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Happy World Book Day!

This is always a busy time of the year, but this time it’s extra special for me as I’ll be springing a surprise on one of my sons. He’s in primary 4 and I’ll be presenting to his class this afternoon. But shh, he doesn’t know, which is why it’s only now that I’m writing this post, now that he’s at school.

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Then, tomorrow, I’m heading East. No, not to China or Japan – not that far east – but to Falkirk and Denny. Which means I’ll be travelling halfway to where I was born, come to think of it!

Whatever you’re doing for World Book Day, have a great one. There’s nothing like having your nose in a book. Well, unless someone’s snapping it closed… Ouch!

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World Book Day availability

World Book Day seems to creep up on me each year. It seems no time at all since I was opening Christmas presents – some were even my own! – and now, as I write, World Book Day is just over 3 weeks away on Thursday 5 March. Where did the time go?

The good news is that I have some availability around that time. So feel free to get in touch if you are from a school, library or book festival. I already have a bundle of bookings, but I will fit you in if I possibly can.

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Click on the links for more information on my writing and presenting, including in schools.

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Another successful North Ayrshire Readers’ Day

I had great fun chairing the 9th North Ayrshire Readers’ Day event on Saturday 21 June. (Hadn’t realised we’d held so many!) Lisa Ballantyne, Tony Black, Hazel McHaffie and J David Simons made up our varied panel. It was probably the most widely travelled we’ve ever had. Lisa’s lived in China, Tony’s from Australia via Ireland and David’s lived in Japan and Israel. Hazel’s the only one not to have lived overseas, as far as I know.

One of the highlights of the readers’ days comes in the form of reader testimonies, in which people explain why reading has been so important to them and share some of their favourite books with everyone. The testimonies are always so passionate and interesting and this year was no different.

As ever, I came away with a long list of books I want to read. Where to start?

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Next North Ayrshire Readers’ Day: Saturday 21 June 2014

I’ve chaired 5 (or is it 6?) of these readers’ days and they are brilliant, so I’m delighted to have been asked to host the summer 2014 event in Irvine.

If you live in North Ayrshire (or even if you don’t) and you haven’t been to one of these days…where have you been? They invariably sell out and that’s in no small part down to the superb organisation by the team at North Ayrshire Community & Culture. They keep coming up with top-notch authors.

Format: 4 authors, me in the chair and interviewing, lunch included (it’s always fantastic), breakout sessions…and all for £8.50 in 2013. What a bargain!

Here’s the link to the Oct 2013 event to give you a flavour of what to expect: https://www.ers.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/newsdetail.cfm?id=487&page=1. I’ll post the June 2014 link as soon as its available.