Walking Mountain and Another Smile-Inducing Review

"This is a book of great invention and marvellous ideas, and it is also a book about the things that drive all of us: about friendship, love and loss. It is perhaps inevitable that any book that can be described by the phrase "epic quest" evokes comparisons with "The Hobbit", and it's a comparison which is entirely justified in terms of the way the world Joan Lennon has created draws the reader in and keeps you completely enthralled."


I am chuffed to bits to be included in the same sentence as Tolkien - thank you Undiscovered Scotland!

Thank You, Edinburgh Bookshop!

It was a lovely event on Thursday, at The Edinburgh Bookshop, where Walking Mountain had another excellent launch -

And I even got to sign the legendary Writers' Ladder -

Huge thanks to everyone who made it possible and everyone who came - Walking Mountain has been well and truly launched - warm wishes to all who sail in her!

Queensferry Primary - Thank You Very Much!

So much creativity - so much fun!  

Queensferry Primary School teachers and pupils have excelled themselves, between our last session together and the day of the launch for Walking Mountain - and this at an insanely busy time of year, especially for the senior classes.  On display and presented by pupils from P6L, P6T, P7C and P7T, were shape poems, What Happened Next pieces, 2D and 3D images of mountains inspired by the styles of famous artists, and alphabet/story bunting.  Add juice and fairy cakes and 4 classes of excited kids and 1 excited author, and you have 1 amazing Book Birthday!  

Huge thanks to Elizabeth Leithead who has been the main organiser, and to Queensferry Primary School who has made being a Patron of Reading an enormous delight. Which is not to say it's over - I have one more year!  Huzzah!

You're Invited!

Walking Mountain is rejoicing in not one but TWO launches!  Please come if you can - you'll be most welcome!

Take it Away, Queensferry Primary School!

Six weeks ago I had a great day at Queensferry Primary School where I am Patron of Reading.  I was talking with 4 classes of P6 and P7 pupils about How to Grow a Book, the book being Walking Mountain.  We talked about the long and winding road from the first few scribbles through first draft, second draft, gazillionth draft, editing, maps, covers, all the way to this, the proof copy (though minus the cat):

Then I gave them a challenge.  

"I'm putting you in charge of the launch."

We talked about what that might include (whipped cream mountain sculptures, inviting the Queen and Barack Obama, renting a bouncy castle were only a few of the fabulous ideas).  And tomorrow, I will find out what they - and their teachers! - decided to go with.

I absolutely can't wait!  Pictures will follow! 

(We've been able to get hold of advance copies for this special event - the rest of you will need to contain yourselves in patience till June 15th.)