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Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Thursday, 21 April 2011
The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip Blog Tour: Big Gype Part 4
The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip Blog Tour is stopping here today. Here is the final part of the exclusive blog tour story, Big Gype! Check out parts 1-3 on The Bookbabblers, Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, and The Overflowing Library.
‘What the feck are you doing carrying a knife?’
‘That—that kind of thing. That just happened. Never thought I’d. Really do it.’
‘You didn’t, right?’
We were both gasping for breath and her face was white under the streetlamps, bone-white. Don’t suppose mine was much better. I never used a blade on anyone before; never. I hadn’t thought it would take such force to plunge it in. I hadn’t thought the feeling would tingle up my hand and into my arm. I hadn’t thought he’d bleed so much.
Jinn had begun to cry, glinting starlit tears streaking her face. ‘D’you think he’s dead?’
‘Nah. He ran off, didn’t he?’
‘We are gonnae be in so much trouble.’
‘No you’re not. I am. I’m not gonnae tell them it was yours. Christ, those knives are a fiver in Tesco. I’ll get you home. Right? I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Nathan? When you get me home.’
‘What?’
‘Gonnae stay?’
*
I did.
The little sister was fast asleep, so Jinn’s mother had taken the chance to go out for a drink. She was even later back than we were, and I was out earlier in the morning, so it wasn’t a problem.
I don’t think it would have been a problem anyway. Poor Jinn.
Me, I had a problem, and its name was Dad. When I sloped home in the grey dawn, he was still up waiting. I can’t tell you how unusual this was, but he had his reasons.
‘Nathan,’ he said. ‘Christ almighty, Nathan.’
His eyes were red and sleepless and his face was about as grey as mine. I was a bit surprised he didn’t look angrier. He looked more scared than furious, and you know, that was worse.
‘Richie Muir,’ he said.
‘Who?’
‘Richie Muir!’ This time he yelled it. ‘Did you get in a scrap with him yesterday?’
My tongue hovered over a lie, but on balance there didn’t seem any point.
‘You know he works for Christy Fyfe? Christy Fyfe, the big sonofabitch I owe money to?’
No, but I’d guessed it by now. Nothing else would have put the frighteners on my dad like this. ‘That Richie Muir’s a bastard,’ I said sullenly.
‘He’s a dangerous bastard.’ Dad raked his hands across his thinning hair, and I realised he was even older than I thought.
I licked my lips, my heart thudding. ‘You mean he still is?’ Thank God for that anyway.
He gave me a look that was all reproach. ‘If you were going to do it, you might have made a better job of it.’
I thought about that. Still I was glad I hadn’t.
‘So what are we going to do?’
‘Do? We’re gonnae leave, obviously. And we won’t be back till Richie Muir’s dead.’ His voice softened a bit. ‘Not that unlikely, since you’re not the first to stick a blade in him. And you won’t be the last. Go and pack.’
‘What, now?’
‘Now. Today. Get your stuff.’
Surprising how the first panicked thought in my head was of Jinn. But I couldn’t take her. Obviously.
No. Couldn’t.
*
I had to tell her. It was harder than I’d have believed possible a month ago. It almost made it worse that she put such a bright face on it, and smiled, and stroked my cheek like she really was sad for me.
‘It’s my fault,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be,’ I said, ‘’cos it isn’t.’
I skimmed another pebble across the lapping water and counted.
‘Five.’
‘Six,’ she corrected me, squinting into the light. ‘You ever coming back?’
I put my hands in my pockets. ‘I’ve got to go,’ I said, and kissed her.
Biting her lip, she looked past my shoulder. ‘I’ll miss you.’
My dad swung open the car door, tapped his fingers on the wheel, smoothed his sweating bald patch. I turned back to Jinn.
‘I’ll come back, yeah.’
I smiled. I kissed her again, properly this time.
‘I’ll bring you a present,’ I said.
Great story, huh? What did you think of the ending?
Continue reading The Opposite of Amber by Gillian Philip Blog Tour: Big Gype Part 4
‘What the feck are you doing carrying a knife?’
‘That—that kind of thing. That just happened. Never thought I’d. Really do it.’
‘You didn’t, right?’
We were both gasping for breath and her face was white under the streetlamps, bone-white. Don’t suppose mine was much better. I never used a blade on anyone before; never. I hadn’t thought it would take such force to plunge it in. I hadn’t thought the feeling would tingle up my hand and into my arm. I hadn’t thought he’d bleed so much.
Jinn had begun to cry, glinting starlit tears streaking her face. ‘D’you think he’s dead?’
‘Nah. He ran off, didn’t he?’
‘We are gonnae be in so much trouble.’
‘No you’re not. I am. I’m not gonnae tell them it was yours. Christ, those knives are a fiver in Tesco. I’ll get you home. Right? I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Nathan? When you get me home.’
‘What?’
‘Gonnae stay?’
I did.
The little sister was fast asleep, so Jinn’s mother had taken the chance to go out for a drink. She was even later back than we were, and I was out earlier in the morning, so it wasn’t a problem.
I don’t think it would have been a problem anyway. Poor Jinn.
Me, I had a problem, and its name was Dad. When I sloped home in the grey dawn, he was still up waiting. I can’t tell you how unusual this was, but he had his reasons.
‘Nathan,’ he said. ‘Christ almighty, Nathan.’
His eyes were red and sleepless and his face was about as grey as mine. I was a bit surprised he didn’t look angrier. He looked more scared than furious, and you know, that was worse.
‘Richie Muir,’ he said.
‘Who?’
‘Richie Muir!’ This time he yelled it. ‘Did you get in a scrap with him yesterday?’
My tongue hovered over a lie, but on balance there didn’t seem any point.
‘You know he works for Christy Fyfe? Christy Fyfe, the big sonofabitch I owe money to?’
No, but I’d guessed it by now. Nothing else would have put the frighteners on my dad like this. ‘That Richie Muir’s a bastard,’ I said sullenly.
‘He’s a dangerous bastard.’ Dad raked his hands across his thinning hair, and I realised he was even older than I thought.
I licked my lips, my heart thudding. ‘You mean he still is?’ Thank God for that anyway.
He gave me a look that was all reproach. ‘If you were going to do it, you might have made a better job of it.’
I thought about that. Still I was glad I hadn’t.
‘So what are we going to do?’
‘Do? We’re gonnae leave, obviously. And we won’t be back till Richie Muir’s dead.’ His voice softened a bit. ‘Not that unlikely, since you’re not the first to stick a blade in him. And you won’t be the last. Go and pack.’
‘What, now?’
‘Now. Today. Get your stuff.’
Surprising how the first panicked thought in my head was of Jinn. But I couldn’t take her. Obviously.
