Less than a week to go

I've got to write 8,000 words in 5 days in order to win NanoWrimo this year. I'm still going to try!

N is for NOVEMBER,NANOWRIMO and NORWAY

On target for NanoWrimo, but only just! I'm planning to write two books this year so this is a good way of accelerating. It's great fun to try and write 50,000 words in a month. I don't know why everyone doesn't do it (!) I've also been doing research for my new novel THE END, which has been fun and of course isn't procrastination. I'm going to Norway on a mini book tour next week, which is great but I think it's going to be even colder than Bridgwater...

I'm also planning the launch of BEDLAM in January with my mate Elen Caldecott, author of the fabulous 'How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant.' We're going to have a joint launch party as our books are coming out on the same day.

Nanowrimo 2008

50,ooo words in one month? Can it be done? I managed it in 2005 (and wrote a massive chunk of BERSERK) There's 3 and a 1/2 hours to go before midnight when this crazy international writing challenge kicks off...On your marks... get set....
http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Trip to Milan and Sardinia

Thanks to my Italian publishers, Il Castoro, I've just been to Milan and Sardinia on a whirl wind tour of events and nice dinners...

Visited La Libreria dei Ragazzi, the fabulous children's bookshop in Milan, and met the legendary Roberto Denti.

Then on to Cagliari for the BESTIVAL book festival....an amazing event with loads of children's authors and illustrators and madness.

And of course, the 'poo' exhibition....

Fantastic!

West Oxfordshire Book Award

This event was held at Marlborough School in Woodstock. Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant won the award, congratulations...and BERSERK won Highly

Commended. Hurrah and thank you!

Can you see yourself in the photos?

Visit to St Katherine's School. Ham Green, Pill

I visited St Katherine's School today as part of the Bath Children's Literature Festival. I had a very enjoyable visit, speaking with 30+ year 8 and 9. Everyone participated in the writing exercises (maybe tempted by the prize of Justin Somper's Vampirates trilogy, and a pristine copy of BEAST)
I love it when students join in, ask questions and listen.
Thanks for a great visit!

And tomorrow is the West Oxfordshire Book Award, for which BERSERK has been shortlisted. Hurrah!

Bath Children's Literature Festival

I'll be at Bath Children's Literature Festival on Monday 22nd Sept at 6pm. The event is called
Writing for Young People and features myself, Sally Nicholls, Julia Green and Nicola Davies. It's in the Guildhall and costs £5... Welcome to the Bath Festival of Children's Literature