Last time I wrote, I was in the dumps. And to be honest, the days and week or so that followed were HARD WORK. A not-very-enjoyable part of being a writer. I started the manuscript again, the one that wasn’t working. And it was SLUDGY. Very, very hard going, and kind of BORING. I BORED … More On the Up again…!
My last post was about how I write, and I mentioned that I was working on a project close to my heart with an illustrator. Well, I’d finished the first draft, and I’d sent it to my agent, along with a good writer friend and the illustrator. The writer friend was the first to get … More Picking yourself up again
A week ago my good friend and brilliant writer Susie Day (author of the brilliant Pea books among others) tagged me in a sort of bloggy toury thingy (that’s a technical term, by the way). You should nip over to read her What, Why and How I write and then come back here…I’ll make a cuppa … More What, Why and How I Write
The London Book Fair happens every year in April. Book Fairs are huuuge events, with publishers from all over the world sending publicists and sales people (and sometimes editors) to have meetings and talk at seminars. Plus, of course, have a stand to display all their latest books. Agents, too, have the opportunity to meet … More A trip to the London Book Fair
I went out for a walk yesterday afternoon. There’s a very beautiful magnolia tree three houses down. I love magnolia. When I was young, there was a magnolia tree in next door’s garden. I used to collect the fallen petals and sew them into fairy skirts for my dolls.
It’s been a slow day today. I’m tired and, having finished the first draft of a new book recently, am in that slightly in-between-projects stage. So I dug out a manuscript I finished in November last year and re-read it. It needs a re-write, but I’m fond of it (it’s what one of my writer … More A ‘wafty’ story on a window seat
On Tuesday I spent a very enjoyable four hours at Faringdon Community College, near Swindon. I spoke to the whole of Y7, in three big groups in the library, and they were all brilliant. Some great questions too! Thanks to Y7 and to Jean Hudson the librarian and Kathy Lemaire from the Oxford Children’s Book … More A great day at Faringdon Community College
I read the first Wendy Quill last year and LOVED it. Not just because the book is laugh-out-loud funny, but also because of the superb illustrations (done by Wendy Meddour’s supremely talented daughter Mina May). So when the second in the series was published, I begged for a copy to review – and I wasn’t … More Wendy Quill Tries to Grow a Pet – Review
Yesterday I took my eldest to an event at the Oxford Literary Festival. I was very much looking forward to it because it featured Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve. I’ve met Sarah at a handful of events over the years and she’s a wonderful person who always wears the most amazing outfits. I’d not met … More Seawigs at the Oxford Literary Festival!
The End. That’s what I’ve just written. OOH it feels good 🙂 I’ve been working on this particular story for a looong time, even though it’s quite a short book compared with my usual output! But it’s taken months and months to work out how to do it ‘right’, and thanks to some very clever … More My favourite words
Jo Cotterill 