Welcome to my site!

The wonderful people at Teen Titles magazine held their annual get together in a new venue at the top of the High Street, this year.
The school librarians bring their young reviewers along to celebrate the work they have done for the magazine, and to meet up with some of the YA authors whose books they might have reviewed

With Claire, Jennifer, Sarah S, and Sarah W, from Liberton High

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I met up with some of the boys and girls from Liberton High School who I had spoken to when I visited the school, Jennifer, Claire, and the two Sarahs, and a little later I had an interesting conversation with John Paul, also from Liberton High, and some lovely reviewers from Gracemount High school.

It was great to get their views on some a couple of images for the cover of my new book DON’T JUDGE ME.

Here are some of the other authors at the event,

It was lovely to catch up with Teresa Flavin and to meet Kate Harrison, Jane McLoughlin and Elizabeth Wein.  Also there were Roy Gill, Keith Gray and John Fardell.

You can find out more about Teen Titles here

My new YA novel – which is being published by the great people at Strident  in October 2012.

I am very excited about the cover ideas I have seen so far and I am waiting to see the final version, which I will post here as soon as it is confirmed.

I think the cover is going to look great beside these,  my two previous Strident titles –

SPIDER     and

DEAD BOY TALKING

– by using the same font but a completely different colour range and image it will will give it a completely different look.

Don’t Judge Me is about how we all make judgements about other people,  often misjudging people we meet in the street, and when things get a little tense or pressured we might begin to look at our friends differently too, making snap judgements about them and what they are capable of.

Don’t Judge Me is about four teenagers, an unreliable witness and an arson attack.

With life and death on the line – Don’t Judge Me!

Yesterday there was brilliant sunshine and lots of happy people in Charlotte Square at the start of the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2012.

you can follow their blog edbookfest.blogspot.co.uk

or browse the programme and book tickets on the website edbookfest.co.uk

I am delighted to be appearing at the book festival again this year in these three events as described in this year’s programme –

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On Sunday 19 August 5:30pm – 6:15pm  Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series   FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

Each day we pay tribute to persecuted writers from around the world. Freedom of Expression is at the heart of any book festival but it is also necessary for citizens and communities to speak out against injustice, express their needs and hold their governments to account. Chaired by Scottish PEN.

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And in the Schools Programme  School Gala Day

(NB The book festival is not open to the general public on this day)

Tuesday 28 August, 12 noon-1.00pm    The Great Glasgow Treasure Hunt
with Sally J Collins & Linda Strachan  P2-P5
The latest story in the Hamish McHaggis series includes an elephant, a dinosaur, Highland cattle and a dragon’s egg. There are clues galore but can you help Hamish and friends solve them in time? Oodles of fun and lots to learn with author Linda Strachan and
illustrator Sally J Collins.