Happy Birthday to Me

Before I was a writer I only had one birthday a year. Now, like the Queen, I have several. And, princess-like, I’m making this blog post All About Me. How very selfish.

But it’s my birthday! If I can’t be a brat then…

Happy birthday, Still Falling!

Two birthdays actually. One is my book birthday. Still Falling, the most infuriating, difficult, elusive book I’ve ever tried to write, and also, I think, my best so far, is Out. In the world. Doing its thing. Being reviewed and that. It feels like a huge deal. Well, a book birthday always is, but this is my first YA title since Grounded in 2012, so it feels like quite an event. 

I’m writing this bang in the middle of my two book launches. Birthday parties, if you like.  Belfast (yesterday) was the home fixture, with my auntie Iris came, and former colleagues, and the lovely American lady who taught me at a novel editing class in 2001 and whom I haven’t seen since, and lots and lots of friends. The Belfast launch is always a bit emotional because you don’t know who’ll turn up but you know they’ll be someone with a personal connection. Tomorrow is the Dublin launch and it’ll be very different – publisher, agent, children’s book people. Lots of friends too (I hope) but very much recent book friends. Sometimes people wonder if it’s worth having launches – I think it is. It’s a celebration of hard work. The one book I didn’t launch properly I always feel I’ve been a bit mean to.

I'm sorry, Too Many Ponies 

But that’s not my only birthday. It’s my ABBA birthday too. A year ago today, I wrote my first ABBA post, ‘On Not Being Able To Say No’ – all about that tension between needing time to write and not wanting to refuse opportunities to make money. (Sadly, in my case, I’m still working on the writing itself bringing in more than pocket money.) I thought it would be interesting (possibly only for me, I admit) to see how things have changed in that year.

I’m still solvent, and still have no intention of returning to teaching. Last week I hid from the madness of World Book Week (which nearly killed me last year) at Arvon, where I tutored a wonderful group of eleven year olds with the equally wonderful Malachy Doyle. (And, to be vulgar about it, earned more than I would have in tearing round hither and yon like last year.) I’ve learned to pace myself better with school visits, and set a strict limit on my commitments for October (Children’s Book Fest in Ireland) which meant I finished the month on my feet and relatively sane.

Thank you, again, Arvon

I’ve written stuff too. As well as Still Falling, I have a YA novel with my agent, hopefully going on submission soon; a MG novel at acquisition stage (fingers crossed), and have just signed a contract for a historical MG with my Irish publisher. Taking Flight has been optioned by a film company. It’ll probably never be made, but I’m enjoying being able to say it. I’m going to be a Royal Literary Fund Fellow next year, which will cut out two writing days from my week but will also give me a decent income. Oh yeah, I think I remember what that was…

As for the not being able to say no? Well, I have turned down a few gigs recently because I needed the time for writing. I needed the time for writing because, when my Irish publisher asked in February if I could produce a short historical novel involving research by the end of April (yes, gentle reader, this April) I said confidently, ‘Yes, of course!’ It will be out in September. So far I have written 1200 words.

I know. When will I ever learn? I said yes because it was a challenge. I said yes because I was flattered at their faith in me. I said yes because I love writing historical even if I’d never previously wanted to write about the Easter Rising of 1916.

Mostly I said yes, because I couldn’t resist the chance to have two book birthdays in one year.

Population, Protests and Pumpkins

 
Exactly one year ago today little Ruaridh FIndlay Thompson's birth was heralded on the front page of the Scotsman as 'Edinburgh's one in 7 billion'
 It had been calculated that it was the day the 7 billionth child was born on planet Earth. 

Today, on his first birthday, Ruaridh will be getting lots of lovely presents and among the toys will be books.  He already has a good library,(shared with his 3yr old sister) of board books and flap books, audio books and beautifully illustrated picture books.

Ruaridh likes to make Brrrumh! noises to the cars in his books, he loves the tactile 'This is not my...'  series of books where each page has shiny, soft or bumpy aspects to each page, soft ears on a monkey or bumpy ridges on a tractor's engine. In fact he likes these so much that he touches the images on other picture books to see if they will feel different to the smooth surface of the printed book.

