Wonderful new library at Canada Water

On Friday 2nd December I visited the new Southwark library at Canada Water.
First impressions: Looks like a huge wooden ark just ready to float away ...
Inside - smells new. I love that smell.Then there is the centre piece of the library the wooden spiral staircase that is a work of art in its own right. It's really an enormous wide spiral that you can also use to to climb up to the library. And the place sings with colour - ochres and crimsons and lime greens - a wonderful piece of imagination. There is a performance space, a learning space,  a cafe, windows that open to an outside space and at the heart of it all the library itself with BOOKS! Bravo Southwark in this time of cut backs and austerity you have had the courage to open a place that gladdens the imagination. I had a great time telling my book Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain to two visiting schools. I look forward to visiting again

Barefoot in Oxford

Last Saturday I was invited to storytell at the launch of Barefoot Books new  shop/studio/ offices.
Do go and pay them a visit. It is a feast for the eyes. There are storytelling booths all in fabrics from Barefoot Books as well as a huge purple throne- which I got to sit on!  It is very user friendly and they will be running all sorts of fantastic story sessions, craft activities, as well as yoga  and drumming sessions. Oh yes and by the way, the icing on their carrot cake is to die for... mmm.
Check out their new place http://www.barefootbooks.com/uk/story/our_studio/

New art work for website

I recently commissioned the artist Thomas Dawson to paint two pieces for the website of my Dragon Racer series, www.jojodragonflyer.co.uk
Thomas has painted wonderful portraits of Excelsior and Prometheus. They have transformed my website!

Thomas Dawson is just starting a BA in Fine Art at Edinburgh University.

I was a guest author at Haringey Kid Lit Festival yesterday at Marcus Garvey Library. I always love doing these events. I had some new dragon stickers based on an illustration by the artist Thomas Dawson - it was great success. It's always a shame there aren't more children at these events. I had a great group - as I suspected they were on the younger end of the age group for Dragon Racer, but they all enjoyed making their paper dragons and went home armed with postcards and stickers and word searches. They also listened extremely well to the story - I could tell by the way it went so quiet when I was reading- and then they asked for more!

Recording stories

I am seriously looking at buying a usb microphone to record my stories. I'm looking at either a
Samson C01U Recording and Podcasting Microphone Pak or
Blue Microphones USB Microphone
Does anyone have experience of working with either of these?

Essential work

My new book, Legacy of Fire published by Catnip Publishing is out and about in the big wide world, so now it's phase 2 -getting it noticed. I've joined forces with my fellow CWISL author Sam Osman as she has just published Serpent's Gold published by Marion Lloyd, Scholastic -(check us out at www.cwisl.org.uk) We have found that  many hands do indeed make not only light work but give you confidence to approach people. We have contacted many of the independent book shops who are being very welcoming and supportive! I suppose we are all in this together.  So hurrah for independent books shops!
Sam and I will be at Under the Greenwood Tree bookshop on August 19th 3-5pm for readings and Q and A ( plus goodies such as stickers, word searches and other fun things to do.
I will also be there the following day to do an underfives ' Five Little Ducks', published by Ragged Bears, story time and craft activity.


Watch this space for more dates

Found an interesting website called http://www.bookcrossing.com It's an official 'leave a book on a bench/ train/ wherever , but because the book is labelled, with  a  reference number  and website details you can 'track' where the book goes. I thought I would give it a try. Anyone else ever tried it or found a book?

The Pop Up Festival was magical! Karin's igloo had fairy lights, snowflakes, a glitter ball and she had covered the floor in the material that looks like cosy nest for hamsters!
Karin had put together an amazing programme of dancers, musicians, stories and illustration all based on her book Immi. I was her storyteller and had the lovely job of telling stories from around the world. Of course I told my own Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain as well as my favourites, Rabbit and the Wolves and The King who wanted to touch the Moon.
The audience were younger- mostly under sevens - which was perfect for us.


Well done Dylan Calder, director of Pop Up. Check out the Pop Up website http://pop-up.org.uk/

Starting to prepare for the Pop Up Festival at Coram's Fields this weekend. I will be storytelling in Karin Littlewood's curated space based on her book Immi this Sunday-10th July at the following times.
12.15 -12.40

2.30 - 2.55

5.00 - 5.25

 I will be storytelling in a giant igloo! I'm a great admirer of Karin's work and have been really lucky to work with her twice on Chanda and the Mirror of Moonlight and Leah's Christmas Story.  I especially like her portrayal of human emotion and of course her glorious use of colour.
Depending on the age of attendees  I hope to be telling Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain, Masha and the Firebird, Rabbit and the Wolves or perhaps The King who wanted to Touch the Moon. 
It should be a great festival!



www.pop-up.org.uk/festival-programme/

Had a great day at St Matthew's Primary in Wimbledon. They really celebrate their book week in style and take a great deal of care looking after their visiting authors! 5 * to St Matthew's! Buffet lunch made by the staff specially brought in and even a lovely bouquet of flowers!
Not only that they made a special effort selling MY books and no others!
I always feel to be in a dilemma selling books. Of course I want people to be reading my books, but I know that the cost of living means parents cannot always afford them -as a result I always discount them and
I always say that children can just come and say hello and get an autograph.
Any thoughts?

Just got back from my first visit as a speaker at Winchester Writers Conference. I was overwhelmed by the dedication and commitment of so many people to their writing. It was my first time as a one to one tutor. I genuinely liked the pieces I had been sent to look at so it was easy to be encouraging. I hope the suggestions I made were helpful.
For myself, it was a good place to take stock of where I'm up to and why I write.


I enjoy telling stories
I enjoy using words
It's a nice way to make a living


Ways forward include
Need to

a. start a blog

b. Keep links going with new people I met there

c. Try new writing styles and techniques

d. Be more adventurous in my reading choices