National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as it’s known, is now over, and for the first time in a few years I took part… and made it to the end! It was a triumph because halfway through it really didn’t look like I stood a chance. Here are my stats: See, I was off to a good … Continue reading
Just before half term, I visited a school for a book talk… without leaving the house. And most of the students I spoke to were also at home, though some might have been travelling, accessing the classroom from wherever they happened to be. The school I visited was called InterHigh, a secondary school and sixth form that takes place … Continue reading
Recently, I went with my children for the experience of a lifetime – Zookeeper for the Day at Dartmoor Zoological Park in Devon. Technically, the experience was theirs (and they certainly did most of the hard work!) but as they needed a guardian to accompany them, lots of the fun brushed off on me, too. … Continue reading
I have two favourite summer activities: swimming here… And reading here… (This isn’t the actual balcony I read on, but my one also has a lovely view, even though the sea is a lot further away for me!) This summer I took a large selection of books with me to Italy, thanks to my trusty e-book … Continue reading
Hello! Today I’d like to share a couple of inspirational articles I’ve read recently. They’re from two different sources, but both book-related and both wonderful! The first is an interview between Siobhan Curham and Nicole Burstein. I love all of Siobhan Curham‘s books and I’m really looking forward to reading Nicole Burstein‘s Othergirl when I’m on holiday. … Continue reading
It’s July! Exams are over, and in many schools it’s time to relax… or, in later years, time for work experience. This is where students get to try out the world of work for a few days, and employers get some extra help. A couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to receive a beautifully written email from a young person … Continue reading
Recently I went to the MCM London Comic Con. This three-day convention celebrates comics, sci-fi, anime, manga and popular culture from the UK, US and Japan. It is HUGE, and the cosplay is FANTASTIC in every sense of the word. I wanted to illustrate this with some pictures, but I was too dazzled to take many good … Continue reading
I’ve seen a few competitions recently – like this one (just closed) by Tamsyn Murray, author of the brilliant Completely Cassidy series, and this one at Fiction Express (closing 7th June) – where you have to tell a story in 500 words. It got me thinking about how difficult it can be to tell a story in such a … Continue reading
Recently I stumbled across a brilliant page on the Booktrust site. It’s all about graphic novels and there are links to booklists and articles, plus a graphic short story by Hannah Berry, a writer-in-residence at Booktrust. (Read the Booktrust graphic novel guide.) I enjoy graphic novels, graphic memoirs and comics of all kinds, and I wanted to introduce three books … Continue reading
Have you ever glanced at a piece of fruit or a tree and seen a face looking back at you? Do you find your brain rearranging pieces of buildings or objects into happy faces (or grumpy faces)? Or maybe you’ve seen clouds in the shape of a familiar person? You might know that there’s a name … Continue reading
GirlsHeartBooks 