UKLA Children's Book Award 2012

Yeeharrr! She screams in a ladylike and very serious authorish manner , QUARRY has been longlisted for the UKLA Children's Book Award 2012! Hot Dang! But check out the competition...rats rats rats, it's FIERCE. But in the meantime GO QUARRY!!! (Author speaks to her book... It was serious work writing you and it is lovely lovely you are longlisted!) Thankyou THANKYOU Lovely people at UKLA Longlist 12-16 Hodder Children's Books My Name is Mina David Almond Bodley Head Long Lankin Lindsey Barraclough Walker Books Flip Martyn Bedford Oxford University Press Buried Thunder Tim Bowler

Puffin Books iBoy Kevin Brooks Bloomsbury Tyme's End B.R.Collins Quercus Bracelet of Bones Kevin Crossley-Holland Templar Publishing The 10pm Question Kate De Goldi Andersen Press Annexed Sharon Dogar David Fickling Books You Against Me Jenny Downham Puffin Books Being Billy Phil Earle Marion Lloyd Books Quarry Ally Kennen Andersen Press Everybody Jam Ali Lewis Oxford University Press Pull Out All The Stops Geraldine McCaughrean David Fickling Books Trash Andy Mulligan Walker A Monster Calls Patrick Ness David Fickling Books Half Brother Kenneth Oppel Hodder Children's Books Bruised Siobhán Parkinson Orion Children's Books My Sister Lives On The Mantlepiece Annabel Pitcher Bloomsbury The Dead of Winter Chris Priestly Orion Children's Books White Crow Marcus Sedgwick Scholastic Children's Books The Last Summer of the Death Warriors Francisco X. Stork

BOOK CREATOR!

Ha ha! Well, whilst I've been writing books and rearing young, my uber-geek handsome husband has been whittling away on his mega app  BOOK CREATOR and here  is a video all about it. Basically it's an app to create picture books on your iPAD, or whatever books you like.  You can make very slick books with this, and if you want you can publish it to the iBookstore. And it is EASY-PEASY to use. I know this because I have been commenting on it all the way, and my knowledge of all things tech is archaeological (see my website for example) so it has to be EASY for me with no annoying jargon or cryptic symbols and it has to WORK otherwise I would throw the iPAD to the floor in RAGE.  Anyway, I've been playing with the thing and it's great. I know I would say that, but it is... see for yourself.  I WISH I could draw, then I'd be firing out e-picture books like nobody's business, but sadly all I can draw is a cartoon cow with a steaming cow pat. Anyway it's great for photo books, kids books and all sorts. AWAY YOU GO! And you'll be the first to see my cow e-book when it goes live on iTunes!  for more info see  www.redjumper.net/bookcreator

Book Creator for the iPad from Red Jumper Studio on Vimeo.

Books Update and first lines

I've just finished going through the first proofs of BULLET BOYS, it's always exciting to see the book look more bookish. I've scribbled over it in red pencil which feels efficient. Hopefully at some point there will be a bound proof, (at this time I'll let my mother read it!)

I've done the same with DAYBREAK, my new book for Collins Big Cat school reading series, both are publishing in January 2012.  A fast-paced start to the new year...
On another note,
My six year old is starting to read and is sneaking copies of my books off and trying to read the first few lines, so I've been  going back and checking to see if they are suitable...or not  eeek!
Most of my books are for 11/12+  apart from SPARKS and my Big Cat books
I love reading first lines in bookshops. It's a great way to scramble up one's thoughts! (not that mine need scrambling at the moment)
First sentences of some of my books....


'Here is a list of the ten worst things I have done.'     -  BEAST, Marion Lloyd Books 2006

'It was Devil who had my finger.'     -  BERSERK, Marion Lloyd Books 2007

'Mother says girls shouldn't go out at night.'    - BEDLAM, Marion Lloyd Books 2009

'Rain dribbled down Carla's neck as she slipped and skidded over the muddy river path.' - SPARKS, Marion Lloyd Books  2010

'I thought he was dead this time.'  -  QUARRY, Marion Lloyd Books 2011

and a special preview!

'Alex never killed hares.'  BULLET BOYS  , Marion LLoyd Books, publishing in January 2012


Favourite first lines?