One of the great things about writing for children is that we have a new audience being born every day.   That means favourite books have another chance to delight a new audience, and  for the children there are also so many wonderful  books to discover.   If you are interested in Picture Books have a look at Picturebook Den another collaborative blog by members of the SAS (Scattered Authors Society).

Another place Ruaridh likes to go with his little sister is their local library, to listen to stories and borrow books.  When he goes to school it would be great to think that this encouragement to read a wide variety of books, that he is getting from home, will be reinforced in school by the school having a good and well stocked library and a librarian. 
Particularly when he gets to senior school, when a lot of children are no longer going to the library with their parents and reading can sometimes be thought of as something you HAVE to do at school, rather than a pleasure.
This is where school librarians come into their own.

Lobby for School Libraries - Scotland

Last weekend I attended the Lobby for School Libraries- Scotland,  at the Scottish Parliament.
I blogged about this a few weeks ago on ABBA .
Scottish authors Julie Bertagna, Jonathan Meres, Keith Gray, Debi Gliori, Anne Marie Allan and Sally J Collins  were there to support the lobby, many others  including Theresa Breslin (who sent a message from Russia) sent messages of support for libraries and librarians. In England there was great support from authors and librarians for the lobby in London on Monday.

In discussions about schools and librarians someone said they felt that English teachers in high schools do not read much or any young adult or teenage books, themselves. Obviously some teachers do and are great champions of books, but in my experience it is usually the school librarian, the person with all that enthusiasm, knowledge and willingness and time to engage with the children outside the classroom and exam pressures, who will manage to find the right book for the right child. 

Linda Strachan, Iain Gray MSP and Duncan Wright -School Librarian of the Year 2010

But that is not possible if they have no budget to buy new books or organise author visits or pupil participation in book related events.  If school budgets are cut or the money for books, libraries and librarians is not ring-fenced - in some schools libraries and librarians will not be considered a priority-
 which eems strange in a time when literacy problems seem to abound and engagement with books for sheer enjoyment is a sure way to encourage reluctant readers. 


 

Hopefully by the time little Ruaridh gets to senior school this will not be a problem!  For today he is blissfully unaware of all this and will no doubt have a lovely time with his little sister, enjoying his 1st birthday and his pumpkin birthday cake!

Giveaway

Don't forget our birthday giveaway! Email your entries by Friday 17th.

Birthday Post 8 by Catherine Clarke

Books for children have long been an important part of our culture, secret worlds which stay with us into adulthood. I lingered at the Pollyanna and A Little Princess end of the spectrum; loved buying five Secret Seven paperbacks for a new pound when we went decimal in 1971; moved on to Alan Garner a little later, more interested in the burgeoning teenage relationships than the myths bursting into the present, though the mix was thrilling.

Now children’s books—and books for Young Adults—are big business internationally; they are more codified and professionalized, franchised and targeted and branded. But that means they are taken seriously by publishers and booksellers (there are far more independent specialist children’s booksellers than any other category in the UK) and the choice of reading for children and the adults who buy for them is richer and more diverse than ever before.

And those categories are there to be challenged and pushed and opened up by innovative writers who can flex their visionary muscles; like clever, inspiring teachers they can take storytelling—and imaginations-- into new realms, and know that their stories will stay in many minds forever.




Catherine Clarke was Publishing Director of the Trade Books Department at OUP for several years before she joined Felicity Bryan as an agent in 2001.

Birthday Post 7 by Julia Churchill

by Julia Churchill

What's your first book memory? THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR - all the yummy food he makes his way through! And I adored WHERE THE WILD ONES ARE. It totally plugged in to that wild imagination of a four year old.

Best bedtime story? One year my grandmother read us THE HOBBIT. She did the voices and everything - her 'Gollum' was terrifying. It was that Autumn in '87 with the massive storm. The night of the storm trees were coming down all over the place and my grandmother read to us til dawn to keep us calm. Or maybe that's just the way I remember it.

