I’ve just got back from a full day’s creative writing workshop at the fabulous Story Museum in Oxford, with thirteen 8-12-year-olds – and it was BRILLIANT. We did story starters (trying to identify which are real book titles and which are made up is HARD!), asking the endless questions that start WHAT IF…? (…buildings had … More Summer Story Makers at the Story Museum
Someone at Bloomsbury has really got the measure of me. I can’t otherwise explain the fact that they sent me a picture book (which I don’t normally review) all about challenging gender stereotypes. I’M A GIRL! by Yasmeen Ismail is probably the most outwardly feminist picture book I’ve ever read – and I love it. The … More I’m A Girl – review
I am being thoroughly spoilt by books at the moment. I love a good contemporary YA, with issues galore and preferably some kind of impending doom that’s resolved in some way at the end. That possibly says a lot about me! But IN ANOTHER LIFE by Laura Jarratt ticks all the boxes for me, and … More In Another Life – review
Sometimes you come across an author who writes such fantastic stuff that you really wonder why on earth they’re not on all the awards lists ever, or being interviewed by the Guardian, or appearing on Top YA lists everywhere. EDEN by Joanna Nadin made me feel like this – and Sheena Wilkinson’s STILL FALLING has … More Still Falling – review
As promised, here are the two videos taken by Michelle from Fluttering Butterflies. In the first, I am interviewed about my favourite recent book and my greatest fear – and in the second, I videobomb Liz Kessler’s interview (completely unplanned, of course…!) Thanks to Michelle and to Liz for being such good sports about the … More Video interviews from YALC: in which I prat about and pull a lot of faces
AAARGH school holidays have started and my time is DISAPPEARING and loads of brilliant Stuff has been happening, and there is NO TIME to blog about any of it!! And I have DEADLINES! So, here’s my quick round-up of the past three weeks: Charney retreat with the Scattered Authors’ Society I love Charney. I think … More Lots of Stuff: Charney retreat, UKLA awards and YALC!
I was keen to read ONLY WE KNOW by Simon Packham because a) he used to blog for Girls Heart Books and I never got around to reading anything of his (and I really do try to read stuff by bloggers who help me run the site!) and b) it’s published by Piccadilly Press, who are … More Only We Know – review
Last night I went to a party. A big publishing party, hosted by Penguin Random House. At some point, I asked my editor how many people they were expecting. ‘Five hundred,’ she said. Here’s the thing. Parties frighten me. I’m uncomfortable facing big noisy groups of people I don’t know. I like it even less when … More Introvert At A Party
I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed one of these books on my site before. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent all my time telling people I meet to buy them! The Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face series has caused more bedtime merriment in this house than any other. My seven-year-old literally squeals in delight, and I have been … More Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face and the Bees of Stupidity – review
Yesterday Cathy Brett and I met up in Oxford for the OUP sales conference. Authors don’t usually get to go to these; it’s where all the books due to be published in the next however-many-months are presented to the sales reps. I assumed that the reps were divided up geographically – so one person would … More Introducing Electrigirl!
Jo Cotterill 