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.

November

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

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!

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 ...)