LATEST NEWS... AND WHAT'S COMING NEXT?
When the Brighton Festival asked if I'd like to be part of their Adopt an Author scheme I was delighted to accept. It all looked very simple - it was supposed to involve a series of e-mail exchanges between me and a local primary school culminating in an event at the Dome. What could be easier or more straightforward?
But I had reckoned without the gloriously energetic, truly inspired teacher, Tracy Owen, at Coldean Primary who roped in staff and local police to do something quite extraordinary. She devised an ingeniously plotted, meticulously planned eight week long Mystery event. A string of bizarre murders at the school started with the boring to death of a nightclub owner. (The incriminating evidence? A Justin Bieber CD was located at the scene of the crime.)
Each incident was thoroughly investigated by Purple Class. These Year 6 'undercover operatives' sent regular reports to me. (I was posing as the biscuit eating, tea swilling Detective Danny Matalan.)
When the crimes were finally solved by these junior super-sleuths the culprit - who turned out to be the headteacher, Mr.McConnachie, no less - was handcuffed and driven away in a panda car, sirens screaming, lights flashing! Spectacular. And all the more amazing because it incorporated all the Literacy for their SATs revision.
It was a glorious roller-coaster of a ride and I loved every minute of it. When I finally got to meet the class at the Dome it was quite literally a jaw dropping occasion. I'll never forget it. A huge thank you to everyone involved!
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Wonderful and amazing news - MONDAYS ARE MURDER has won a FABULOUS BOOK AWARD. I got sent an beautiful fountain pen, and a letter from St.Bernadette's School that said, "Thank you very much for writing this book - and the many others - which have been, and will be a treasured addition to our hearts, minds and bookshelf, forever."
That's definitely a letter that's going to be framed and put up on the wall....
MONDAYS ARE MURDER also won the 2010 Red House Children's Book Award (Younger Children's Category)! My boys traveled with me up to the ceremony in Birmingham's Botanical Gardens and we had a brilliant day. I was so shocked when the announcement was made that first I squealed like a pig and then came over all Kate Winsletty. I made a terrible, choked up speech and the photographer who snapped a picture of me being given my (very beautiful) silver bookmark said, "You could look a bit happier about it." But it's extremely hard to smile when you're trying not to burst into tears!
I was also handed a dazzling portfolio of drawings and reviews which I treasure - thank you so much to everyone who contributed to it!
You can see photos of the event at:
www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk/past-award-ceremony-2010.html
A couple of days later I went up to the Leeds Book Awards which was also a lovely, fun-filled event. The extremely talented groups of children taking part did some awesome presentations including a Poppy Fields rap (which, naturally, was my favourite). I came over all Kate Winsletty again when I won that too.
There are going to be ten Poppy Fields titles all together. The next one - BLOOD HOUND - comes out in November.
There's a fantastic trailer for the series here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXSYHQGHP38
You can download a Poppy Fields crime busting detective pack on the Walker website:
www.walker.co.uk/poppyfields.aspx
NEW IN 2011
As well as the new Poppy Fields title MARY'S PENNY will be published in paperback this summer. Beautifully illustrated by Richard Holland it tells the story of one farmer, his three children and an ingenious competition that will determine who should inherit the farm. Who will be able to fill the house with something that costs a mere penny? Does straw do the trick? Are feathers sufficient? Or will it take something a little more creative?
I've loved this story since I first heard it - it says so much about the triumph of intelligence over brute force. It's the kind of tale everyone should hear at least once.
* MARY'S PENNY was awarded the designation 'A Junior Library Guild Selection' for Spring 2010 in the USA.
In January GERONIMO was published by Barrington Stoke. It grew out of visiting schools and chatting to teenagers. Since APACHE was published I've toured the country giving talks and I've discovered that many people don't know anything about the history of America. Some have no idea that the USA was settled by white European immigrants. Some think that an Apache is a helicopter or a computer programme. So when Barrington Stoke asked me if I'd be interested in writing some non-fiction I leapt at the chance.
* APACHE was shortlisted for the 2008 Carnegie Medal (and was voted the Shadowing Groups' favourite), the Calderdale Book of the Year Award, the Highland Books Award, the Salford Young Adult Book Award and the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize.
Re-titled I AM APACHE for the US market it won the Borders Original Voices Award in the young adult category and the Western Writers of America 2009 Spur Award in the Best Western Juvenile Fiction category.