No. Couldn’t.
I had to tell her. It was harder than I’d have believed possible a month ago. It almost made it worse that she put such a bright face on it, and smiled, and stroked my cheek like she really was sad for me.
‘It’s my fault,’ she said. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be,’ I said, ‘’cos it isn’t.’
I skimmed another pebble across the lapping water and counted.
‘Five.’
‘Six,’ she corrected me, squinting into the light. ‘You ever coming back?’
I put my hands in my pockets. ‘I’ve got to go,’ I said, and kissed her.
Biting her lip, she looked past my shoulder. ‘I’ll miss you.’
My dad swung open the car door, tapped his fingers on the wheel, smoothed his sweating bald patch. I turned back to Jinn.
‘I’ll come back, yeah.’
I smiled. I kissed her again, properly this time.
‘I’ll bring you a present,’ I said.
Great story, huh? What did you think of the ending?
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Absence
You may not see me around for a while. My computer is broken, so until it's fixed, I won't be able to post or reply to comments. I'm sorry about this, but hopefully I won't be away too long.
Continue reading Absence
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Review: The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater
Today, I have a guest review from my mate, Adam Page. This book was sent to me for review, but isn't really my thing, so Adam kindly agreed to read and review it. So thank you, Adam!
The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater - The girl lies by the canal, her face turned upwards like a stargazer. But she will never see the stars again. Her eyes have been torn out. The rain fills the empty sockets until they brim over, spilling bloody tears down her cold, white cheeks. Once every century, the boundary between the demon Netherworld and the human world weakens. Legions of creatures gather, preparing to cross over, to bring death and destruction. This time is called The Shadowing. Callum has always known that there is something beyond the mortal world - he can see ghosts. Lately, he's started to have horrific visions of children murdered by some terrible, unseen creature. And then the visions start to come true - and Callum realises he is being hunted too. But Callum must stay alive. He is bound by a dark destiny, and must stand against the demon forces that threaten our world forever. For it is nearly time. The Shadowing is coming... From Amazon UK
“Its head was a mass of wet, gleaming veins and cartilage, muscle and teeth...”
Continue reading Review: The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater
The Shadowing: Hunted by Adam Slater - The girl lies by the canal, her face turned upwards like a stargazer. But she will never see the stars again. Her eyes have been torn out. The rain fills the empty sockets until they brim over, spilling bloody tears down her cold, white cheeks. Once every century, the boundary between the demon Netherworld and the human world weakens. Legions of creatures gather, preparing to cross over, to bring death and destruction. This time is called The Shadowing. Callum has always known that there is something beyond the mortal world - he can see ghosts. Lately, he's started to have horrific visions of children murdered by some terrible, unseen creature. And then the visions start to come true - and Callum realises he is being hunted too. But Callum must stay alive. He is bound by a dark destiny, and must stand against the demon forces that threaten our world forever. For it is nearly time. The Shadowing is coming... From Amazon UK“Its head was a mass of wet, gleaming veins and cartilage, muscle and teeth...”
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Review: A New Dawn: Your Favourite Authors on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series
A New Dawn: Your Favourite Authors on Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, edited by Ellen Hopkins - A New Dawn invites readers to join some of their favourite YA authors as they look at the phenomenal Twilight series with fresh eyes. Edited by bestselling author Ellen Hopkins, it is packed with the debates readers engage in with their friends: Should Bella have chosen Edward or Jacob? This collection also goes further to compare the Quileute werewolves with Native American wolf myths, the Twilight series with Shakespeare. With contributions from Megan McCafferty, Cassandra Clare and many more, this is a clever, fresh perspective on the popular series. From Amazon UKI don't normally review non-fiction, but seeing as it's full of essays by YA writers, talking about a YA novel, I thought a review made sense.
Back in 2008, I took a course at uni called Young Adult Fictions. It was pretty much English Lit, but for YA fictions (which included movies, TV, etc, but mostly books). It was in this class that I first read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Not only did I fall in love with that book, but YA in general. I picked up New Moon. Then I picked up Eclipse. And when I wasn't reading other books for my class, I started them again. And again. I just loved them. As you can guess, I ended up writing my essay on the series. In the same year, A New Dawn was originally published - I say originally because it was an exclusive for Borders. In America. Which meant I couldn't buy it, even though it would have been FANTASTIC for my essay. A few weeks ago I discovered that the book had been re-released in this form when on the Smart Pop's website. Finally I could buy it! Although I enjoyed reading the series, I enjoyed having to look at the books analytically for my essay, which made this book a must buy for me.
It's just so good! It's so interesting to see what other people got from a book you've read, and the different topics that can be - and have been - discussed. There are essays that discuss whether or not Edward is a sociopath, using the seven official criteria used to diagnose Antisocial Personality Disorder, why girls fall for the bad guy, comparisons to the classics mentioned in the books. There are two really fun essays I want to mention in particular.
Dear Aunt Charlotte is an essay by Cassandra Clare, where she acts as agony aunt and replies to a "fangirl's letter" asking who is the better choice for Bella, Edward or Jacob. She answers by looking at the vampires and werewolves in movies over several decades. Then there's The Great Debate by Rachel Caine where she discusses the argument that vampire-themed fiction represents thinly veiled sexuality and violence - ergo, vampire fiction, specifically the Twilight series, which has brought vampire-themed young adult fiction to the forefront, is not suitable for young adults. What's brilliant about this essay is that she writes it as a transcript to a TV programme called The Great Debate, where two professors of literature argue against two fangirl bloggers - and she writes with the brilliant skill of capturing the teen voice like she does in her Morganville Vampires series. Not only is it detailed with theories on both sides, it's also very funny!
There are also brilliant essays that look into Native American wolf myths, and compare the Quileute beliefs and wolves to them, one that looks into the history of vampires in literature, and another that explores real life Forks. There is a wealth of interesting things to read for both those who are fans of the series, and those who like reading with their analytical hat on.
However, being someone who has read the books numerous times, I did spot a few errors, like the reason behind why Edward feels he's lost his soul, and confusing the meadow for where they play baseball. They're not overly major errors, but they are there, and there are around five, if not more. This may bug some hardcore fans, but it doesn't change or effect the points the authors are trying to make.
A really interesting read, one I would really recommend. The authors that contribute to this unauthorised anthology are Ellen Hopkins (editor), Susan Vaught, Megan Mc/cafferty, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Anne Ursu, Linda Gerba, Ellen Steiber, K. A. Nuzum, Cara Lockwood, Cassandra Clare, James A. Owen, Robin Brande, Janette Rallison and Rachel Caine.