What book made you check under the bed and in the cupboard? THE RATS by James Herbert. I slept with the light on for weeks. THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE had a similar effect a few years before. And because of GULLIVER'S TRAVELS (the Ladybird version) I still can't sleep with my feet sticking out of the duvet.

Best ever baddy? Cruella De Vil. Every baddy should have a 'thing' and a coat made of puppies is just the best ever.

Which character would you like as your best friend? Hal and Roger Hunt from THE ADVENTURE SERIES by Willard Price. Their break-neck adventures took them through jungles, rivers and desert islands. Perfect escapism for a tomboy.

Best illustrations? Beatrix Potter's books - Squirrel Nutkin, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Jemima Puddle-Duck, Peter Rabbit. Those characters are so much a part of childhood and even now the illustrations take me right back there.

Which book made you cry? THE RECTORY MICE. I don't think it's in print any more. It's the story of a struggling family of mice and it took me apart.

Most annoying character? Anne and Julian from THE FAMOUS FIVE. They were such fun-sponges.

What's your favourite fantasy world? Narnia. The scope of that series was extraordinary. Or maybe the world of THE BORROWERS which put magic into the every-day.

Which books did you hide from your mum? Anything by Judy Blume. Not that she'd have minded but I would have blushed if she'd found all the passages I'd underlined...

Desert Island children's book? Can I have THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ROALD DAHL? It's a bit of a cheat but would keep me entertained for a good while.

Which book do you treasure? My childhood copy of THE PRINCESS BRIDE. That book has everything.

Julia Churchill began her career in books in the Press Office of Sheldrake Press. In 2002 she started work at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency, eventually becoming Associate Agent specializing in children’s books. She now works at The Greenhouse Literary Agency.

Birthday Post 6

Hope you're enjoying our birthday party! And don't forget our giveaway!

Here’s the scenario.

The wolves have wandered off, but the oak sprite is still hanging around. She’s taken a bit of a shine to you and your bibliophilia. She is – for now – turning a blind eye to the wood pulp in your hands. Anyway, she calls on her dear friend, the dressing-up box gnome. Together, they plan to turn you into your all-time favourite children’s book character.

Who do you choose?

Birthday Post 5 by Gregory Jensen and Lucy Philip

What I Read
by Gregory Jensen

I grew up without a TV so I had no choice but to read.

I was still reading early readers at 7. When I wanted my mum to read me Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and she said I was too young for it, I took it and read it by myself. Although I was frightened by the ghosts and snakes, I finished it. Once I’d read that first book, things snowballed and (oh, hang on, Disney moment coming up) I discovered ‘a world of magic’.

Soon I was reading so many books so fast, my mum thought it was time I visited a library. My favourite authors are Anthony Horowitz (no. 1), Cathy Cassidy (because her books are such real life), Robert Muchamore (I’ve read the Cherub series three times), Steve Voake (awesome, just awesome), Alan Gibbons (tense), Malorie Blackman (The Stuff of Nightmares was especially brilliant) and Eoin Colfer, who is hilarious.

Oh and I do read Marie-Louise Jensen, but only because she’s my mum, so don’t tell anyone.

Greg is 15 and lives in Bath with his family and a lot of books.

My Books
by Lucy Philip

I love to read and I get ideas from my books to write my own stories on the computer.

My favourite books are Magic Kitten, Magic Puppy, Magic Pony and Animal Ark, because they have animals and magic in them. I also like excitement and adventure, like the Famous Five. I always know there’s going to be a happy ending when I read my book. But my favourite author is Michael Morpurgo. I read his book The Butterfly Lion and I felt excited and sad but I loved the characters, especially Bertie. It was hard reading one chapter a night because I wanted to read it all at once. Next I’d like to read The Dancing Bear, and I’d love to see War Horse in the theatre.

I don’t want to ever read just one kind of book. It’s fun to read different kinds of stories. And when I grow up I want to be an author. When I’m writing my books, I’ll write about animals and magic too.
Maybe I’ll write Magic Rabbit or Magic Otter.

