Phoenix Writers' Circle

There were yet more new members at the Writers' Group meeting last night and what a dynamic fascinating group we now are! Talented too! I always come away from those two and a half hours of literary chat every month with my head brimming with plots for new books and ideas for TV mini-series. Today, I am finding it almost impossible to get to work on my real commissions - the ones that are going to pay my bills - because I want to revisit an old picture-book idea (Pete the poet's fault!) and start writing the six part historical drama I started to plot last year. I wish I could clone myself and do all of it! In fact, whenever this suggestion comes up in my 'Superhero Powers' workshops (and it always does) I chuckle and imagine how cool it would be to be able to work on twenty projects at once. I've decided to go to the Mole Valley Scriptwriters meeting in a couple of weeks too. Argh! Am I making a huge mistake? How many clones will I need after that?!
BTW Congrats to Pete on his greetings card deal!
Well deserved and brilliant!
www.petercolepoet.com

Life Imitates Art

Life is imitating art this week as the world prepares for Halloween (more than a month early, as usual) and scenes from Scarlett Dedd appear in front of my eyes with increasing frequency. I found the perfect mini-Scarlett outfit at my local supermarket and sobbed (well almost) when I found it was not made in my size. Then my nieces pointed out the real fairy ring (they believe, so I'm going along with it) in their garden. Apparently this variety is pretty poisonous (or pretty and poisonous, if you prefer!)

Woking High

Spent another wonderful day at Woking High School yesterday. Thank you to everyone, especially Miss Watson (awesome-est teacher!). I had a hilarious time and went home with aching ribs from all the giggles! Most students wanted to keep their inventive and creative work and finish it in their own time (excellent!) but I managed to convince Jocelyn to give me her amazing drawing, which I've scanned and posted here (with her permission). I think it's fabulous!

Beach!

I just found these pics on my phone and remembered the glorious day I spent in London at the beginning of the month, meeting friends and researching my next book. This beach was on the South Bank of the Thames!! Cool huh?

Chicken Curry!

Here are some of the characters created yesterday morning... brilliant! Have to say my fave is probably Turbin Terry (sic) who got his powers falling in to a chicken curry!! But I also love the levitating teddy bear.

Weird and Wonderful Worthing!

An awesome Monday - the morning in the company of students at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Worthing and a brilliant 'Scarlett Dedd' review http://bit.ly/9nKQug waiting for me when I got home! Excellent! The morning BTW was amazing fun - hilarious, creative and gave me LOADS of ideas for new characters! I will try to scan and post some of the results as soon as I have time. Thanks to Mrs Waton (librarian extraordinary) and to Emma from Waterstone's. (And to the boys on the 'comedy table' for making me laugh!! Checkout their website http://harrytheapple.yolasite.com/ Genius!)

As it's our village Harvest Festival next week, I though I'd update you on my garden produce. Sadly, I have no pictures of the amazing 23 sweet, juicy peaches I ate at the beginning of the month (thanks to that week of sunshine), but here are the freaky, alien corn cobs I had for tea last night and the raspberries I am sprinkling on my muesli every morning at the moment. Delish!

'definitely has boy appeal'

I read a great review of Scarlett Dedd today (The Book Zone [for boys] http://bit.ly/bwqRL2) that I wanted to share with you, mainly because it confirmed my hunch that Scar & Co. would appeal to boys. Prior to publishing, when I discussed the plot and characters in 'Scarlett' with students in my school workshops, I got the most fantastic feedback, but particularly from the boys. They liked the humour but mostly, I think, they loved the comedy gore-fest!! Not having any knowledge of what it's like to be a teenage boy, I sometimes worry about seeing the world only through girl's eyes, but I have learned from my students, that boys and girls are not so different and there are some things we ALL enjoy and appreciate. Boys don't mind a little bit of romance and are not instantly switched off by 'feelings' (though they'll never admit it). And girls enjoy thrilling adventures and a bit of gore too!!

Young Minds Books Award 2010

Very very excited! 'Ember Fury' has graduated from the LONGlist to the SHORTlist for this cool award! Can't wait to attend the award ceremony in November with all my favourite Headline peeps! http://t.co/LvtSGxj

Complete sell-out event at Waterstone's Dorking today! Thanks to Pete and the team for a lovely day. I got to chat and sketch with all my fave fans (and some teachers and parents too!) Thanks to June, Ellie, Oliver, Evie, Emily, Niamh, Amber, George, Ellie, Lucy, Sebastian, Isabella, Lois, Alfie and Lily for posing for me. And Laurence, did you get the bus home ok? I'll scan and post all the sketches on the 'sketchbook' page this weekend. P.S. I've totally lost my voice now. Guess I'd better not talk for a while and just stick to blogging.

Fan-blooming-tastic 'Scarlett Dedd' Funeral Party yesterday! A big thank you to Peter and everyone at Barton's Bookshop for letting us take over and fill the place with black balloons and crepe paper. The cakes were delish! It was particularly cool to see so many friends, fans, teachers, and people I've sketched at past Barton's events (amazed that you came back!!) I'm looking forward to the next event during Arts Alive on 16th October, when I'll be lurking with my sketchbook again - I have a new book to fill with characters and need some inspiration! (Cool pics above taken by Sam Eades from Headline - I was cheeky and grabbed them from Flicker - Thanks Sam)

Had a very cool chat with Pete @ my local Waterstone's today about life, the universe and writing stuff. Then I got home and discovered his hilarious website www.petercolepoet.com which is simply comedy awesome-ness! Made me giggle and chuckle all afternoon. Genius! Click on the link to brighten your day.

Scarlett Dedd is published today! Woohoo! Just off on a whole day of celebrations with my mates in London - lunch, shopping, then a night out with the girls on the South Bank. I will, no doubt, end up going in to every bookshop on my travels around the city to check if Scarlett has a prime spot on the shelves.