News


Online Silly Squad Event

Proud to be a member of the Silly Squad and part of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, which is a fabulous scheme ran by libraries to keep kids reading during the summer period.

Bristol Libraries are hosting a 30 minute LIVE online event that is available to ANYONE who registers here.

It will happen on Thursday 27th August at 2:00pm.

I’ll be talking about my silly chocolatey book and answering any questions there may be. It would be brilliant if keen readers and chocolate fanatics could join me!


Flattered

Thank you.

Seriously, thank you to all the lovely people who have taken the time to leave a review on Amazon. The Great Chocoplot has now received over 100 reviews and, as I publish this, has returned back into a No.1 Best Seller spot!!

It isn’t just an ego thing (honestly!), reviews really help to boost the visiblity of books, especially if they are not backed with big promotional budgets like some of the ‘top brands’. It also helps to keep the book in print and helps us authors to bargain for our other ideas to be considered by our publishers.

But please, please, please – if you can, buy your books from your local bookshops (they really need your support) or borrow from your local library. And then leave a review online. It is very much appreciated!


Stoomio

Thrilled to have been asked to answer some marvellous questions on the new(ish) and utterly fantastic Children’s Book Blog, Stoomio!

You can see my gibberish here, but please check it out because there are so many other reviews, interviews and general fun stuff on the site. I’m sure it will grow into an amazing and entertaining resource.


Number 1 Best Seller!!!!

As the writer of a chocolatey children’s story, getting an Easter Weekend #1 Bestseller in the charts is the closest I’ll get to being Cliff Richard clocking up a Christmas No 1.

I’m incredible grateful – but don’t worry, I wont start singing!

*** But please support your local book shop. They need your business now more than ever ***


Book Reading Authors

There are endless children’s authors delightfully gibbering away online at the moment (including myself!), but here’s a fantastic resource providing links to so many. There’s a lot of other fun stuff here too.

Thanks to Books For Topics for compiling this great selection and for including me and my silly book.

Check it out here. Other authors reading parts of their books include Cressida Cowell, Andy Stanton, Andy Shepherd, James Nichol and David Walliams – and many, many more …!


Generation Lockdown Writing Comp

The Generation Lockdown Writing Competition is open to young writers aged between 7 – 17. We’d love to hear about your life in lockdown. That could be a personal experience, poem or a creative story.

All the entries are judged by published authors and I’ll be looking at the 8 year olds category.

The winners will be published in a book and a special prize from Chicken House Books is on offer too! This will also raise funds for The Book Trust.

All the details are on the website. We look forward to reading your entries. So, get writing and the best of luck.


Happy Easter

Hoping everyone has a very chocolatey Easter.

In these strange days, we are all staying at home to help our amazing NHS and protect our loved ones from harm. So enjoy some chocolate, maybe read a book and be kind to each other.

You could also join me on Easter Sunday at 6pm BST where I will be summoning up my inner Jackanory (ask the grown-ups!) and reading the first chapter of The Great Chocoplot. Thanks to my lovely publishers, Chicken House, for hosting me.

It goes ‘Live’ here from 6pm. Please excuse my rubbish attempts at ‘acting’!!


Beanstalk Resources

It’s wonderful to see reading charity Beanstalk supporting families in these tough times. They are providing links and resources to help homeschooling and to keep the love of reading active.

I’m particularly flattered that they have chosen me and my daughter’s funny faces to front the scheme!

Please find out more here while we all stay at home and make the most of this reading time.

With huge and never ending thanks to all the Key Workers out there doing an amazing job. Stay safe people x


Return to the Roald Dahl Museum

A few years ago, I had one of the greatest experiences of my time as an author: I got to talk about my book in the home of Roald Dahl himself!

Mr Dahl’s home is now a world famous museum all about the great man and his books. It is a fantastic place and was a real honour to be asked to do some events during their Charlie and the Chocolate Factory celebrations.

Well, I must have done an OK job as I’ve been asked back!! I’ll be there during the Easter Holidays on Tuesday 14th April and be doing three events. It would be gloriumptious to see you there.

Please find more whizz-popping details here.


Something Exciting is Coming this way …

I’m not allowed to say too much at the moment, as publishers REALLY like to keep secrets! But I have just signed a contract with the amazing Harper Collins!!!!

It’s been something bubbling away since summer 2019 and is now well under way. I’m having a blast writing what I’m writing (sorry no spoilers!) and working with the team and editor at Harper Collins. I’ve visited their stunning offices high in the clouds in Central London and had hugely exciting meetings.

It is something I’m very proud to be part of and I’ll release more details when I’m allowed! Squeeeeeeee!!!!!

Signed Contracts!!

Radio Chocoplot!

Even though I have moved away from my native North East and into London, it was wonderful to hear that me and book were still being talked about up there!

Radio Tees has a weekly Book Talk slot hosted by Bob Fischer and author (and school librarian) Rachel Coverdale. I first met Rachel on a school visit and she is a real champion of books and reading. Rachel has such enthusiasm for getting the right book into the right young hands. So it was especially wonderful to hear her talk about my book in such a lovely way. It was great to share some of the limelight with one of my favourite authors, and North East favourite, Dan Smith. Dan writes fantastic adventure stories full of action and suspense, like ‘Boy X’ which they talked about. Luckily, Rachel said great things about him too!

Although I’m not on the radio, I can still say that I’ve read Rachel’s book, ‘The Boy Who Couldn’t’ and would highly recommend it. It’s a wonderful story of friendship in unexpected places and is a cracking read.

Thanks to Rachel for the photo and for being so kind to me! Please check out Rachel’s website and her books here.


