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Contact Me

Welcome to my site!

Some of my books

I write books for all ages, for young children to teenage and adults. I have also written a book on writing - Writing for Children - for both aspiring and newly published authors.


While I spend quite a lot of time visiting libraries, schools and festivals talking about my books and running creative writing workshops, I do manage to find time to write, too!

You can download the free story: Hamish McHaggis and the Aberlady Gala Mystery.

Latest News:

Book Week Scotland

I had a lovely time last week when I was up in Aberdeenshire for Book Week Scotland.  I visited Strachan Primary (had to remember to call it STRAWN!) and spoke to both composite classes there. The little ones (Mainly P2) were all very keen on Hamish McHaggis!

Hamish McHaggis and the Lost Prince gordon gets even I spoke to the older class P4-7 about Greyfriars Bobby and of course Hamish got a wee look in, too! I read  Gordon Gets Even which they enjoyed and  led to a bit of a chat about bullying.

The next day I visited Portlethen Primary school P1 P1/2 and P2 and then off to Bervie Primary school.  It was a busy day!  the following day I visited Mearns community library and a class from Laurencekirk Primary came along to hear all about Hamish and this great picture was drawn by Paige (Thank you Paige it is lovely!)

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Later that morning I spoke to a class from Mearns Academy, S2, about Spider and my other YA novels.  Lots of interesting questions but sadly, as often happens we ran out of time!

Many thanks to the lovely librarians and teachers who helped organise these events and the Jules and Forbes for your kind hospitality in Strachan.

 

Always a pleasure to visit Aberdeenshire, and I’m planning another wee tour in the area, a bit further north, in March 2015.

 

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Never assume they won’t read.

spider

It is all about finding the RIGHT book at the RIGHT  time for the Right child.  I was reminded of this recently when looking back at some of the things people have said to me over the years.

This was a lady who had attended a CPD session I had been running a few years ago and purchased a copy of my YA book SPIDER  for her grandson.  As you can see she was not really expecting him to read it.  I applaud her determination to offer him the chance.

‘My 15 year old grandson does not read books but, always the optimist, I bought him a copy of Spider. Imagine my surprise and speechlessness when two months later he informed his grandad ‘That book you gave me is awesome’ and proceeded to relate the story in detail. Thank you for making reading appealing enough to reach my grandson.’

It still warms my heart when I read this, it makes it all worthwhile.

reduced size ellon academy S2

Some keen readers from Ellon Academy




Children’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook 2015

The latest edition is now available, as always packed with great information –

and an article by yours truly 🙂  ‘Children’s writing in the digital age’

 

CHWaAYEARBOOK 2015                           WritingforChildren

A great companion to my Writing for Children book!

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