Jo Cotterill

Tommy V Cancer blog tour: Review of 13 Steps to Beating Writer’s Block!

June 6, 2016

Hello there! Welcome to my blog, if you’ve come from the truly awesome massive #tommyvcancer blog tour! Today I’m reviewing Tommy’s ebook 13 Steps to Beating Writer’s Block: Free your creativity today! I picked this because, as a writer, reading about other people’s writing problems is immensely comforting, and also because you never know when … More Tommy V Cancer blog tour: Review of 13 Steps to Beating Writer’s Block!

Tommy V Cancer blog tour!

May 29, 2016

Some of you already know about my writer friend Tommy Donbavand, who was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer in March and has been undergoing some really severe treatment ever since. He’s doing really well – hurrah for Tommy! – and to support him through his recovery and return to health, some of his friends … More Tommy V Cancer blog tour!

Real-Life Electrigirl!

May 26, 2016

Spotted in Oxfordshire! Watch out, Professor Macavity!

The Secret Railway – review

May 22, 2016

I started reading The Secret Railway to my seven-year-old daughter, but she stopped me at the end of the introduction. ‘You can’t read on, Mummy, you’re not allowed. You’re married.’ See, Wendy Meddour has done this introduction which carefully weeds out the people who ‘aren’t 100% child’ by means of a questionnaire. No matter that … More The Secret Railway – review

Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket – review

May 22, 2016

Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket is the sequel to the brilliant Anyone But Ivy Pocket, which was one of my stand-out books of last year. It’s not quite as brilliant, but that’s possibly because it’s the middle book in a trilogy, which is very hard to do well (unless you happen to be The Empire Strikes … More Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket – review

Launching Lemons with added Stinkbombs and Ketchup!

May 12, 2016

Last Friday was my launch party for A LIBRARY OF LEMONS and it was SO much fun! I shared the event with my author pal John Dougherty (who published his book Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers on the same day as my Lemons) at the brilliant Blackwells in Oxford, and we … More Launching Lemons with added Stinkbombs and Ketchup!

How Not To Be Weird – review

May 6, 2016

How Not To Be Weird by Dawn McNiff continues in her vein of ‘magical realism’ stories – where the power of belief is tested against real-world situations – and is a lovely heart-warming and encouraging read. Woody Trindle is starting secondary school and feels far too young and awkward. Woody’s father died when Woody was … More How Not To Be Weird – review

Happy Lemony Publication Day to Me!

May 5, 2016

Whew, it’s finally here! A LIBRARY OF LEMONS publishes today, hurrah! And really, you don’t know QUITE how relieved I am, because this has been possibly the hardest book ever to write. Well, the first draft was easy. But the many, MANY drafts that came after that…well, they weren’t all easy. And they got harder … More Happy Lemony Publication Day to Me!

Four Days of Festival Brilliance with Chiplitfest!

April 26, 2016

What a fantastic weekend I’ve just had! The fifth annual Chipping Norton Literary Festival (otherwise known as Chiplitfest) has just finished, and it was SO MUCH FUN! Lovely author pal John Dougherty and I were heavily involved in programming and running the children’s events, including performing in our own events, so it’s been a dash … More Four Days of Festival Brilliance with Chiplitfest!

Fighting against cancer with brilliant author Tommy Dombavand – can you help?

April 24, 2016

Cancer is REALLY scary. Most of us know someone who’s either had it, is in treatment, recovering or didn’t make it through. It’s a beast of a diagnosis, and now a fab funny author friend of mine, Tommy Donbavand, is facing a terrifying battle against throat cancer. He’s started radiotherapy and chemotherapy this last week, … More Fighting against cancer with brilliant author Tommy Dombavand – can you help?

Writer for children and young adults