World Book Day

Thursday, March 7th is World Book Day.

This year, I will be at the Mount School in York doing a day of talks and workshops. On Tuesday, 5th March, I will be at King Edward VI, Handsworth, who are having their WBD two days before because I can't be in two places at once.

 I visited King Edward's, Handsworth last year for a day based around my book Pirates!. If ever a book leant itself to World Book Day, it is this one.

Last year, a whole year group dressed up as pirates, including their teachers and the librarians. Everyone had lots of fun, not least the staff who got to swagger about in boots and pantaloons, moustachios curled and teeth blackened. It was interesting to see pupils do a double take as they tried to work out who it was under the pirate disguises.

It was an excellent day, with plenty of laughs and some fabulous work done, not only writing, but drama, music and art, all based on Pirates!

I'm looking forward to another couple of stimulating days in Birmingham and in York and hope to have more photos to put up next week. 

World Book Day is a chance to explore, to follow where books can take you. It is also a brilliant excuse to dress up...

Pirates! fight another day...

Sometimes interesting and intriguing requests drop into my inbox. A month or so ago I had an e mail from a blogger who was planning a pirate month on her web site. She asked if I would like to take part, she wanted to feature my book, Pirates!, offer some copies for a giveaway (courtesy of the publishers, Bloomsbury) and would I like to write something? She wanted me to write a piece to be called The Brawl in Triton's Tavern. I love pirates, so how could I refuse?

I decided that I couldn't add anything to the actual book. Somehow, a book is a finished thing - it is what it is - and can't have extra episodes added on to it. Besides, there is already a tavern scene in the book, so there is not really room for another. So I decided to write an episode from Pirates!, the phantom sequel. This book has never been written, but parts of it exist, in my mind, anyway. Even though I might never get to write it, I'd certainly thought about what might happen after the end of the book, but would I actually be able to go back to the time, the characters, re-visit a novel that was published eight years ago?

The answer was - no problem! It was like visiting old friends that I hadn't seen for years. They were there waiting for me. You can read the result at: http://vvb32read.blogspot.com/2011/05/triton

I really enjoyed my visit and maybe the girls will sail again one day. Who knows? Certainly looks like they are up for it!