Published: 29th September 2009
Publisher: Smart Pop
Buy on Amazon US
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Interview with Professional Crafter, Laura Clempson
Today is a non-book related day. This morning I posted a Personal Post about my crafting. Now I have an interview to share with you with Laura Clempson, a professional crafter to talk about her wonderful creations on Cupcakes for Clara. (Yes, you may recognise her surname - she's married to debut YA author Tom Clempson! Twitter is a wonderful thing!) All photos used with permission from Laura Clempson.
Thank you, Laura, for taking the time out of your busy day to answer some questions for me! Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Thank you very much for having me!
I am a mum of two toMatilda (2 ½) and Theo (7 months). I work as a puppet maker for animation by day (although I’m currently on maternity leave) and by night I sew, sew, sew! I adore working on small, fiddly, detailed pieces of work that allow me to use hand stitching as much as possible. I find it both relaxing and inspiring, which is a nice change from the craziness of parenting two littlies.
How did you get into puppet making as a career?
I remember watching the first Wallace and Gromit film when I was about 11, and thinking Wow – I want to do that, I wonder if you can really do that as a job? It turns out you can! I did work experience on Bob the Builder when I was 15, making props and costumes, and had my first real taste of the animation world. It was amazing! I then studied Animation at university and was lucky enough to get a summer job working at Mackinnon and Saunders. When I finished my degree three years later Mackinnon and Saunders offered me a full time position doing puppet maintenance on the set of Postman Pat. It was kind of like working in a puppet hospital – fixing all of the things that the animators had broken whilst filming.
What is involved in your job as a puppet maker?
I work for a company called Mackinnon and Saunders where we make the puppets for animated films and TV programmes. I’ve worked on things like Fantastic Mr Fox, The Corpse Bride, Postman Pat, Bob the Builder, Fifi, and most recently Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie.
The puppets are usually about 12” tall and are meticulously crafted. The construction of each puppet consists ofa metal skeleton to enable movement, a foam cast body, a silicone skin, and a costume. Some of the more complex puppets can have a head full of cogs and gears, (resembling a Swiss watch), which control the characters facial expressions – even dimples!The company has separate departments for sculpting, moulds, armatures, casting, painting, costume, and wigs. There is even a departmentfor getting rid of seam-lines on the silicone casts. As you can imagine, each puppet costs thousands to produce!
On Fantastic Mr Fox I worked in the fur department creating the furry outer skins for the puppets. That was an itchy job! For Frankenweenie I worked on the wigs. Each wig had to be wired to allow the animators to move individual hairs – it was a slow process. But it certainly taught me patience, and is probably why I like small detailed work so much!It’s also pretty awesome to spot your own work on the big screen, and spot your name in the credits!
How did you get into crafting for fun?
I’ve always enjoyed making things ever since I was teeny, but I started seriously crafting in 2007 after a six-month trip to Australia. I was completely inspired and eager to begin designing and sewing as soon as I returned home. I really wanted to work on my own ideas instead of always making other peoples designs. So I began sketching characters and toys. That’s when Clara appeared – a grumpy little redhead. She sprang to life almost immediately and I quickly turned her into a soft toy. I tried out a few other toys, and I entered them into an online softie competition. Unbelievably I won and people actually seemed to like my style, and so I thought I’d design a few more. And my business, Cupcakes for Clara, began.
Can you tell us about Cupcakes for Clara?
Cupcakes for Clara is my real passion. I run a blog and online shop selling my handmade toys, home wares, and ‘make your own’ kits. And several pieces of my work have been published in books and magazines. I love designing/sewing soft toys. There is something so wonderful about creating soft toys - they seem to develop their own personalities as you sew them - it’s almost like you’ve created a little person! I’ve recently started sewing felt illustrations - kind of a mix between embroidery and applique, with lots of opportunity for teeny stitches. One of the most exciting things is to think of my work in other people’s homes all over the world, hopefully inspiring them to get creative too!
You did the toy making design for One Stitch at a Time, your most recent collaborative book. How did that come about?
After having a few of my other designs published in various collaborative books, I was contacted by Quarto Children’s Books who had seen my work. They were originally after one toy design for a book fair. That developed into a commission to design all of the toys and patterns for One Stitch at a Time. I was thrilled to work on such a beautiful book, and really had fun with it.
After doing initial sketches of each toy, I made patterns, sourced materials, and sewed the toys. There were quite a few duplicates of each toy to make, and often the schedule was tight. I was even sewing cats the week after Theo was born, sitting beside his incubator with three half-made cat toys on my lap!
What books have you worked on/been a part of as a crafter?
I have three projects in the collaborative book ‘Making Stuff for Kids’ (Black Dog Publishing, 2007), two cute little bluebird projects in ‘Little Birds’ (C&T Publishing, 2010), and I was lucky enough to design all of the toys for ‘One Stitch at a Time: A Complete Toy Making Kit’(Barrons, 2011)
You’re on maternity leave at the moment after the birth of your second child 7 months ago. How do you fit in time for Cupcakes for Clara around looking after your two (beautiful!) children?
Ah, thank you for the beautiful compliment - I must say I agree!
I sew pretty much whenever they sleep. Matilda goes to nursery three days a week so that allows me a couple of hours on those days whilst Theo naps. Otherwise it’s evenings. I also have an incredibly supportive husband who does all the cooking!
Are you interested in other types of crafting besides sewing? Do you create in any other way?
I love pop-up books and paper-craft. When we were coming to the end of our holiday in Australia and we’d pretty much run out of money, we decided to make each other’s Christmas presents. I made Tom a pop-up book of our experience. Of course I had no idea what I was doing and I spent hours in the bookshop flipping the pages of Robert Sabuda’s excellent pop-up books trying to work them out! But I finally got it, and he was (thankfully) thrilled with his present.
I also made pop-up invitations for our wedding a few years ago featuring a silhouette of our wedding venue, Kenilworth Castle. Hand-cutting forty pop-up cards was quite a job!
What’s coming up next for you on Cupcakes for Clara?
I'm currently working on a couple of book ideas. Long time blog readers probably know that it is my dream to have Clara and Macy picture books published. I’ve started playing around with ideas for this, and developing how I might create the felt illustrations. Alongside that I’m working on a craft book idea to create everything you need for your baby’s nursery. I would love to be ready to start pitching these ideas to agents/publishers later in the year.
I also hope to restock my little etsy shop in the summer with a return of the ‘make your own’ kits and prints of my felt illustrations. Ooh, and a bit of a blog redesign too!
Can you point us in the direction of where we can buy your creations?
When it’s all restocked you will be able to buy my original toys and kits from my etsy shop at… http://cupcakesforclara.etsy.com
One Stitch at a Time is available from Amazon and bookshops across the US. My designs are also in Little Birds, and Making Stuff for Kids both of which are available on Amazon.
