Ever since I was chomped by the writing bug, I have made it my business to attend as many author appearances and read as much children’s fiction as I can. It’s all part of acquainting myself with the writing side of the children’s and young adult book industry. And anything that involves venturing out of the creative cave and into bookstores, libraries and literary festival tents is dandy with me.

This week brought a two-for-one bonus event when both Gayle Forman and Carmen Reid were hosted by the West of Scotland Children’s Book Group at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library. Gayle is over here from New York touring in support of her bestselling novel If I Stay. I hesitate to write much about the plot for fear of spoiling it for you, but suffice to say it is about twenty-four hours in the life of seventeen-year old Mia who faces an existence-altering decision. Hearing Gayle describe how Mia’s character evolved and how she felt chosen to tell her story resonated with me and probably every other writer in the room. One does feel that characters surface from the ether and suddenly you are compelled to work with them.

Carmen Reid is already well known for her so-called “chick lit” books, but her new series of St Judes boarding school stories is making inroads with children aged eleven and up. A former boarder herself, Carmen spoke about the continuing popularity of this setting and how the absence of parents opens up the possibility of adventures that might not happen if the characters lived at home under parental eyes.

New Girl (Secrets at St Jude’s) is the first book in the series about LA girl Gina being packed off to a Scottish boarding school and guaranteed culture clash, new girlfriends and various permutations of boys. Judging by the young fans Carmen had in the audience (no, it wasn’t just us zealous grown-ups hungry for inspiration) and their excitement about the next book, she’s onto a winner.

And as if we weren’t already impressed, Gayle announced that If I Stay is to be made into a film directed by Catherine Hardwicke of Twilight fame. Gayle spoke of her suprise when her agent first suggested the novel could be made into a film, because of the way it is organised into short sections moving back and forth over time, but that she was delighted with the screenplay. One thing she was not so delighted with, but refreshingly honest about, was a book project she recently spent months on and then decided to shelve because it just wasn’t working for her.

Both Gayle and Carmen across as approachable and straightforward. I left with a couple of their signed books under my arm and they will be added to my growing and eclectic list of Books To Read.