Lucy Philip is 8 years old and lives in Scotland.

Birthday Post 4 by Amanda Craig

“So, when are you going to write your children’s book?”

As an adult novelist who loves and reviews children’s fiction, I get asked this surprisingly often, and when I say that I think children’s novels are much, much harder to write than adult ones, audiences think I’m joking. But surely, they say, they’re so much easier?

You can certainly write something that is just the product of intelligence and craft in a short space of time. Of the 100 or so books I get delivered to my door each week, there are probably a good 80+ which fall into this category.

But I don’t want to write stuff like that. For one thing, I have too much respect for children as readers, and for another I have too much respect for children’s fiction as a unique form. It presents many challenges, not least in needing a constantly evolving plot, sympathetic characters and above all a moral universe in which good triumphs over evil. Actually, I write this kind of (unfashionable) novel for adults, too, as in my just-published Hearts and Minds. Yet a classic children’s novel exists in a pre-lapsarian age. Basically, because your characters don’t have sex they can do anything – whether it’s flying, becoming invisible, travelling to another world or talking to their own soul.

The best children’s novels – the kind I’d want to write – are by people who have never left Eden. I have. I love re-visiting it; but my imagination feeds fruit that’s bitter, not sweet.



Amanda Craig is a novelist and children’s critic for The Times. Her website is www.amandacraig.com

Birthday Post 3

Welcome to our birthday party! And don't forget our giveaway!

Here’s the scenario.

A pack on ravenous wolves have chased you through the murky forest as far as the high oak. You dash up the oak and sit, panting, on a branch, while the wolves lie, panting, below. You are going to be there, twiddling your thumbs, for some time. Suddenly, an oak sprite appears, offering to dash to the British Library on your behalf and grab any children’s book you desire.

Which, all-time favourite, book do you ask for?

Birthday Post 2 - Giveaway!

An Awfully Big Blog Giveaway!

To celebrate our first birthday we are holding a massive book giveaway. There are a huge range of titles to be won and each one will be signed for the winner by the author (unless otherwise stated). There are five different giveaways, arranged loosely by age-range. You are welcome to enter as many as you like. For a description of the books, please click on the links (then make sure you come back for the rest of the party!)


Win A Book 1 – Books for young children. To win one of these books, send your name in an email to winabook1@googlemail.com by Friday 17th July
The Prizes:
‘Greyfriars Bobby’ by Linda Strachan
‘Hamish McHaggis and the Search for the Loch Ness Monster’ by Linda Strachan
'Monster' by Anne Rooney
'No Wobbly Teeth' by Anne Rooney
‘Play, Laugh and Learn: Celebrate the Seasons’ by Lynn Huggins-Cooper
‘Snap!’ by Damian Harvey


Win A Book 2 – Books for beginning readers. To win one of these books, send your name in an email to winabook2@googlemail.com by Friday 17th July
The Prizes:
‘Atticus the Storyteller’s 100 Greek Myths’ by Lucy Coats
‘Big Bad Blob’ by Penny Dolan
‘Jack Slater and the Whisper of Doom’ by John Dougherty
‘Rainbow Magic Treasury’ by Daisy Meadows. Two copies available; these WILL NOT be signed.
‘St Jenni – Animal Crazy’ by Meg Harper
‘The Third Elephant’ by Penny Dolan


Win A Book 3 – Books for confident readers. To win one of these books, send your name in an email to winabook3@googlemail.com by Friday 17th July
The Prizes:
‘A Nest of Vipers’ by Catherine Johnson
‘Dark Angels’ by Katherine Langrish
‘Eye of the Moon’ plus ‘Eye of the Sun’ by Dianne Hofmeyr
‘Hootcat Hill’ by Lucy Coats
‘How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant’ by Elen Caldecott
‘Know Your Brain’ by Nicola Morgan
‘Season of Secrets’ by Sally Nicholls
‘Sisters of the Sword 3: Journey Through Fire’ (U.S. Edition) by Maya Snow
‘The Undrowned Child’ by Michelle Lovic
‘Walking With Witches’ by Lynn Huggins-Cooper