Anything else you would like to add?
Thank you very much for interviewing me – it was a real pleasure to answer your questions!
Thank you, Laura, for allowing me to interview you! It was so fascinating to read about puppet making and Cupcakes for Clara. Make sure you all check it out - seriously, you will not be able to visit the site without going "aww!".
Continue reading Interview with Professional Crafter, Laura Clempson
Thank you, Laura, for taking the time out of your busy day to answer some questions for me! Can you tell us a little about yourself?Thank you very much for having me!
I am a mum of two toMatilda (2 ½) and Theo (7 months). I work as a puppet maker for animation by day (although I’m currently on maternity leave) and by night I sew, sew, sew! I adore working on small, fiddly, detailed pieces of work that allow me to use hand stitching as much as possible. I find it both relaxing and inspiring, which is a nice change from the craziness of parenting two littlies.
How did you get into puppet making as a career?
I remember watching the first Wallace and Gromit film when I was about 11, and thinking Wow – I want to do that, I wonder if you can really do that as a job? It turns out you can! I did work experience on Bob the Builder when I was 15, making props and costumes, and had my first real taste of the animation world. It was amazing! I then studied Animation at university and was lucky enough to get a summer job working at Mackinnon and Saunders. When I finished my degree three years later Mackinnon and Saunders offered me a full time position doing puppet maintenance on the set of Postman Pat. It was kind of like working in a puppet hospital – fixing all of the things that the animators had broken whilst filming.
What is involved in your job as a puppet maker?I work for a company called Mackinnon and Saunders where we make the puppets for animated films and TV programmes. I’ve worked on things like Fantastic Mr Fox, The Corpse Bride, Postman Pat, Bob the Builder, Fifi, and most recently Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie.
The puppets are usually about 12” tall and are meticulously crafted. The construction of each puppet consists ofa metal skeleton to enable movement, a foam cast body, a silicone skin, and a costume. Some of the more complex puppets can have a head full of cogs and gears, (resembling a Swiss watch), which control the characters facial expressions – even dimples!The company has separate departments for sculpting, moulds, armatures, casting, painting, costume, and wigs. There is even a departmentfor getting rid of seam-lines on the silicone casts. As you can imagine, each puppet costs thousands to produce!
On Fantastic Mr Fox I worked in the fur department creating the furry outer skins for the puppets. That was an itchy job! For Frankenweenie I worked on the wigs. Each wig had to be wired to allow the animators to move individual hairs – it was a slow process. But it certainly taught me patience, and is probably why I like small detailed work so much!It’s also pretty awesome to spot your own work on the big screen, and spot your name in the credits!
How did you get into crafting for fun?I’ve always enjoyed making things ever since I was teeny, but I started seriously crafting in 2007 after a six-month trip to Australia. I was completely inspired and eager to begin designing and sewing as soon as I returned home. I really wanted to work on my own ideas instead of always making other peoples designs. So I began sketching characters and toys. That’s when Clara appeared – a grumpy little redhead. She sprang to life almost immediately and I quickly turned her into a soft toy. I tried out a few other toys, and I entered them into an online softie competition. Unbelievably I won and people actually seemed to like my style, and so I thought I’d design a few more. And my business, Cupcakes for Clara, began.
Can you tell us about Cupcakes for Clara?
Cupcakes for Clara is my real passion. I run a blog and online shop selling my handmade toys, home wares, and ‘make your own’ kits. And several pieces of my work have been published in books and magazines. I love designing/sewing soft toys. There is something so wonderful about creating soft toys - they seem to develop their own personalities as you sew them - it’s almost like you’ve created a little person! I’ve recently started sewing felt illustrations - kind of a mix between embroidery and applique, with lots of opportunity for teeny stitches. One of the most exciting things is to think of my work in other people’s homes all over the world, hopefully inspiring them to get creative too!
You did the toy making design for One Stitch at a Time, your most recent collaborative book. How did that come about?After having a few of my other designs published in various collaborative books, I was contacted by Quarto Children’s Books who had seen my work. They were originally after one toy design for a book fair. That developed into a commission to design all of the toys and patterns for One Stitch at a Time. I was thrilled to work on such a beautiful book, and really had fun with it.
After doing initial sketches of each toy, I made patterns, sourced materials, and sewed the toys. There were quite a few duplicates of each toy to make, and often the schedule was tight. I was even sewing cats the week after Theo was born, sitting beside his incubator with three half-made cat toys on my lap!
What books have you worked on/been a part of as a crafter?I have three projects in the collaborative book ‘Making Stuff for Kids’ (Black Dog Publishing, 2007), two cute little bluebird projects in ‘Little Birds’ (C&T Publishing, 2010), and I was lucky enough to design all of the toys for ‘One Stitch at a Time: A Complete Toy Making Kit’(Barrons, 2011)
You’re on maternity leave at the moment after the birth of your second child 7 months ago. How do you fit in time for Cupcakes for Clara around looking after your two (beautiful!) children?
Ah, thank you for the beautiful compliment - I must say I agree!
I sew pretty much whenever they sleep. Matilda goes to nursery three days a week so that allows me a couple of hours on those days whilst Theo naps. Otherwise it’s evenings. I also have an incredibly supportive husband who does all the cooking!
Are you interested in other types of crafting besides sewing? Do you create in any other way?I love pop-up books and paper-craft. When we were coming to the end of our holiday in Australia and we’d pretty much run out of money, we decided to make each other’s Christmas presents. I made Tom a pop-up book of our experience. Of course I had no idea what I was doing and I spent hours in the bookshop flipping the pages of Robert Sabuda’s excellent pop-up books trying to work them out! But I finally got it, and he was (thankfully) thrilled with his present.
I also made pop-up invitations for our wedding a few years ago featuring a silhouette of our wedding venue, Kenilworth Castle. Hand-cutting forty pop-up cards was quite a job!
What’s coming up next for you on Cupcakes for Clara?
I'm currently working on a couple of book ideas. Long time blog readers probably know that it is my dream to have Clara and Macy picture books published. I’ve started playing around with ideas for this, and developing how I might create the felt illustrations. Alongside that I’m working on a craft book idea to create everything you need for your baby’s nursery. I would love to be ready to start pitching these ideas to agents/publishers later in the year.
I also hope to restock my little etsy shop in the summer with a return of the ‘make your own’ kits and prints of my felt illustrations. Ooh, and a bit of a blog redesign too!
Can you point us in the direction of where we can buy your creations?
When it’s all restocked you will be able to buy my original toys and kits from my etsy shop at… http://cupcakesforclara.etsy.com
One Stitch at a Time is available from Amazon and bookshops across the US. My designs are also in Little Birds, and Making Stuff for Kids both of which are available on Amazon.
