CHRISTMAS COMPETITION! WIN SIGNED BOOKS!

For a chance to win a signed set of my books, including a proof of QUARRY, my new novel, publishing in February 2011, email publicity@scholastic.co.uk

Go for it! What have you got to lose?

Dr Who...

I wrote a short audio story about Doctor Who and a whale and it's great. Take a look at www.bigfinish.com/Short-Trips-Audio-BooksTo celebrate, I've got three copies of Doctor Who: Short Trips Volume 1 to give away.Send an email with your name and address to shorttrips@bigfinish.com by December 24th 2010 and the first three names drawn out of a hat on Christmas day will win a copy! It's read by Dr Who himself, *Peter Davidson*

QUARRY

Scrappy, a 15 year old boy who lives in a breakers yard, is being sent crazy anonymous dares. Once he gets caught up in them, he finds he can't stop, and the last challenges send him to the very edge...

see reviews below.

http://mrripleysenchantedbooks.blogspot.com/2010/12/ally-kennen-quarry-book-

review.html

http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Quarry_by_Ally_Kennen

http://www.librarymice.com/2011/02/quarry.html

http://www.richtercollective.com/kimharte/?p=540

http://www.wondrousreads.com/2011/02/review-quarry-by-ally-kennen-giveaway.html

http://www.overflowinglibrary.com/2011/02/review-quarry-by-ally-kennen.html

NANOWRIMO???

I don't think I am going to make 50,000 words this month, but I do have 24,000 words of a new 8+ novel which is wonderful.
I met a young writer from Orkney today at the Scholastic HQ, visiting with the Scottish Book Trust, who has done it this month and already topped 50,000 words! well done.
Today I have recorded some of QUARRY for a web link, spoken to Julia Eccleshare and had a new author photo taken!



I am now thinking about a new teen novel....

NANOWRIMO???

NANOWRIMO

arrgh, falling behind...I'm trying to fire out a very rough first draft of my new book, maybe called SCAVENGERS, and it's fun but NOT ENOUGH TIME, am off to find a book to make a plan (I'm nearly 20,000 words in and I still haven't got a plan, that's what nanowrimo is all about I suppose) But free writing (like free diving only with oxygen, you plunge deeper as you go into the unknown) is a good way to generate ideas... but I should have written 26,672 words by now in order to 'win' nanowrimo.

Back to it...must also find out about cliff erosion, sea slugs, shipping lanes and dynamite.

Swindon Ten Youth Festival

Visits to Kingsdown School and Dorcan Tech, post your stories below if yoiu would like some feedback!

Nice to meet you all.

HAYGROVE SCHOOL VISIT

I visited Haygrove school in Bridgewater today and had a very nice time talking about BEAST and SPARKS and my other books.
Post your story below! Go on, do it! Thanks for being fabulous.
Enjoy the carnival tonight...

HURRAH! SPARKS LONGLISTED FOR CARNEGIE 2011

This is the sort of news that keeps me pounding the keyboard late into the night...

http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/pressdesk/press.php?release=pres_nom_car_2011.html

As ever, very stiff competition... but go SPARKS!!

NANOWRIMO 2010

www.nanowrimo.org.


like reading books? why not write one?

I am going to try to fire out the first draft of a new book this November along with the crazed organisation that is NANOWRIMO. You write 50,000 words in a month. That's 1667 words a day. I did my first drafts of SPARKS and BERSERK this way, and most of it was dreadful, and I had to throw most of it away. But some of it was ok! and it is great to have something to work with rather than the empty screen.

Why don't YOU try and write a novel in November too? (but don't make it too good because I don't want to be out of a job!)

QUARRY UPDATE

I've just sent off the proofs for QUARRY, my new teen thriller, and it is due to be published by Marion Lloyd Books in February 2011.

It's about Scrappy, a 15 year old boy who lives in a breakers yard who is being sent crazy anonymous dares. Once he gets caught up in them, he finds he can't stop, no matter how much he wants to, and the last challenges send him to the very edge...

more on QUARRY soon.

The Hedgehog Mystery

This is my new book for Collins Big Cat Educational series, for younger readers, 8+ out in January. It's about a wild motorbiking granny, a conniving circus acrobat and two small, determined children. It's published in January 2011.

I LOVE Mark Beech's illustrations.

