Category: Blog

Big day yesterday, travelling from Lyme Regis to Birmingham to take part in the UKYA Extravaganza in Waterstones. It was amazing to finally meet some of the lovely authors and bloggers I’ve got to know on Facebook and Twitter, and connect with readers face-to-face. Organised by the wonderful Emma Pass and Kerry Drewery, the event was a huge success, and no doubt the first of many.

 

Signing copies of Now You See Me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chatting to fellow author Keren David

 

 

 

 

These UKYA cupcakes were absolutely delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roll call of authors

 

 

 

 

 

 

And all the brain child of the tireless Emma Pass and Kerry Drewery. Thank you, both!

Busy with the blogs today. Over on Author Allsorts I’m giving a pep talk to my fifteen-year-old self, while at YaYeahYeah you can read all about my ten favourite childhood books.

Oh, and all of you who have tickets for the UKYA Extravaganza in Birmingham tomorrow, see you there!

Totally chuffed about making the shortlist for the Sussex Coast School’s Amazing Book Awards. Which means I get to dress up in a nice frock and go to the awards night in Worthing in July.

I’m particularly pleased it’s being sponsored by the Sussex Police, because the very first prize I ever won was for a Sussex Police competition when I was at primary school in Haywards Heath. So perhaps it’s thanks to them that I’ve ever had the confidence to write a book at all.

Busy week here at Haughton Towers. Chuffed to bits to discover that NOW YOU SEE ME was longlisted for the Sussex Coast School’s Amazing Book Awards – http://amazingbookawards.co.uk. Fingers crossed!

Hot on its heels the news that Dominicus Lituanus has bought the Lithuanian translation rights, so for all my future Lithuanian readers, a (probably badly translated) message: Sveiki, į Lietuvą. Tikimės, kad jums patiks knyga !

Last, and very much not least, my youngest son discovered this gem in his packet of Twiglets, which if you squint looks a lot like our dog Stanley, dancing. Disco, I reckon, given the John Travolta pose.

Long time no blog, mainly because I have been doing lots of this:

Only, with the screen on and actual words, and a much messier desk. Actually, no desk, as I mainly write on my laptop in bed. I’ve also been doing quite a lot of this:

Again, usually in bed rather than collapsed on grass. In addition, I’ve been  pretty busy with this:

Meanwhile, there’s been some great developments for NOW YOU SEE ME, including a nomination for the Cilip Carnegie book award and a mention in the Independent’s Christmas Best Books for Children guide. So having brought you up to speed, I’m jolly pleased to be able to show you this:

Ta Dahhhhhh!! Fabulous new cover for BETTER LEFT BURIED, out May 1st. Chock full of secrets and twists and other good stuff that isn’t in the least bit fattening.

 

 

 

Today I’m over on Author Allsorts talking about recurring themes in my work – guns, water and hitting the road!

Back from Edinburgh and the Grand Tour of Scotland and almost recovered from all that rushing around. Had a fabulous time, especially at the book festival, where I was privileged to appear with Anne Cassidy.

Anne has written over 40 books – forty! – so all I had to do was follow her lead. The event itself went very well, and I actually enjoyed myself – though the hours running up to it left me looking ‘like a dog that had just realised it was on its way to the vet’, as my other half put it. It was enormous fun interacting with readers in the flesh as opposed to online. Actual real people!

Here I am signing some copies of Now You See Me for them.

And here I am, well and truly on the shelf:

Also caught up with some of my favourite online writing friends. Here I am, having tea with fellow thriller writer Helen Grant – check out her brilliant books here.

Am in a flurry of packing for my forthcoming trip up to Edinburgh for its renowned book festival. If you’re in the area, you can catch me appearing with Anne Cassidy at 7pm next Tuesday 19th August, where we’ll be discussing how to separate truth from fiction in a novel – should be interesting!

Then I’m off to tour Scotland for a week, as I’m ashamed to say that apart from one very rushed afternoon in Dunoon, I’ve never been there. I’m really excited about seeing Loch Ness and all the sights.

See you when I get back, if I don’t see you up there. Toodles!

Brilliant birthday yesterday, ending with a trip to the annual terrier racing at Yarcombe in Devon. Words cannot describe the sheer lunacy of this event. Terriers everywhere. Yapping, running, tussling. And that’s just those watching. The competing dogs had a somewhat eclectic approach to racing. One event had to restart because the terriers seemed more interested in chasing each other than the fake-rabbit lure. The second race was delayed because the winner of the first race refused to let go of the prize. It took a full five minutes of persuasion before he’d give it up.

Neither of our terriers got to run, sadly, as competition for places was fierce. But Stanley (below) was an enthusiastic spectator, and is now in training for next year’s races.

 

 

 

 

To celebrate the launch of the US edition of Now You See Me, readers using Amazon.com can get it as a free Kindle download over the next two days.

Bargain!