All the latest updates from me!
Summer 2024 Round-up
It has been a bit of a whirlwind. Summer 2024 kicked off with a guest appearance at the first Thornton Open Studios and Art Trail. I had the pleasure of showing artwork in good […]
My new non-fiction children’s book Our Colourful World
I recently unearthed a sketchbook that I hadn’t looked at in quite a while. The first page contained handwritten notes I took during author David Almond‘s keynote speech at the 2016 SCBWI-BI annual conference. As I read the first quote, I knew I wanted to share it because David […]
My Year In Review 2021
Creativity and new directions in post-lockdown times
With the Free Little Library in 2021.
It might seem a little bit early to review my life at the beginning of December, but we’re coming […]
My Free Little Library Art Adventure
During lockdown in January 2021, a plastic drawer unit filled with books appeared outside a home in our neighbourhood. Its kind owner left a simple handwritten note on it: TAKE A BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK. This was […]
It’s a Revision Thing
September reminds me of returning to school and new beginnings.
I’ve always felt a charge of creative energy when the autumn comes. This year is no different, despite the challenges we all are facing. In some ways, September feels more like the start of a new year than New Year’s Day. And, in a way, I have […]
I have joined Instagram!
The only surprise is why it took me so long to discover Instagram! But I am finally posting images here and it’s feeling fine. And here’s the really nice thing – it is acting as a prompt to play more with photography, to post quick paintings and sketches and to interact with readers as […]
Summer Highlights: My Candlewick Press Presents podcast
Earlier this year I was invited to do a Top Secret project with my wonderful U.S. publisher, Candlewick Press, which published the American edition of my Blackhope Enigma trilogy.
(By the way, happy 25th birthday, Candlewick!) They were producing a series of podcasts with their authors and I was […]
Summer Highlights: Leeds West Indian Carnival 50th Anniversary Project
As summer highlights go, this one is right up there. In the spring I had the honour of being asked to create an illustrated map for the Leeds West Indian Carnival‘s 50th anniversary as part of a Heritage Lottery Grant project.
Every late August bank holiday, the Carnival brings colour, […]
Jet Black Heart News!
This is a pretty cool surprise: JET BLACK HEART has been shortlisted for the 2016 Coventry Inspiration Book Award in the 11-16 ‘Rapid Reads’ category. It’s in a splendid list of eight books by great authors. That list will go through elimination rounds and be whittled down to three finalists.
NEWS FLASH: On […]
Inspiration Monday! A Great Day Out.
This fantastic poster greeted me when I arrived at Allerton High School yesterday. The excellent team of students who organised my day of speaking and bookmaking with visiting primary pupils also made a variety of wonderful posters, flip charts, bookmarks and certificates. They were all charming, friendly […]