Check it out at..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Big-Cat-Hedgehog-Sapphire/dp/0007336381/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286697824&sr=1-12

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/ally+kennen/the+hedgehog+mystery3a+band+16_+sapphire/7913364/

Appledore Book Festival

A busy week visiting Holsworthy Community College and Holsworthy Primary School (incredible art at this school!) And on Friday 1st Oct I'll be dropping in at Torrington Community School and South Molton Community College.

http://www.appledorebookfestival.co.uk/

Interview on Guardian Online

Check out the interview...all about SPARKS and I would officially like to credit Dan Amos for the photo (taken a few years ago I might add and the years have not been kind!)

Lots of school visits coming up...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/sep/10/ally-kennen-childrens-fiction-sparks

The Edinburgh Book Festival and socks

I shall be appearing at the Edinburgh Book Festival on Sunday 29th August at 4.30 at an event with the fabulous Lucy Christopher (Stolen and Flyaway) to talk about our books.


http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/lucy-christopher-ally-kennen

Am away for five days and that means five pairs of socks for the five people in my family. That means 25 pairs of socks! They will not match.

Guesting on 'Teens Read Too' Blog.

I will be a guest on the 'Teens Read Too' Blog, today, but as it is a US site, It may be a few hours before they wake up! Will be popping in all day to answer questions...

http://trtbookclub.blogspot.com/

SPARKS reviewed in the Daily Telegraph and Books for Keeps

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/7890327/Childrens-books-For-young-hearts-review.html

http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/183/childrens-books/reviews/sparks


That will do nicely thank you!

SPARKS reviewed by Philip Ardagh in The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/12/sparks-ally-kennen-children-fiction

SPARKS longlisted for Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/28/guardian-childrens-fiction-prize

Am off to Hay on Wednesday to talk about the book...
Very very pleased indeed!

HAY UPDATE
Had a great time at HAY on a hot, hot day talking with Julia Eccleshare about SPARKS.

Norton Hill School

Was lovely to meet you all, but shame about those fire alarms. Funnily enough, my new book Quarry, features a school evacuation, (though only the once in a twenty minute period) and this is not due to high jinks of departing six formers, but because of a cockroach infestation, yeuch!
But what of your books? What will happen to Sky the wolf, Bramble the cat and Ned the 84 year old castaway, plagued by giant snails?? What of Mr Bubble and the 'Thing?' What of Dave, the boy who couldn't sleep?
What of Carrie, does she still rot in the compost? What of Jez and Jeremy? What does Ebony, the 18 year old assassin get up to? We were cut off in our prime were we not?
Do post any questions below and I'll reply extra quick. if you want to upload your paragraphs here, I'd love to see them... Ally K.

Quarry cover...

If someone told you to jump over a cliff, why would you do it?

QUARRY... coming soon.....

SPARKS IS OUT OUT OUT!!!

SPARKS official publication date was April the 4th... so should be available from all good book shops, (and hopefully bad ones too) I can't write too much about it now as I am short of time but it's here at last!

Visit to Worle Community School, Somerset

I met two groups, year 7 and year 10 on Friday. Thanks for your company and your fantastic work. Who won the prizes for the best first page of a novel??? I think there may be something about Book Week in the Weston Mercury this week...

QUARRY is new title for RITES. And SPARKS out soon!

I've delivered QUARRY, (the new title for RITES) and am now doing some further editing.

SPARKS should be in all good bookshops from the middle of next month. (official publication date April 4th)

New editions

wow! look at these.. out in May...

SPARKS

LONGLISTED FOR THE GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S FICTION PRIZE!

Reviews

…has a beautiful emotional intelligence and humour that make its suspense all the more enjoyable. It is one of the best new books for 9+ out this year. --The Times

Enterprising writing of a high calibre. --Independent on Sunday

Inventive, funny and moving family adventure ... one of the season s stand-outs particularly when original novels for this age group are so scarce. --Children's Bookseller

The Guardian review

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jun/12/sparks-ally-kennen-children-fiction

About the book

When Carla's beloved Grandpa dies, she is inconsolable. Then she finds a secret letter, and decides to give him the end he always wanted. A Viking funeral, in a burning boat heading out to sea. Carla and her siblings set out on a crazy and dangerous race against time to achieve the impossible. SPARKS is a dark, funny and moving story about love, death, sailing and coffin-stealing from a very popular, original and award-winning children's writer. Ally Kennen is the acclaimed author of teen novels BEAST, BERSERK and BEDLAM. SPARKS is her first book for readers of 9 and up.