Visit to Manor Primary School

To celebrate World Book Day, which takes place on 6th March, I visited Manor Primary School to talk about writing and reading.  This was the first talk I have given to a school about my writing.

I would like to express my thanks to the school for the opportunity to come and talk to the children.  As an author it is a great opportunity to come into contact with your audience, the people you are writing for.  It is inspirational to see such honest enthusiasm and open minds, something that most adults have long since lost.

The children were extremely well behaved, for which I thank them.  They also came up with some really good questions.  If they are anything like my boys though they will be saving up all their noise for home, where there is no recognised figure of authority in charge (except Albert, who normally puts everyone in their place - he'll be joining Manor in September).

I learnt an awful lot through my talk and I would like to reiterate my thanks to Manor. You've been a great guinea pig!

Walking the Dog

Walking With My Wobbly Willie

Walking with my wobbly willie

Round about the park

All the doggies in the place

Greet me with a bark

They like to sniff my willie

Wobbly thou he is

And my old wobbly willie

Thinks it is the biz

They hop and skip and dance about

Asking him to play

And my old wobbly willie

Hops about all day

He knows all the doggie tricks

Even sits and begs

And my old wobbly willie

Has only got three legs

Tyger Pants 2

Very excited: I have finished writing the first draft of Tyger Pants 2.  I have ordered a proof copy and will be reading through and editing once it arrives.

Poems

If writing becomes difficult I sometimes give my head a change by thinking up some rhymes.  Most of them are drivel but I have just added the better ones to my author website.  Here is an example:

Don’t Get Caught By The Ghoulies

Don’t go out in the dead of night

Unless you’re prepared to quake

For as the darkness smothers the light

Nasty things awake

Not badgers, stoats, moths and rats

Or even weasels or shrews

But ghosts, werewolves and vampire bats

Things that will make you poo

Ghosts emerging out of the ground

Will freeze your blood to ice

Werewolves leaping without a sound

Will bite and slash and slice

Vampire bats will suck at your throat

And drain your blood away

And beware the witch with midnight cloak

She’ll fill you with dismay

So dreadful things are waiting for you

If you go out at night

Things to scare you through and through

Phantoms, ghosts and wights

But whilst these things are really bad

And might give you the hoolies

Whatever else you do my lad

Don’t get caught by the ghoulies

Tyger Pants 2

I've started work on the second book in my Tyger Pants series.

Tyger has managed to get hold of his dad's Editor and has escaped into Fictonia, the library dimension. Unfortunately he dropped the Editor just before he zapped through so now he's stuck.  But all he has to do is rescue a princess so things should go smoothly...

If you want to see a sample chapter of the first book in the series click here and follow the link.

I'll post a link to the first chapter of the new book soon.

Ruff and Tumble 2 - Invasion of the Dog Eating Yetis

My last post reminds me that I haven't proclaimed from on high that the second book in the Ruff and Tumble series - Invasion of the Dog Eating Yetis - is now available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Christmas Fairs

I have now had a stall at two Christmas Fairs and have sold many unique gifts, if that isn't a contradition in terms:)

I think I could have sold more though, if I had Ruff and Tumble 2 and Tyger Pants in print.  I think I'll have to raid the piggy bank.  Either that or rob a bank...

I will be at the Donkey Sanctuary in Ivybridge on Saturday 7th December, so come and see me there.