More Waterstones Selfies!!

I know, I know. It’s shameless shelf promotion. It’s egotistical. But I love it!

Going into bookshops and seeing my book never gets old. Now that I have moved from Newcastle to London, it’s been brilliant to see it my adopted home. Here are some of my cheesy grins of me and my signed book in Watersones Kingston, the flagship Waterstones Piccadilly and Waterstones Gower Street, where the staff were wonderful enough to rearrange the shelf so I could have a much appreciated ‘face-out’!!


Christmas is coming …

Personally, I think ‘The Great Chocoplot’ would make a perfect Christmas present. A book about chocolate! But then I would think that, wouldn’t I!

So, just a little reminder that it is available at all good bookstores and all the usual places online.

Please support your local book shops and libraries when choosing books.

Wishing you all a happy and chocolatey Christmas!


Proud Northerner

I’m from Tyneside, but have recently moved into the big capital of London (it’s still a little scary, but I’m starting to get used to it!). We were incredibly sad to leave our home but have been made to feel welcome down south. I always try and return whenever I can.

I’ve always had huge support from from my local bookshops and libraries in the North East and was delighted to see on a recent visit that me and my silly book have not been forgotten!

My heart leaped at seeing my familiar purple cover proudly on display in the magnificent Waterstones Newcastle. It was part of a display from a local Headteacher, Mrs Wall. I had the honour of visiting her school early in the year and had a wonderful time. Thank you, Mrs Wall for this huge honour.

It was also a pleasure to visit beautiful Durham’s Waterstones and see my book still on display there too. The good people and booksellers of Durham have been so kind to me for a long, long time. The thrill of seeing my book next to so many fantastic books never gets old. Thank you, Fiona and all the staff there for your loveliness.

It’s especially lovely to be a ‘Shelf Buddy’ with the incredible Emma Carroll too!


Great to be Back in the North

The Northern Children’s Book Festival and a grinning Northern Author

It was wonderful being asked to be part of The Northern Children’s Book Festival again. I had an amazing time visiting a number of schools in Gateshead and Durham. It’s always a joy to return back up North and spread my chocolatey panic with such engaging, enthusiastic and funny audiences. It was also a pleasure meeting our brilliant librarians again. I was well looked after by Maria, Chris (from Gateshead Libraries) and Julie (from Durham) and received warm welcomes in the schools.

The amount of work and effort that goes into this festival from librarians across the North East is staggering. Thanks also to Rachel and Catherine for inviting me. I had a choctastic time!


The Northern Children’s Book Festival

I am flattered and excited to have been asked to take part in the Northern Children’s Book Festival (NCBF) again this year.

As a proud Northerner it is always great to have an excuse to return up north, especially for the chance of visiting some brilliant schools.

The NCBF is a very special festival, in my opinion. It goes to huge efforts to get authors into schools that don’t normally get those kind of opportunities. This always guarantees the most amazing welcome from the most excitable kids around. It’s such a fun event to be part of and is organised and supported by the hard-working librarians in the area. I can’t wait to get involved next week.

The Great Chocoplot, Chris Callaghan, The Northern Children's Book Festival

Seven Stories Dahl-itious Day

I had so much fun on my visit to Seven Stories celebrating Roald Dahl Day. It was an honour to be asked to take part and talk about my chocolatey book. We also had a workshop where my lovely audience dug into their own imaginations and came up with chocolate stories and apocalyptic ideas. I was incredibly impressed with them.

It was also fantastic to see Sophie Anderson talking about her amazing new book, The Girl Who Speaks Bear and her inspiration from folk tales. I was thrilled when Sophie and her family stayed for my event too!

Huge thanks to everyone who came along, including Sandra Russell who drew this amazing sketch of me during my talk. The staff at Seven Stories were wonderful and many thanks to Sharleene for inviting me along and for the photos in the bookshop! A truly gloriumptious day!


Celebrating Roald Dahl Day

It is a thrill and an honour to be asked to come along to Seven Stories, The Nation Centre for Children’s Books, to help them celebrate our greatest storyteller, Roald Dahl‘s birthday.

Mr Dahl needs no introduction at all, as his stories have been loved by generations of readers. It will be wonderful to add my own chocolatey twist into the celebrations and talk about my own book, reveal some unusual chocolate facts and join my audience in writing their own chocolate story or create their own apocalyptic story plan.

I’ll be there on Saturday 14th September from 2pm at Seven Stories, 30 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ. Booking is required here. There is limited space, so get your tickets quick!

Why not call in and see the wonderful Sophie Anderson talking about her new book, The Girl Who Speaks Bear, too? It would be great to have a lovely audience of readers and chocoholics!! It’s going to be gloriumptious!


Chocoplot Returns to Durham Waterstones

It was wonderful to be invited back to sign copies of ‘The Great Chocoplot’ in store at Waterstones Durham. It is one of my favourite bookshops in one of the most beautiful places around, where I also always get made to feel incredibly welcome.

I was even treated to a queue of keen and patient readers/chocoholics for an hour or so after first arriving. I try to arrive at these events nice and early to get set up and shake the nerves away, but I was greeted by a couple of young readers sitting on the floor, already a few pages into their new copies. What a thrill to see that!!

Thank you to everyone who came along – some travelling quite a distance! It was an honour and I always appreciate these special occasions of meeting my readers and scribbling in their copies. After a few fantastic hours, here’s a picture of me emerging into the strong sunlight, with a bag full of newly purchased books (Fiona is an unstoppable bookselling machine!). I especially like this man’s ‘who are you?’ expression to immediately burst my short-lived ‘famous author’ bubble!! Great day!