Anything else you would like to add?
Thank you very much for interviewing me – it was a real pleasure to answer your questions!
Thank you, Laura, for allowing me to interview you! It was so fascinating to read about puppet making and Cupcakes for Clara. Make sure you all check it out - seriously, you will not be able to visit the site without going "aww!".
Personal Post: Crafting and Me
Ever since I was very young, I've always been what I would call arty. Always drawing. Always making people birthday cards. My Nan used to be a foster carer, and one of her foster children (who was quite a few years older than me) loved the Babysiters Club, and was inspired by those books to have a kit (I'm sorry, I can't remember what they call it in the books?) and she would make things with me for my Nan.
As I got older, I was still very creative. I would create my own posters by cutting out my favourite bands from magazines and creating collages. I would sit for hours in my room and try and copy a poster, shading and toning. Sometimes I'd get a crazy idea out of no-where and try drawing it from imagination; a glass rose, a bleeding heart, a wedding dress. Not surprisingly, I took Art for GCSE. I loved creating things.
Several years ago, while I was still at uni, I discovered some other ways of being arty or creative, things that are classed as Crafting. Though I'm only an amateur
I really enjoy making homemade cards for people. I did it when I was younger, and I do it now, but so much better. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I have actually given these cards to people, and never thought to take any photos, I can't show you the cards I've made. But I love it. I normally buy the Let's Make Cards magazines, which seem expensive, but have so many great ideas along with the papers and the cards and embellishments, it's worth it. Sitting there for hours, flicking through a magazine, looking through the patterned paper, embellishments, cards, trying to come up with ideas for a specific person, then arranging and cutting and glueing. It's fun, and it's also great seeing the faces of people when they open it. There's something really nice about actually putting in some time and effort to make someone smile. I've made cards for all sorts of occasions; Birthdays, bereavement, Christmas, "new arrivals", "Get Well Soon", etc. I really enjoy it.
I also really love making jewellery. I used to spend days browsing eBay, looking for lots of charms or pendants, chains, bracelets, etc. There was nothing to help me here, there's no magazine to follow, so it's all from my own imagination. I find it much easier to come up with ideas for jewellery than I do for cards. It just comes down to deciding which charms and pendants would look good together, or whther you should just leave them on their own, what type of necklace, etc. It's much more fiddley than card making though, some of the findings (e.g. the rings used to put charms/pendants on a chain, the clasps, earing hooks, etc), mainly the rings, are really tiny and can break easily if they are twisted too often. Finding the right link on a chain can also be difficult - you don't want them hanging off centre, and then getting the finding to go through the link... it can take a while, and my hands can get a little sore from using the pliers and generally having to fiddle about with things so tiny.
I do have some photos for you to see, but they would be too big to go on the blog, and changing width/height would make them difficult to see, so I've created an album you can look at, which also includes the charms and pendants, (and some buttons I use in card making). As I said before, I'm only an amateur, so don't expect anything wonderful. I just enjoy making them. And most of my favourites have been given to people as gifts. Since my Dad borrowed and lost my pliers, I haven't been making anything for a while, so there isn't a lot to see, but you can get an idea.
Later on today, you can check out an interview with professional crafter, Laura Clempson. I know it's not (completely) book related, but it's my interest, and as some of you are Etsy fans, I thought you might be interested too. Keep an eye out for it at 12 noon.
Continue reading Personal Post: Crafting and Me
As I got older, I was still very creative. I would create my own posters by cutting out my favourite bands from magazines and creating collages. I would sit for hours in my room and try and copy a poster, shading and toning. Sometimes I'd get a crazy idea out of no-where and try drawing it from imagination; a glass rose, a bleeding heart, a wedding dress. Not surprisingly, I took Art for GCSE. I loved creating things.
Several years ago, while I was still at uni, I discovered some other ways of being arty or creative, things that are classed as Crafting. Though I'm only an amateur
I really enjoy making homemade cards for people. I did it when I was younger, and I do it now, but so much better. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I have actually given these cards to people, and never thought to take any photos, I can't show you the cards I've made. But I love it. I normally buy the Let's Make Cards magazines, which seem expensive, but have so many great ideas along with the papers and the cards and embellishments, it's worth it. Sitting there for hours, flicking through a magazine, looking through the patterned paper, embellishments, cards, trying to come up with ideas for a specific person, then arranging and cutting and glueing. It's fun, and it's also great seeing the faces of people when they open it. There's something really nice about actually putting in some time and effort to make someone smile. I've made cards for all sorts of occasions; Birthdays, bereavement, Christmas, "new arrivals", "Get Well Soon", etc. I really enjoy it.
I also really love making jewellery. I used to spend days browsing eBay, looking for lots of charms or pendants, chains, bracelets, etc. There was nothing to help me here, there's no magazine to follow, so it's all from my own imagination. I find it much easier to come up with ideas for jewellery than I do for cards. It just comes down to deciding which charms and pendants would look good together, or whther you should just leave them on their own, what type of necklace, etc. It's much more fiddley than card making though, some of the findings (e.g. the rings used to put charms/pendants on a chain, the clasps, earing hooks, etc), mainly the rings, are really tiny and can break easily if they are twisted too often. Finding the right link on a chain can also be difficult - you don't want them hanging off centre, and then getting the finding to go through the link... it can take a while, and my hands can get a little sore from using the pliers and generally having to fiddle about with things so tiny.
I do have some photos for you to see, but they would be too big to go on the blog, and changing width/height would make them difficult to see, so I've created an album you can look at, which also includes the charms and pendants, (and some buttons I use in card making). As I said before, I'm only an amateur, so don't expect anything wonderful. I just enjoy making them. And most of my favourites have been given to people as gifts. Since my Dad borrowed and lost my pliers, I haven't been making anything for a while, so there isn't a lot to see, but you can get an idea.
Later on today, you can check out an interview with professional crafter, Laura Clempson. I know it's not (completely) book related, but it's my interest, and as some of you are Etsy fans, I thought you might be interested too. Keep an eye out for it at 12 noon.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Discussion: Swearing in YA
Recently there was a conversation on Twitter regarding Keris Stainton's next novel, Jessie Hearts NYC. Keris was asked by her Editor to remove most of the swearing in the novel. My inital reaction? Hurrah!
I'm not a fan of swearing in YA. I'm not really a fan of swearing in novels in general, but especially in YA. Keris was saying how she felt the swearing made the book more relalistic because teens do swear, and I'm sure many people agree. But that's exactly why I don't like it. You can hear teens swearing all the time; everyday one can over hear teens talking on the bus where every other word is a swear word. I don't want it in my books as well.
