On The Road And In The Air

Tomorrow I will be up early so that I can drive the 60 miles from home to St Bartholomew's C of E Primary School in Rochdale... A BIG HELLO to everyone at St Bartholomew's - I'm really looking forward to meeting you all.

And a BIG HELLO to everyone at the British School of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. A bit of a longer journey there - over 5000 miles... Really looking forward to meeting and working with everyone.

On Thursday, my latest little book - "Just Like Me!" will be published by Franklin Watts as part of their Tiddlers series for very young readers. The book only has around 50 words but it can be quite tricky coming up with a little story idea using so few words. Vicky gave me the idea for this one after we visited Chester Zoo and saw someone taking photographs of the Meerkats with their mobile phone when - oops!!! they dropped their phone into the Meerkat enclosure. One of the inquisitive creatures raced over to take a look at the phone and we imagined it taking pictures of us and other people in the zoo.  

Click here to go and visit my web page all about Just Like Me! The page isn't quite finished yet so please keep coming back for another look... I'm working on it right now.

Last weekend we went on a little drive - heading through Betws-y-Coed, past the Ugly House (Tŷ Hyll) at Capel Curig and on towards Snowdonia. I think you will agree that the little house, now a tea room, is far from being ugly. You can find out more about the Ugly House HERE.

Our journey took us along the road through the mountains and past Llyn Ogwen - despite the snow on the mountains it was quit warm.

We didn't really have long enough to go for much of a walk but we did have a little wander along the path that would have taken us up to the higher lakes. We only went as far as this iron gateway before heading back - though we will be returning soon for a good walk.

Jumping back in the car we continued our journey through the Welsh Highlands.

Time for me to get back to work now... lots of writing to do.

Willows Primary School

I've not had chance to write anything in my diary over the last few weeks but I just wanted to say a huge HELLO to everyone at Willows Primary School in Manchester - I can't wait to meet everyone today.

Visiting Schools and Libraries

I'm up early this morning doing a bit of writing before I head off out... Just enough time here to say a quick hello to everyone that's coming along to Workington Library, Carlisle Library, Barrow Island Primary School, Flint Library (Croes Atti School and St Mary's School), Buckley Library (Westwood CP School), Mold Library (Bryn Gwalia), Holywell Library (St Winifred's School) and to everyone at Tonge Moor Junior School... See you all soon.

Book Weeks and James Morrison

Having a mad busy time at the moment visiting schools and libraries all across the country. Yesterday was lots of fun with my Key Stage 2 friends at Eveswell Primary School in Newport, and today I'm back there to see everyone in Key Stage 1... it always a pleasure visiting the school and seeing everyone so here's a BIG HELLO to you all. On Monday I was at Daisy Hill, Bolton with everyone at St James Daisy Hill, and tomorrow I will be at Waterfoot Primary School in Rochdale - I'm looking forward to meeting everyone...

As well as all the book week fun I've been busy writing late into the night, but despite all this we still managed to find time to go and see the excellent James Morrison in concert in Rhyl. Rhyl Pavilion is a small venue so it makes for a really intimate concert.

James Morrison has a great rock n soul voice and it was fantastic to see him perform a mixture of old favourites as well as songs from his brilliant new album. 

Wookey Hole And An Early Start To The Week

Up bright and early today - though not very bright as it feels like the middle of the night... Today I'm off to spend a day with everyone at St Edmund and St John C of E Primary School in Dudley - so here's a BIG HELLO to everyone there.

BIG HELLO's also too Woodlea Junior School, Netherton Infants, Monkwray Junior School and St Chad's Primary School in Lichfield... Phew, it's going to be a busy week. Somehow I have to fit some writing in too as I have a deadline that's creeping closer (a story about a dentist).

Last week was half term and, as well as writing, we had a couple of days away form home - starting with a drive down along the border of Wales and England, then finally crossing over to England on the Severn Bridge.

From there we headed down to Weston-Super-Mare - a popular seaside holiday resort with a long pier and lovely beaches. I couldn't help being intrigued by the ruins of the old Birnbeck Pier.

Deserted and in ruins it reminded me of a Scooby Doo set but the Pier was a hugely popular attraction for visitors. Steam ships would land at the jetty on the right and hundreds of visitors would spend their day having fun before finally going back home in the evening.

The main reason for going away was so we could visit the spectacular Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole. Walking through the Gorge we spotted Mountain Goats clambering around and Ravens gliding over the cliffs.

We ventured down into the Wookey Hole caves - heard the legend of the Wookey Witch and tried our best not to bump our heads on the roof of some of the lower rocks. "Ouch!"

The caves were interesting to see but I kept feeling myself drawn to the passage where Cheddar Cheese was slowly maturing "Yum!"

Time for school...

New Books

I hope you're enjoying the half term holidays... I've had a busy time since Christmas and things are just going to get busier so I thought I' d take this chance to write a little bit in my diary.

My two latest little books were published by the wonderful people at Franklin Watts a couple of days ago. Meerkat's Marathon and Hippo's High Dive. Both of the books form part of a little six book series themed around animals in the Olympic Games - two books are written by me and the other four have been written by other authors... There are only around 200 words in each of the books so they are quite short but the illustrations are great and I think they are a lot of fun.

Meerkat's Marathon has been illustrated by a brilliant new illustrator called Steve Brown. This was only Steve's second book but I think you will agree he's made a brilliant job of it. I'm delighted that Steve is illustrating another one of my stories at the moment (more about that later)... I think he's going to be a really big name in the children's book world in the future so it's great to have the chance to work with him. You can find out more about Steve by visiting his website HERE.

You can find out more about Meerkat's Marathon and Hippo's High Dive by clicking HERE... you can also print off some fun things to do.

I had a great time last week with everyone at Hadnall Primary School near Shrewsbury - followed by a long drive down to Edgware where I spent a day at The Orion Primary School for part of their wonderful Word Up Festival. I hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as I did...

After leaving The Orion Primary School I had a short drive (though it took ages) down to Wimbledon ready to visit the Ursuline Preparatory School for Girls.

It was fantastic meeting everyone and coming up with story ideas... lots of great questions and I even got to see a fox snoozing in the sun. You can see him at the top of the page...

A Busy New Year

The weeks since Christmas seem to have whizzed by and it's hard to believe February is already here. In the last few weeks I've been busy working on a story about an Awful Astronaut, visiting schools, catching up with all my letters and paperwork, and lots more.

Vicky and I haven't had much time to go anywhere or do anything, but we did manage a little drive around parts of Wales that we hadn't been to before - ending up at Lake Vyrnwy. Some photographs we took are scattered around in this diary entry.  

A couple of weeks ago I had a great time working with the wonderful Year four writers at Kensington Primary School in Merseyside - it's a pleasure visiting the school and I can't wait to see everyone again in the future. I also fun day with everyone at St Chad's Primary School, Crackley Bank. 

Last week I visited Bowlee Park Primary School in Bolton, Black Lane Primary School in Wrexham, Byron Primary School in Bradford and Westbury School in Nottingham - a really good few days sharing stories and talking about writing.

This week I will be visiting Woodbank Primary School in Bury, Hadnall Primary School in Shrewsbury, Orion Primary School in Edgware and Ursuline Prep School in Wimbledon... I really looking forward to meeting everyone... See you all soon.