Win A Book 4 – Books for teenagers. To win one of these books, send your name in an email to winabook4@googlemail.com by Friday 17th July
The Prizes:
‘Bad Faith’ plus ‘Crossing the Line’ by Gillian Philip
‘Between Two Seas’ by Marie-Louise Jensen
‘Deathwatch’ by Nicola Morgan
‘Forget Me Not’ by Anne Cassidy
‘Hand of Blood’ by Charlie Butler
‘Just Jealous’ by Anne Cassidy
‘My Mum and Other Horror Stories’ by Meg Harper
‘Saving Rafael’ by Leslie Wilson
‘Spider’ by Linda Strachan
‘The Seventh Tide’ by Joan Lennon
‘Warriors of Ethandun’ by N M Browne


Win A Book 5 – Books for adults. To win one of these books, send your name in an email to winabook5@googlemail.com by Friday 17th July
The Prizes:
‘How to Insult, Abuse and Insinuate in Classical Latin’ by Michelle Lovic
‘The Floating Book’ by Michelle Lovic
‘Writing for Children’ by Linda Strachan






The rules.It is not possible to request a particular book. Prizes are not exchangeable. Only one entry per giveaway, but you can enter as many of the different giveaways as you wish. One book per winner (unless stated otherwise). The p&p will not be charged to the winners. Closing date for entries Friday 17th July. Winners will be notified via email and the books will be dispatched within 28 days of confirmation email. The judge’s decisions are final.

Birthday Post 1 - Welcome!

Hello!

“Happy birthday to ABBA,
Squashed tomatoes and, er, blubber...”

Yes, today is our first birthday and we are delighted that you could join us! There will be a whole heap of guest blogs and interesting chat to enjoy throughout the day, so do keep popping in!

You will notice a virtual birthday cake at the top right of the screen – do please help yourself to a slice. It has no calories! Truly, a perfect cake (many thanks to Penny and Damian for baking it).
There is also a guest book just below the cake. If you want to leave a birthday message in the book, please feel free. Then we can arrange them all on our virtual mantelpiece when we get home.

We are also having a mammoth book giveaway today. What a good party this is already! You turn up and the host is giving out the presents! So do take a look at the next post which is all about that.

Thank you for coming to our party, and thank you for all your support, kind words, healthy debate and downright disagreements over the past twelve months. It has been an awfully big blog adventure and long may it continue!


The ABBA team: Adele Geras; Anne Cassidy; Anne Rooney; Catherine Johnson; Charles Butler; Damian Harvey; Dianne Hofmeyr; Elen Caldecott; Gillian Philip; Joan Lennon; John Dougherty; Karen Ball; Katherine Langrish; Katherine Roberts; Leslie Wilson; Linda Strachan; Lucy Coats; Lynn Huggins-Cooper; Marie-Louise Jensen; Meg Harper; Michelle Lovric; N M Browne; Nick Green; Nicola Morgan; Penny Dolan; Sally Nicholls; Susan Price

Looking back and looking forwards - John Dougherty

Looking back: longtime readers of An Awfully Big Blog Adventure may recall that in the last post of 2008 I got all excited about my new shed; but I did admit to worrying that perhaps all it would do would be to rob me of excuses for being so thoroughly unproductive and inefficient. "I'll let you know how it works out," I said.

Well, we're more than 6 months in now, and so far my investment is, thankfully, looking pretty sound. Yes, it has pointed up a bit of a tendency to procrastinate - it's often as much as a couple of hours between getting the kids off to school and actually sitting down in the shed to write - but once I get down there it's like entering a different reality.

Really, that's only slightly hyperbolic. Let me give you this illustration: on Monday, I spent most of the working day trying to sort out a problem with my internet banking (which, by the way, is still not resolved, and if anyone from the Newcastle Building Society is reading this, I'd be grateful if you could get someone from the Knows What They're Talking About Department to make the phone call I was told would be coming on Tuesday. Thanks). At about 3:00pm I decided I ought to at least pretend to do some work, though I was pretty certain I was too wound up to get anything useful done. So I stomped bad-temperedly down to the shed, opened the door (huffing and tutting), stepped inside...