This may sound like I'm having a dig at Keris, but I'm not. I've read Della Says: "OMG!", and yes, there was swearing, and I did wince at some characters' choice of words, but in fairness, it wasn't overly sweary. I could get past it and move on. It didn't spoil the story for me, and I really enjoyed it. However, I have read books where the swearing is to such a degree that it actually stopped me from being able to enjoy it. It was spoiled by the swearing.
On the other hand, swearing in novels may be realistic, but there are YA novels out there that don't have any swearing in them, and still manage to be completely enjoyable. Are these books failing somehow? Are they not realistic enough? If no, if these books are doing a great job at being realising, why bother including swearing in YA at all? Couldn't one argue that if books without strong language are successful, then those with could (possibly) be encouraging teens to swear?
I have to say if I ever read a YA novel that includes a particular swear word - one that is famously known to offend many people - it's going to have to be an EXTREMELY brilliant book to not receive a very negative review from me. There is just no need for such extremely bad language, no matter how realistic. Fortunately I've never come across one.
EDIT: From reading the comments people have posted, it seems either I've not been clear enough, or some people have misunderstood what I meant, so I thought I would clarify.
Yes, there are much more important issues in novels. This post is not about me complaining or wanting to get rid of strong language completely. It's just my personal preference. And most of the novels I do read contain swearing - I never complain about this in reviews unless it's excessive, I pretty much over look it - and will continue to read novels with swearing in. It was just to see what people thought of swearing in YA generally.
Also, I wasn't asking if YA with swearing is the main cause of teens swearing, I didn't make that clear. Yes, there is swearing in movies, and TV, and even music, and it's inevitable that teens will come across it. It's just, in my opinion, reading is a more personal experience that watching or listening to the others; it's difficult for more than one person to read the same copy of a book at the exact same time, where as the other activites can be done with a number of people. So, my question was, as it's such a personal experience, the author reaching this one person through this one book at that particular time, couldn't someone say the language could encourage this one person to swear? I actually don't think so myself, I was just playing devil's advocate. END EDIT.
But that's just my thoughts. What do you think? Check out Raimy's blog Readaraptor this weekend to read a pro-swearing post!
Continue reading Discussion: Swearing in YA
I'm not a fan of swearing in YA. I'm not really a fan of swearing in novels in general, but especially in YA. Keris was saying how she felt the swearing made the book more relalistic because teens do swear, and I'm sure many people agree. But that's exactly why I don't like it. You can hear teens swearing all the time; everyday one can over hear teens talking on the bus where every other word is a swear word. I don't want it in my books as well.
This may sound like I'm having a dig at Keris, but I'm not. I've read Della Says: "OMG!", and yes, there was swearing, and I did wince at some characters' choice of words, but in fairness, it wasn't overly sweary. I could get past it and move on. It didn't spoil the story for me, and I really enjoyed it. However, I have read books where the swearing is to such a degree that it actually stopped me from being able to enjoy it. It was spoiled by the swearing.
On the other hand, swearing in novels may be realistic, but there are YA novels out there that don't have any swearing in them, and still manage to be completely enjoyable. Are these books failing somehow? Are they not realistic enough? If no, if these books are doing a great job at being realising, why bother including swearing in YA at all? Couldn't one argue that if books without strong language are successful, then those with could (possibly) be encouraging teens to swear?
I have to say if I ever read a YA novel that includes a particular swear word - one that is famously known to offend many people - it's going to have to be an EXTREMELY brilliant book to not receive a very negative review from me. There is just no need for such extremely bad language, no matter how realistic. Fortunately I've never come across one.
EDIT: From reading the comments people have posted, it seems either I've not been clear enough, or some people have misunderstood what I meant, so I thought I would clarify.
Yes, there are much more important issues in novels. This post is not about me complaining or wanting to get rid of strong language completely. It's just my personal preference. And most of the novels I do read contain swearing - I never complain about this in reviews unless it's excessive, I pretty much over look it - and will continue to read novels with swearing in. It was just to see what people thought of swearing in YA generally.
Also, I wasn't asking if YA with swearing is the main cause of teens swearing, I didn't make that clear. Yes, there is swearing in movies, and TV, and even music, and it's inevitable that teens will come across it. It's just, in my opinion, reading is a more personal experience that watching or listening to the others; it's difficult for more than one person to read the same copy of a book at the exact same time, where as the other activites can be done with a number of people. So, my question was, as it's such a personal experience, the author reaching this one person through this one book at that particular time, couldn't someone say the language could encourage this one person to swear? I actually don't think so myself, I was just playing devil's advocate. END EDIT.
But that's just my thoughts. What do you think? Check out Raimy's blog Readaraptor this weekend to read a pro-swearing post!
Monday, 11 April 2011
Bookish News!
This week's bookish news!
Trailers:
See the trailer for Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce here.
Here's the new trailer for the paperback release of Torment (31st March), which includes the first three books!
Click here to read an extract from Passion, from Daniel's Journal!
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To promote the release of The Opposite of Amber, Gillian Philip is having a blog tour. Check the banner below for the what's and when's.
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Author Tours:
Alyxandra Harvey is coming to the UK. Here are the where's and when's of where she'll be.
7pm - Tuesday 24th May
Alyxandra will be talking about Haunting Violet in the Simpson Room at Waterstone’s, 203 / 206 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HD
Tickets priced £2 redeemable against a copy of Haunting Violet on the night
Tel: +44 (0)20 7851 2400
More details here
4:30pm - Wednesday 25th May
Alyxandra will be signing copies of the Drake Chronicles and Haunting Violet at Waterstone’s, 4 / 5 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DA
Tel: +44 (0)1225 448 515
More Details here
11:30am - Saturday 28th May
Alyxandra will be appearing at the world famous Hay Festival with Marcus Sedgwick, author of Revolver and White Crow
Tickets priced £4
More details here
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Acquisitions:
Simon & Schuster:
Simon and Schuster UK announced a major new six-figure deal for a YA trilogy by US author Andy Fukuda. Venetia Gosling, Editorial Director at S&S, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in three books from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan, sub-agenting for Catherine Drayton at Inkwell.
The trilogy follows 17-year-old Gene as he struggles to survive in a society where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. The first book, entitled The Hunt will be published in Spring 2012.
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Books to check out:
The Crystal Point of the Mog Pogs by Don Cambou (released as eBook on 19th January 2011) - The book is the first person account of an eleven-year-old boy’s adventures in the Mt. Lassen wilderness of northern California. With his grandpa, who’s six feet five and built like an NFL linebacker, Meriwether Lewis Bowman (“just call me Lew”), finds that the wilds are much wilder than he could ever have imagined. It’s a place where legendary beings like were bears and chupacabras do exist and they’re struggling for control of the natural world. Lew didn’t want any part of their ancient fight, but he finds himself at the very center of it.
