It's feedback like that, that makes all the effort worth while...

I had a good morning at Clifton Library Summer Craft Fair on Saturday. I met a lady who'd bought a copy of Doodle Mayhem from me at a Christmas fair, and her grandson had loved the book.

But the part that really made my day was getting an email later that evening from a mum who had bought a book for her daughter. She'd read But I'm Not Sleepy 8 times in the afternoon, and then again when it was her daughter's chosen story at bedtime, and she went to sleep with the little knitted sheep in her cot - it's feedback like that, that makes all the effort worth while.

 

#LostinaBook 

Read for pleasure this summer holiday - forget targets just read

The summer holidays is the perfect time to read a book, just because you want to, no pressure, no reading list or targets, just read because you’re absorbed in a story and can’t wait to find out what happens next, or just to escape into a fantasy world for a while.

I’ll never forget the summer when reading finally clicked for me – the ground work had been done, I’d read my share of reading books, but it was still hard work – but then , one summer holidays I became completely absorbed in The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. I read it every spare moment, even in the car. Suddenly I was being told to put my book down and go and play, which I’m sure I did – at the end of the chapter...

The seeds had been sown at an early age, as I’d always been read to, but that summer was when my imagination finally flew – I could read what I wanted, when I wanted – there was no looking back.

So now I write the kind of books that I hope will spark imaginations, and make children want to read, just for the joy of it.

Doodle Mayhem is a fun read, which came about when I read an article about not letting your characters take over – well that just sent my imagination into overdrive, why shouldn’t a character take over? And how can you stop them anyway?  I find that once a character starts to speak, they take on a life of their own, and then there’s no knowing what is going to happen...

So step into a world where drawings come alive, meet Eric’s doodles Iver No-Idea and his dog HB as they cause their own brand of trouble.

Doodle Mayhem – the first in the Doodle series - Buy now for the special summer offer of just £3.50 P&P free

Eric would rather doodle than write a story, but when the words start to disappear off the page in front of him, and his doodle starts talking to him, he thinks he must be dreaming.

Eric's doodle has come to life, and he's getting bored; he jumps into Miranda's story, where he gets attacked by a rubber, then he's blown off his feet when Natasha sneezes. Miss Roper is getting angrier by the second. How will Eric ever finish his story, when his doodle just wants to have fun, and create havoc? 

 

#LostinaBook

New - Basil gift pack

NEW! Basil gift pack 

Gift pack includes 1 book and 1 handknitted toy (Basil) cat: approximatly 7cm tall, 9cm nose to back end.

 Front view book and cat:   Back view book and cat: 

Book synopsis:

The door had always worked perfectly well, until the day that Mr Feed-Me cut a hole in it and fitted a flappy thing. Then the door stopped working and everyone started acting a bit crazy… Mr Feed-Me was on the floor using it as a window. 

Mrs Feed-Me kept calling to Basil through it instead of opening the door, and Small Feed-Me tried to post Basil through it like a letter through a letter box.

Then one stormy night Basil found that he had a use for the flappy thing after all, but it wasn't really what Mr Feed-Me had in mind…

32 page full colour paperback

ISBN 978-0-9560232-5-4

Lost in a Book

Writing a picture book in a sketchbook... what could be more natural?

Creating a book - I'm busy painting characters for my next book, and they're coming along very nicely. They've finally made the jump from my imagination, onto the page - yes an actual paper page...! It's a picture book and I'm drawing and writing it in a sketchbook, it seems the characters are happier to jump into a sketchbook than onto a computer screen, and who can blame them...

Let the books come to you - from Lost in a Book

January at Lost in a Book:

Time to read, time to write and time to get the paints out and make some mess...!

It's snowing at last! Yes that's right, I love the snow, though it does look a bit wet... no snowman today :(

Anyway, make sure you wipe your feet on the virtual doormat on your way into my online shop, we don't want the floor turning into a skating rink...!

So what's the big idea at Lost in a Book this week? Well since it's snowing, and it is ski season - A Face Full of Snow is my big promotion this week - it's in the shop window on my homepage, where you can read an excerpt, and at the top of my online bookshop 

So come on in and browse around - pop along and have a chat on my facebook page - I'll be happy to drop everything and rush a book into the post for you...

  

Christmas fair - Book singing - York

New date added:

York's Guild Hall - this Saturday 8th November I'll be at a Christmas fair in the heart of York, signing books and encouraging everyone to get Lost in a Book this Christmas. What could be better than snuggling up on a winters evening with a book...?

Getting children into reading is one of the best things you can do for their future. Sewing the seeds of a love of books - so why not start up a new tradition and give them books this Christmas.

Finding inspiration on twitter...? who'd have thought it...

Finding inspiration...

Well here's a first, I've been on social media and found something inspirational, and now I need to write before anything else can burst my bubble.

So what was the secret, well for a start off I was on twitter, and so much of it is people or companies just after a follow or trying to sell their product, but today I put in a search for new kids books, and a wonderful article came up about Terry Pratchett. He's got a new book coming out soon, and gave an interview to the Guardian giving some insights into his life and books that he's read. I even learnt a new word: segue, and if you're new to this word too, look it up in a dictionary - trust me you're more likely to remember it than if I tell you...

So maybe I've been using twitter all wrong, there's some weird a wonderful things on there, but also stuff I really don't need to see - ah well maybe I'll figure it out eventually. or am I just over thinking it...?

So what books have I been reading lately?

Well I've just finished The House on the Strand by Daphne Du Maurie, which I read after seeing the dramatisation of two of her books on the telly, and I was curious... I found it pretty dark, and probably wouldn't read another of her books, but I'm glad I tried it. Now I've started reading Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding. I've always loved the Bridget Jones films, and now I'm working my way through the books... I do love to read an eclectic mix.

The secret to a bestseller is to write a great book and then don't keep it a secret

The secret to a bestseller is to write a great book and then make sure you don't keep it a secret...

So today I'm shouting about my #1 bestseller But I'm Not Sleepy

It's my bestseller at almost every book signing - why?
It seems that everyone has a Lucy...

They say don't judge a book by its cover - well news flash - the cover is the first bit people see, so that's what makes them pick it up or walk on by...

The title strikes a cord - who hasn't heard those words...? And who hasn't jumped up and down on the bed instead of going to sleep in...? Most parents moan that their kids do it - a few admit that they used to too...

 Then they open the book and see the bright colour pictures,  not knowing that they started out from my kitchen table...

 First came the book, then came the sheep...
These little characters made their debut at Christmas fairs and were an instant hit, appealing to all ages.

 Soon there was a little flock of them - don't ask me to count them zzzzzzzz

So why should you buy my book?
Because it's one of those bedtime stories that you can share again and again and build those special memories with your child that last a lifetime...