...and something changed. My shoulders unknotted - not completely, but noticeably - and some of the tension, at least, just lifted. My mind let go of the problem with the building society, and took hold of the story I'd come down to pretend to focus on.

I was At Work.

I could say an awful lot about the benefits of the shed - the Wordshed, as a friend of mine has named it - but I think this encapsulates what makes it special, what makes it My Writing Place, and why I was right to spend all that money on it. When I enter it, my mind knows why I've come, and just slips into that mystical Zone that writers sometimes talk about. All the stuff that gets in the way when I try to write in the house, all those other jobs I should be doing, just don't exist while I'm in the shed. When I'm there, I am A Writer, and Writing Is What I Do. And consequently, I do more writing.

Looking forwards: Hard to believe, I know, but An Awfully Big Blog Adventure will be one year old tomorrow! Hoorah! And we're having a party - a virtual party to which you're all invited. There'll be virtual cake and balloons, posts by some very special guests, and updates throughout the day - including some posts for which the comments will be the important part. So please drop by from time to time during the day, and remember: if you need a displacement activity on July 10th, An Awfully Big Blog Adventure is the place to come.

And finally, a plug: we're often quite reticent about plugging our new books here on ABBA, and perhaps we shouldn't be. So just in case anyone is interested, my latest, Jack Slater and the Whisper of Doom, was published last Thursday. Do keep a look out for it - and if you'd like the chance of a signed copy, it'll be one of (at last count) 35 titles being offered as prizes in the great Awfully Big Blog Adventure Birthday Giveaway.

See you tomorrow!

HARRIS LEAPS TO FAME – Dianne Hofmeyr

Harris has not only found his feet, but has leapt as high into the air and the limelight as Roger Federer on Centre Court, after his defeat of the valiant Andy Roddick.

Harris’s leap has secured him top ranking and a place forever in the Hall of Kate Greenaway Fame where his portrait will hang alongside other such legends and Title Holders as:
Charlie and Lola
Dish and Spoon
Long Neck and Thunder Foot
Gorilla (and Hannah)
Tim (All Alone… not Henman)
Mister Magnolia
Borka
Little Bear
Baby Bunting
Gulliver
Dogger
Alice
and Mr Grumpy to name a few over the years.

His portrait (frame supplied by blogger and not artist) is a delightful reminder of his personality, his sense of awe, his courage in the face of danger and his huge leap of faith and belief in a world that is bigger than one small player can imagine.

Credit must go to his trainer, Catherine Rayner, who guided him through this adventure. With foresight she produced a mentor for Harris who is an old hand at the game. Not only wise and understanding, Grandad takes delight in Harris’s development of speed and agility and helps him develop an uncanny knack of knowing his enemy. So good is Grandad’s mentoring that in the end ‘Harris ran, feeling the bounce in his feet and the stretch in his legs. He ran faster and faster… as fast as fast…until he was on his own.’ And with more encouragement ‘ran, leaping over streams and bouncing through meadows on his big, strong feet that would take him to the end of the world … and back home again.’

Congratulations go not just to Harris and his Grandad, but to Catherine for her delightful illustrations that give energy to Harris and add character to Grandad with his wavery whiskers and freckly, old-age spots. And most of all congratulations for those long drawn-out shadows across the earth that remind me so much of Africa.

For anyone wanting to see a fascinating account of how those shadows were achieved so naturally and how Catherine Rayner developed Harris Finds his Feet, watch her video at the Shadowing Site for CILIP’S 2009 KATE GREENAWAY AWARD:http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/shadowingsite/watch.php?authorid=8

PS Don’t forget our Birthday Blog in 2 days time… Friday 10th July… where you’ll be able to celebrate our OUR AWFULLY BIG BLOG ADVENTURE 1st Birthday by eating virtual cake, adding comments and winning books.