The Noble Ones by Daniel Tinsley (released in May 2011) - On the surface, Aidan's life seems no different from any other young man living during the waning years of the 18th century; he has a charming girlfriend, a thriving clock shop, and a sizable stretch of land. While repairing his late father's pocket watch, he deciphers a hidden message that unlocks the truth of his lineage and plunges him into a world filled with the mystical . Aidan's journey takes him through enchanted forests, across sprawling country sides, and into the underbelly of corrupt cities where he battles political adversaries who will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo. Photo yet to be announced
Continue reading Bookish News!
Trailers:
See the trailer for Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce here.
Here's the new trailer for the paperback release of Torment (31st March), which includes the first three books!
Click here to read an extract from Passion, from Daniel's Journal!
To promote the release of The Opposite of Amber, Gillian Philip is having a blog tour. Check the banner below for the what's and when's.
Author Tours:
Alyxandra Harvey is coming to the UK. Here are the where's and when's of where she'll be.
7pm - Tuesday 24th May
Alyxandra will be talking about Haunting Violet in the Simpson Room at Waterstone’s, 203 / 206 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HD
Tickets priced £2 redeemable against a copy of Haunting Violet on the night
Tel: +44 (0)20 7851 2400
More details here
4:30pm - Wednesday 25th May
Alyxandra will be signing copies of the Drake Chronicles and Haunting Violet at Waterstone’s, 4 / 5 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DA
Tel: +44 (0)1225 448 515
More Details here
11:30am - Saturday 28th May
Alyxandra will be appearing at the world famous Hay Festival with Marcus Sedgwick, author of Revolver and White Crow
Tickets priced £4
More details here
Acquisitions:
Simon & Schuster:
Simon and Schuster UK announced a major new six-figure deal for a YA trilogy by US author Andy Fukuda. Venetia Gosling, Editorial Director at S&S, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in three books from Catherine Clarke at Felicity Bryan, sub-agenting for Catherine Drayton at Inkwell.
The trilogy follows 17-year-old Gene as he struggles to survive in a society where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. The first book, entitled The Hunt will be published in Spring 2012.
Books to check out:
The Crystal Point of the Mog Pogs by Don Cambou (released as eBook on 19th January 2011) - The book is the first person account of an eleven-year-old boy’s adventures in the Mt. Lassen wilderness of northern California. With his grandpa, who’s six feet five and built like an NFL linebacker, Meriwether Lewis Bowman (“just call me Lew”), finds that the wilds are much wilder than he could ever have imagined. It’s a place where legendary beings like were bears and chupacabras do exist and they’re struggling for control of the natural world. Lew didn’t want any part of their ancient fight, but he finds himself at the very center of it.The Noble Ones by Daniel Tinsley (released in May 2011) - On the surface, Aidan's life seems no different from any other young man living during the waning years of the 18th century; he has a charming girlfriend, a thriving clock shop, and a sizable stretch of land. While repairing his late father's pocket watch, he deciphers a hidden message that unlocks the truth of his lineage and plunges him into a world filled with the mystical . Aidan's journey takes him through enchanted forests, across sprawling country sides, and into the underbelly of corrupt cities where he battles political adversaries who will stop at nothing to maintain the status quo. Photo yet to be announced
A Year Without Autumn Blog Tour: Liz Kessler on The Butterfly Effect
Today, the A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler Blog Tour is stopping here at Once Upon a Bookcase. Liz is here to share a guest post on the butterfly effect.
When Kate, my publicist, said that Once Upon A Bookcase wanted me to write about ‘the butterfly effect’, I have to say I wondered if they’d read the book. I mean, I love butterflies as much as the next person. More, possibly. In fact in one of my books, Philippa Fisher and the Dream Maker’s Daughter, butterflies (or fairies working for the Dream Delivery Department, which is in fact what butterflies really are) feature extremely prominently. But what did they have to do with my current book?
As with anything you don’t know the answer to nowadays, the best plan is to check Wikipedia. Which explained that the butterfly effect is about the way “a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.”
Ooh, wait, that’s what my new book is about!
Aha! I see! That’s why you want me to write about it.
So here’s how the butterfly effect relates to my new book, A Year Without Autumn…
Jenni and her best friend Autumn are on holiday at the time share apartments their families stay in each year. Only, this year’s holiday doesn’t work out as planned. On her way round to Autumn’s apartment, Jenni finds that she has somehow been transported forward a year. Everyone except Jenni is a year older. She has no idea how this happened – but that’s only part of the problem. A terrible tragedy has happened. Jenni’s brother is in a hospital bed in a coma – which he’s been in since the very day that Jenni skipped forward in time.
Jenni has to figure out how she got here, what caused the accident and if there’s any way she can get back and change the past so that the future works out differently.
I’m not going to tell you if she manages to do this. (Obviously – or you’d have no reason to go out and buy the book!) But what I will say is this: I just LOVE the whole idea that it’s the tiny moments that have a huge impact on our lives. Those little incidents where, had you been a moment earlier, or taken a different route, or changed your mind at the last minute – the whole course of your life might have turned out differently.
And that’s what my book is about. If Jenni can make just one small change, she could stop two families’ lives from being shattered for ever. How cool would it be if we
could all do that?
If A Year Without Autumn makes you think about big questions like this, and makes your brain tingle and fizz and melt just a tiny bit, my job is done!
But in the meantime, remember, the butterfly effect isn’t just for butterflies.
So next time you go for a walk and decide to turn left at the end of the road, the same way you always do, how about turning right this time instead?
You’ll never know it, but that split second decision could possibly change the entire course of the rest of your life.
Thank you, Liz, for such an interesting guest post! Be sure to check out Liz's website. A Year Without Autumn was released on 7th April 2011, and you can buy it from Amazon UK and pre-order on Amazon US.
Continue reading A Year Without Autumn Blog Tour: Liz Kessler on The Butterfly Effect
When Kate, my publicist, said that Once Upon A Bookcase wanted me to write about ‘the butterfly effect’, I have to say I wondered if they’d read the book. I mean, I love butterflies as much as the next person. More, possibly. In fact in one of my books, Philippa Fisher and the Dream Maker’s Daughter, butterflies (or fairies working for the Dream Delivery Department, which is in fact what butterflies really are) feature extremely prominently. But what did they have to do with my current book?As with anything you don’t know the answer to nowadays, the best plan is to check Wikipedia. Which explained that the butterfly effect is about the way “a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere.”
Ooh, wait, that’s what my new book is about!
Aha! I see! That’s why you want me to write about it.
