Saturday, November 28, 2015

Slightly Jones and the Case of the Spectacular P6s!

It's no secret that I'm crazy fond of my Patron of Reading school (the utterly fabulous Queensferry Primary) and here are just a few reasons -




They love Slightly Jones and I love them.  No mystery at all.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

November





Saturday, November 14, 2015

26 Children's Winters

This week I got the chance to visit my objects and sestude* (titled "Goodnight") in the 26 Children's Winters exhibition at the Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh -





Winter - Keeping Warm - Bedtime

Objects:  Copper Warming Pan 1900s, Teddy Bear Pyjama Case 1970s, Hand Knitted Wool Hot Water Bottle Cover 1970s


     Goodnight

and then

quick!

you run
     from the comfort of hug and hearth
     across chilly bedroom floors

you leap

and snuggle
     a fledgling
     in a downy nest

warmed by
     coppers full of embers
     the colour of firelight
     the scent of heat on sheets

     hot water bottles
     rubber-scalded
     slurping inside their covers

     a plush bear clutched tight
     one eye watching out
     for pyjama thieves




(And we've just got news that there will be funding for a booklet - I'll let you know more about that later!)

* a sestude is a 62 word response

Monday, November 09, 2015

My Amber Necklace

To celebrate the launch of her new novel 'The Christmas We Met', Kate Lord Brown has invited a number of authors to write guest posts on her blog about their favourite piece of jewellery.  This ongoing series has resulted in tiny stories that are fascinating and lovely.  It's called Family Jewels and I am very pleased to be a part of it! 


You can read about my amber necklace, modest cousin to a necklace in Silver Skin, here.  Thanks, Kate, and good luck with the book!

Saturday, November 07, 2015

Top Ten YA for 2015

Forget the fog and the rain - Silver Skin has found a place in The BookBag's list of Top Ten Books for Teens 2015!  (And I've got the furry boys to pose with some copies, for those who have been asking for more cat pictures - something for everyone!)






(feel free to suggest captions ...)