1st July 2009

Hi everybody!

This is my first ever blog. Will anyone read it? Probably not. But the whole world seems to be blogging so I thought I'd give it go. I won't take long though, because the sun is shining and I want to go and read a book in the garden because - YES! I'm on holiday.

I didn't think this time would ever come. I've been so, so busy over the last few months that actually taking time off seemed like a distant dream. In case you're interested, here's what I've been doing.

This year, the entire Pongwiffy series is being re-published, with lovely new pictures. For those of you who don't know, Pongwiffy is a Witch of Dirty Habits. I wrote the first book about her twenty one years ago. Then I wrote six more. Books eventually go out of print, which is sad. Imagine my delight when Bloomsbury, my publisher, decided that they would reissue the whole series and asked me to write a brand new title to kick it off. So I did. It's called Back On Track and it hit the shops in May, together with the first title in the series. Every month, another title will be coming out, all the way through to October. I was even more thrilled when I was asked to write another Pongwiffy story for World Book Day, 2010! Hooray! We had a 21st celebration for Pongwiffy. The publisher presented me with a cake in the shape of the latest Pongwiffy book, with the cover and everything!

So that's what I've been doing writing-wise. I've also written a follow up to Clover Twig and the Incredible Flying Cottage, which came out last year. That will also appear in 2010. It's called Clover Twig and the Perilous Path. And I wrote another little story called Alien Alby which will be out soon, plus three mini musicals for very tiny children called Three Little Celebrations - coming out later this year - and finally, a follow up to a book called Sir Quinton Quest Hunts the Yeti, in which the Yetis come to London and hunt Sir Quinton.

I've been doing loads of visits too, all around the country. It's quite possible that I came to your school! I spent World Book Day in a local school called Campsbourne, along with lots of other wonderful authors and illustrators. Then I went up to Stockton for a book award, which, amazingly, I won! I was up against four other terrific authors, but Clover Twig won the day! I was so excited, I kissed the mayor! It's so, so wonderful to win an award. I was involved in a nation wide short story competition, which meant I had to talk on the radio and record seven of the short listed entries. Then I went to Oxford, Kingston, Plymouth, Warminster, Wales, Reigate, Finchley, Wandsworth and Nottingham. I was on the very last Go4it radio programme, along with Michael Rosen and Phil Ardagh, which was fun. I went to the Children's Laureate handover and was thrilled to know that the new Laureate is Anthony Brown, who I love. I went to a big librarian party and met lots of big, important librarians. It's been lots of fun, but incredibly hard work and I'm really relieved that I can take it easy for the next couple of months. I intend to read a lot, swim, and jot down notes and ideas for the next book, which I'm starting in September.

Other interesting news is that Clover Twig is coming out in America, a film company has taken out an option on Sir Quinton Quest Hunts the Yeti (taking out an option doesn't mean it'll actually get made), my cat Heathcliff has some sort of allergy and leaves white hairs all over my office chair, my other cat Jeremy hasn't brought in anything dead recently and I'm really trying to cut down on eating cheese.

That's it! See you the next time!