So here’s how the butterfly effect relates to my new book, A Year Without Autumn…
Jenni and her best friend Autumn are on holiday at the time share apartments their families stay in each year. Only, this year’s holiday doesn’t work out as planned. On her way round to Autumn’s apartment, Jenni finds that she has somehow been transported forward a year. Everyone except Jenni is a year older. She has no idea how this happened – but that’s only part of the problem. A terrible tragedy has happened. Jenni’s brother is in a hospital bed in a coma – which he’s been in since the very day that Jenni skipped forward in time.
Jenni has to figure out how she got here, what caused the accident and if there’s any way she can get back and change the past so that the future works out differently.
I’m not going to tell you if she manages to do this. (Obviously – or you’d have no reason to go out and buy the book!) But what I will say is this: I just LOVE the whole idea that it’s the tiny moments that have a huge impact on our lives. Those little incidents where, had you been a moment earlier, or taken a different route, or changed your mind at the last minute – the whole course of your life might have turned out differently.And that’s what my book is about. If Jenni can make just one small change, she could stop two families’ lives from being shattered for ever. How cool would it be if we
could all do that?
If A Year Without Autumn makes you think about big questions like this, and makes your brain tingle and fizz and melt just a tiny bit, my job is done!
But in the meantime, remember, the butterfly effect isn’t just for butterflies.
So next time you go for a walk and decide to turn left at the end of the road, the same way you always do, how about turning right this time instead?
You’ll never know it, but that split second decision could possibly change the entire course of the rest of your life.
Thank you, Liz, for such an interesting guest post! Be sure to check out Liz's website. A Year Without Autumn was released on 7th April 2011, and you can buy it from Amazon UK and pre-order on Amazon US.
Saturday, 9 April 2011
My Copy of the Book with My Title - Con & Conjure by Lisa Shearin!
I had something quite special arrive in the post this week. It was a gift from an author. It was the author's book. It was the author's book that I named. And it was signed. EEEE!
THE BOOK WITH MY TITLE!!
Sorry about the flash.
MY QUOTE ON THE FIRST PAGE!
(Second quote - *this post has been posted on Once Upon a Bookcase a year after originally posted on my previous blog, Ink and Paper (but backdated to the same day), hence the different blog name)
SIGNED BY LISA SHEARIN!
MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!
You cannot imagine just how happy this makes me! :D
Continue reading My Copy of the Book with My Title - Con & Conjure by Lisa Shearin!
Sorry about the flash.
MY QUOTE ON THE FIRST PAGE!
(Second quote - *this post has been posted on Once Upon a Bookcase a year after originally posted on my previous blog, Ink and Paper (but backdated to the same day), hence the different blog name)
SIGNED BY LISA SHEARIN!
MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!
You cannot imagine just how happy this makes me! :D
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Blog Update - It May Be a Little Quiet
Just an update on the blog and where things are going.
It may be a little quiet on here for a while. For three weeks (including this week), I am on work experience, I then have a week off, and then I start again. By the time I get home, eat, and get myself settled, I am absolutely shattered. I am left with only a few hours for myself - to watch TV, catch up with the family, read (though, of course, I read during my breaks :) ), etc. I do check and catch up on email, but my energy levels are low and I can't focus well, so there may be fewer posts from me for a while. I'd rather there be less posts on my blog than crappy ones because I can't concentrate. When the weekend comes round and I have more time, I plan to schedule some posts so there will be something, but don't expect too much. Hopefully I'll soon get used to the routine, will feel less tired, and will be able to do more, but just in case I don't, I thought I should let you know.
See you on the other side! :)
(I am in deep admiration for those of you who have a full time job and find the time to blog. I am in complete and utter awe of those with a full time job AND children, and find the time to blog. You people are amazing!)
Continue reading Blog Update - It May Be a Little Quiet
It may be a little quiet on here for a while. For three weeks (including this week), I am on work experience, I then have a week off, and then I start again. By the time I get home, eat, and get myself settled, I am absolutely shattered. I am left with only a few hours for myself - to watch TV, catch up with the family, read (though, of course, I read during my breaks :) ), etc. I do check and catch up on email, but my energy levels are low and I can't focus well, so there may be fewer posts from me for a while. I'd rather there be less posts on my blog than crappy ones because I can't concentrate. When the weekend comes round and I have more time, I plan to schedule some posts so there will be something, but don't expect too much. Hopefully I'll soon get used to the routine, will feel less tired, and will be able to do more, but just in case I don't, I thought I should let you know.
See you on the other side! :)
(I am in deep admiration for those of you who have a full time job and find the time to blog. I am in complete and utter awe of those with a full time job AND children, and find the time to blog. You people are amazing!)
Saturday, 2 April 2011
My Dad is Going on a Sponsored Motorcycle Ride for Help for Heroes
A non-book-related post for the moment.
My Dad, Andrew Stapley, will be doing a sponsored motorcycle ride on Friday 3rd June 2011 to Sunday 5th June 2011 to raise money for Help for Heroes.
“Having had various members of my family serve their country when I was younger, I have a great respect for the Armed Forces.” Andrew said. “Hoping to raise in excess of £3,000 for HELP FOR HEROES, I feel this sponsored motorcycle ride will show that support in a fashion that actually achieves something for me personally, as well as for the financial gain of the charity.”
You can find out more information either on his JustGiving page or his Facebook page.
If you can, please, please donate - anything you can give would be a great help towards Dad reaching his target. Thank you.
Continue reading My Dad is Going on a Sponsored Motorcycle Ride for Help for Heroes
My Dad, Andrew Stapley, will be doing a sponsored motorcycle ride on Friday 3rd June 2011 to Sunday 5th June 2011 to raise money for Help for Heroes.
“Having had various members of my family serve their country when I was younger, I have a great respect for the Armed Forces.” Andrew said. “Hoping to raise in excess of £3,000 for HELP FOR HEROES, I feel this sponsored motorcycle ride will show that support in a fashion that actually achieves something for me personally, as well as for the financial gain of the charity.”
You can find out more information either on his JustGiving page or his Facebook page.
If you can, please, please donate - anything you can give would be a great help towards Dad reaching his target. Thank you.
Awesome Women Interview with Me!
Hey everyone! Head on over to Clover's blog, Fluttering Butterflies to read an interview with me talking about Awesome Women!Clover really does ask some fantastic questions, and I kind of had a lot to say. Hope you enjoy it!
Friday, 1 April 2011
Liz Kessler Blog Tour Announcement
Liz Kessler will be having a blog tour this month to celebrate the release of A Year Without Autumn! Check out the banner below to find out where and when she'll be!
Continue reading Liz Kessler Blog Tour Announcement
