Julia's latest news!

                                                                                                                                  (Updated August 30th 2008)

Hi

As I write it's a grey August day but I'm not letting the weather get me down.  I've just come back from southern France where I topped up  my sun tan, and when I got back, my post and emails were so full of good news that I hardly notice the clouds! Here are some of my good news stories:

BEDTIME STORY on Cbeebies TV-

A first for me! I haven't got a date yet - watch this space - but KANGAROO'S CAN CAN CAFE, my crazy tale of a kangaroo who tries to set up a French cafe in the outback, is going to be read on this great CBBC programme. I don't know which famous person will read it, but I do know you'll also see Lynne Chapman's zany illustrations. So keep a look out!

Don't forget to buy the book or borrow it  from the library and go to illustrator Lynne Chapman's website to do a

Kangaroo's Cancan Cafe Quiz!

  BOOK  TO SCREEN

This was an exciting project in which pupils from Margaret Beaufort Middle School, turned Chapter 11 of my novel, GHOST WRITER, into a film.  Directed by Julie Laslett of Dramatic Media, who produce great educational films, pupils and teachers acted the parts of all my characters.  Julie taught them lots of skills and helped them write the script. I looked on - fascinated - as my words were transformed into moving image. Then I donned my best togs to strut my stuff at the Grande Premiere.  That's me in the spotty blouse with Henry who played the part of Frankie and Julie Laslett.

Andersen Press got so many requests for the book that they re-printed it with a spooky new cover.

There's a full report - three whole pages - in the September edition of Books for Keeps. I'll give you a direct link very soon.

SCREEN TO BOOK

My association with Julie Laslett and Dramatic Media is proving fruitful.  Their film, Lee's Story -Young Offender, tells the sorry tale of seventeen year old Lee Mercer's path to prison.  It ends with the cell door closing after he is sentenced to a year 'inside'.  My novel for young adults, INSIDE, is Lee's own account of that year as he faces the challenges of living inside four walls and - what is sometimes worse - in his own head.  Is criminality in the genes?  Is he destined to be a career criminal like his father or can he choose another path?

Andersen  Press will publish INSIDE in August 2009, so there's year to wait.  The novel is both a sequel to the film and a novel in its own right.  You'll learn what Lee did to end up in prison by reading the book, but if you can't wait and would like to see the film contact www.dramaticmedia.net  where you can buy the film Lee's Story.

UP FOR A PRIZE

I have been nominated or short-listed for the following prizes:

 Short-listed

 CLASS 2 AT THE ZOO

Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2009

I don't know much about this award yet but perhaps I will when voting is launched on October 6th.

Find out if you can vote.

Stockport Children's Book Award 2008

I did tell you about this one when I first heard but here it is again!

I have won this ward twice before, for GHOST WRITER (Key Stage 2) in 2003 and BIG RED BATH (Early Years) in 2005 .  The contender this time is CLASS 2 AT THE ZOO (Key Stage 1). Please keep your fingers crossed or, if you live in Stockport, vote for it!  Isn't the cover great?  The pictures inside are even better. Illustrator, Lynne Chapman is very funny.  You can get the hardback from your library - the shops have sold out - and the paperback came out on 19th June.

and

Fantastic Book Awards 2008

Awarded by the Lancashire School Library Service.

THE TIME TRAVELLING CAT AND THE VIKING TERROR

It's great to be considered for any prize but I'm particularly pleased that this book, fifth in the series, has been noticed.  Often the later books in a series are ignored, sometimes deservedly so, because they are not as good as the early ones.  Luckily, lots of readers have told me they think this is the best yet!

FOUR NEW BOOKS THIS YEAR

April 3 The Time Travelling Cat and the Viking Terror	May 15 Kisses are Yuk	June 5  Class 3 All at Sea	August 5 Tooth Fairy In Trouble

SIX NEW EDITIONS

Feb 7 Hangman	Feb 14 Grandma's Seaside Bloomers - a Victorian seaside story	June 19 Class 2 at the Zoo paperback
July 5 Ghost Writer	July  7 Jessame to the Rescue and other Stories	August 21 Big Blue Train - paperback

PERSONAL APPEARANCES - September - October 2008

SEPTEMBER

4 - OPENING KEYSOE VILLAGE FETE

11 - KEECH COTTAGE CHILDREN'S HOSPICE

13 -  PRIZE GIVING RISELEY VILLAGE SHOW

17 - DEBENHAM HIGH SCHOOL, SUFFOLK

18 - BORDERS BOOKSHOP, MILTON KEYNES

19 - BORDERS BOOKSHOP, MILTON KEYNES

29 - WESTFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL, BOURNE, LINCS

OCTOBER

4 - BIG WRITE FESTIVAL, STRATFORD, LONDON (to be confirmed)

7 - HOLMEWOOD HOUSE SCHOOL, COLCHESTER

9 - OAKWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL, ST ALBAN'S

10 - RENAISSANCE CONFERENCE FOR ACCELERATED LEARNING - STANSTEAD

11 - STAFFORDSHIRE LIBRARIES, BIG BOOK PARTY - WITH LYNNE CHAPMAN!

14-17 BALLYMENA LIBRARIES, NORTHERN IRELAND