Sunday, March 18, 2012

And the Noisy Side

I talked to just shy of 600 kids this week, and I've got all their faces leaping about on the trampoline of my mind. I think it must have to do with the adrenalin of performing, the way everything is so much more vivid when you're in front of an audience. When you're up there all the fuss and feathers (will the books arrive on time? do I have salad in my teeth?) evaporate and it's just you and them and that hard bright focus between.

And here's what it was all about - the third Slightly Jones Mystery is OUT!




It was a great week. Four days. Short lifetime. I send many thanks to St Faith's in Cambridge, Ely St John's in (not surprisingly) Ely, and Fawcett Primary School in Cambridge for letting me visit. Also the bookshops that got involved: the Fitzwilliam Museum Bookshop and Heffer's in Cambridge, and Burrows and Toppings in Ely. The people at Bounce and Catnip. And last and not least, thank you to Margot and Derek, for looking after me so well and being such good company.

And Happy Birthday, Case of the Cambridge Mummy!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

The Still Side


Got back yesterday after a journey that ended with a 2-hour tussle with Edinburgh/road work traffic, and today I have to admit I am a well-wappit bunny. I will blog tomorrow about the noisy side of my time in the south and how great it all was. But for today, here is a taste of the still side - Ely Cathedral, and the modern sculptures outside the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Medieval, Victorian and modern stone ... for the easement of all fuss and fume!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

A Tale of 2 Camb's: - ridge and - odia






My mind is split between two Camb's this weekend, because next week I'm going to -ridge, and my son is going to -odia. He's going to teach English and I'm going to talk about Slightly Jones, and both trips are causing me a level of fuss that is really unnecessary. Really. REALLY!

Sigh.

Next week should also see The Case of the Cambridge Mummy well and truly launched - all appendages crossed! See you here next weekend for the celebration!

Cheers, Joan.

P.S. I'm blogging about the Joy of Insults over on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure on Monday - come on over and have a go! Then on Thursday I'm at Girls Heart Books with the new cover colours, so maybe see you there as well.

Saturday, March 03, 2012

... and the Imp of Inspiration

Instead of "I am a Forest" I would call this video "I am a Work in Progress" - the book I'm trying to write just now is being repeatedly turned on its head by the Imp of Inspiration ...

I am a Forest from Alex Schulz on Vimeo.



And NOW I've got that tune stuck in my mind as well!

Hoping to find my feet soon - cheers, Joan.

P.S. I'm back to the National Museum of Scotland on Monday, to do some writing workshops with the Student Council Conference 2012: Creative Learning. Looking forward to that!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Me and the Monkey of Fame

The Scottish Children's Book Awards ceremony yesterday was a blast! And the winners were:

0 - 7 Ross Collins - Dear Vampa
8 - 11 Ross Mackenzie - Zac and the Dream Pirates
12 - 16 Nicola Morgan - Wasted

Hearty congratulations to all and sundry! And below, some photos from the signing, and me and the Monkey of Fame, who dropped by for the snacks.








(Jamie! Give me back my camera! Now! Jamie? Hey, come back here ...)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Currently My Favourite Camera Setting (Film Grain)









Monday, February 20, 2012

Canada Feb. 2012









(And tomorrow - my personal favourite - film grain!)