted by an army of amazing robots... lots of people had been busy building robots at home - and they were fantastic.

I started the day with a silly story and then went on to work with each year group - telling stories, talking about Robo-Runners, writing, answering questions and generally chatting.

At lunchtime I had a delicious school dinner and was then given the difficult task of choosing a winning robot from each year group... a very difficult task indeed as they were all so wonderful.

The day ended with a wonderful book signing session - I hope everyone enjoys their books...

Here's a big thank you to everyone at school for making me feel so welcome and a special "HELLO to my number one fan - C" (you know who you are).