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* THE GOLDSMITH'S DAUGHTER was nominated for the 2008 Guardian Children's fiction prize, longlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the 2008 Berkshire Book Award. It's also been shortlisted for the 2010 Cheshire Book Award.
But I had reckoned without the gloriously energetic, truly inspired teacher, Tracy Owen, at Coldean Primary who roped in staff and local police to do something quite extraordinary. She devised an ingeniously plotted, meticulously planned eight week long Mystery event. A string of bizarre murders at the school started with the boring to death of a nightclub owner. (The incriminating evidence? A Justin Bieber CD was located at the scene of the crime.)
Each incident was thoroughly investigated by Purple Class. These Year 6 'undercover operatives' sent regular reports to me. (I was posing as the biscuit eating, tea swilling Detective Danny Matalan.)
When the crimes were finally solved by these junior super-sleuths the culprit - who turned out to be the headteacher, Mr.McConnachie, no less - was handcuffed and driven away in a panda car, sirens screaming, lights flashing! Spectacular. And all the more amazing because it incorporated all the Literacy for their SATs revision.
It was a glorious roller-coaster of a ride and I loved every minute of it. When I finally got to meet the class at the Dome it was quite literally a jaw dropping occasion. I'll never forget it. A huge thank you to everyone involved!
Wonderful and amazing news - MONDAYS ARE MURDER has won a FABULOUS BOOK AWARD. I got sent an beautiful fountain pen, and a letter from St.Bernadette's School that said, "Thank you very much for writing this book - and the many others - which have been, and will be a treasured addition to our hearts, minds and bookshelf, forever."
That's definitely a letter that's going to be framed and put up on the wall....
MONDAYS ARE MURDER also won the 2010 Red House Children's Book Award (Younger Children's Category)! My boys traveled with me up to the ceremony in Birmingham's Botanical Gardens and we had a brilliant day. I was so shocked when the announcement was made that first I squealed like a pig and then came over all Kate Winsletty. I made a terrible, choked up speech and the photographer who snapped a picture of me being given my (very beautiful) silver bookmark said, "You could look a bit happier about it." But it's extremely hard to smile when you're trying not to burst into tears!
I was also handed a dazzling portfolio of drawings and reviews which I treasure - thank you so much to everyone who contributed to it!
You can see photos of the event at:
www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk/past-award-ceremony-2010.html
A couple of days later I went up to the Leeds Book Awards which was also a lovely, fun-filled event. The extremely talented groups of children taking part did some awesome presentations including a Poppy Fields rap (which, naturally, was my favourite). I came over all Kate Winsletty again when I won that too.
There are going to be ten Poppy Fields titles all together. The next one - BLOOD HOUND - comes out in November.
There's a fantastic trailer for the series here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXSYHQGHP38
You can download a Poppy Fields crime busting detective pack on the Walker website:
www.walker.co.uk/poppyfields.aspx
NEW IN 2011
As well as the new Poppy Fields title MARY'S PENNY will be published in paperback this summer. Beautifully illustrated by Richard Holland it tells the story of one farmer, his three children and an ingenious competition that will determine who should inherit the farm. Who will be able to fill the house with something that costs a mere penny? Does straw do the trick? Are feathers sufficient? Or will it take something a little more creative?
I've loved this story since I first heard it - it says so much about the triumph of intelligence over brute force. It's the kind of tale everyone should hear at least once.
* MARY'S PENNY was awarded the designation 'A Junior Library Guild Selection' for Spring 2010 in the USA.
In January GERONIMO was published by Barrington Stoke. It grew out of visiting schools and chatting to teenagers. Since APACHE was published I've toured the country giving talks and I've discovered that many people don't know anything about the history of America. Some have no idea that the USA was settled by white European immigrants. Some think that an Apache is a helicopter or a computer programme. So when Barrington Stoke asked me if I'd be interested in writing some non-fiction I leapt at the chance.
* APACHE was shortlisted for the 2008 Carnegie Medal (and was voted the Shadowing Groups' favourite), the Calderdale Book of the Year Award, the Highland Books Award, the Salford Young Adult Book Award and the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize.
Re-titled I AM APACHE for the US market it won the Borders Original Voices Award in the young adult category and the Western Writers of America 2009 Spur Award in the Best Western Juvenile Fiction category.
* THE GOLDSMITH'S DAUGHTER was nominated for the 2008 Guardian Children's fiction prize, longlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the 2008 Berkshire Book Award. It's also been shortlisted for the 2010 Cheshire Book Award.