WORLD BOOK WEEK 2014! A BIG HELLO!

I’m creeping back to this “Diary” with some embarrassment. I often think “I must update my own blog!” or “That’d be a such good idea to blog about!”

That’s when I realise the first of a new month is coming up and my blogpost is due for Awfully Big Blog Adventure.

Or I have a book to read and a review to write for Awfully Big Reviews, maybe with a new ABR rota to compile and send out to keep the whole thing running.

Or - suddenly - it is almost mid-month so my very own post for History Girls must be done & scheduled to appear on the 17^th of the month.

Or else there's something else that uses up words urgently waiting, like a revision deadline, or a particular talk to prep, or just getting on with some real writing . . .

All of this is enjoyable stuff so, please, this isn’t a moan. However , I'm left with so little time to visit and feed - let alone primp or pamper the pages of this poor neglected Diary. 

Except for a moment like this - WORLD BOOK DAY WEEK 2014 - when I feel the need to wave to a few people and schools.

So  here's

A GREAT BIG WORLD BOOK DAY WEEK HELLO

 to everyone at 

OATLANDS INFANTS SCHOOL, 

ROECLIFFE PRIMARY SCHOOL, 

and APPLEGARTH PRIMARY SCHOOL

as well as 

SKIPTON INGS

& CHRISTCHURCH PRIMARY SCHOOLS! 

Looking forward to meeting you all soon!

Ps. I’m also looking forward to calling in to my local Delivery Office sometime tomorrow. I need to pick up the parcel that couldn’t be delivered because whoever called used the door-knocker but did not try the bell afterwards, alas!) The parcel contains my author copies of this beautiful anthology, and I’ll be back to write about it soon.

TRAVELLING ON . . .

Hello to everyone at two primary schools in North Yorkshire: HUBY SCHOOL, where I'll be tomorrow morning and GREEN HAMMERTON SCHOOL where I'm visiting on Wednesday morning.

Thursday is a longer drive, all the way up to ASHTREES SCHOOL, BILLINGHAM in Cleveland, for a full day visit. I'm looking forward to seeing you all!

And thanks to all my schools last week for welcoming me so well. I'm having lots of fun around this WORLD BOOK DAY.

THE WORLD BOOK DAY ROUND BEGINS!

Two very early nights this weekend as Monday is the start of WEEK ONE of the BIG WORLD BOOK DAY ROUND for me.

In truth, it began yesterday, Friday, with a Storytelling Session for 5-8year olds in STARBECK LIBRARY, near Harrogate. A lovely library, only just re-opened in its new site, so a pity it's under threat.

I met a wonderful reader called Grace who'd come along to hear me (even though she was rather older!) just because she'd read my book A BOY CALLED MOUSE and had really liked it. What a cheering start to things! Thank you, Grace, and your little brother too..

Monday will be Administration Day, when I check I have all the information & schedules & maps gathered together. At home working Tuesday morning, but late that afternoon, I'm attending the local secondary schools Lit Quiz, THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS at ST AIDAN'S HIGH SCHOOL. I'm there as one of two people from the HARROGATE CHILDREN'S BOOK GROUP who put the Quiz together, and there's about 12 schools sending their best reading teams. All I have to do is sit there hoping we got both questions and answers right.

On Wednesday I will be visiting ST.JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL, Keighley, for the day. So hello to everyone there, especially the Early Years, KS1 and Years 5 & 6 children & staff. I will wave to anyone in Years 3 & 4 as I pass by!

Thursday is my biggest travelling day as I'm going all the way over to CLIFTON PRIMARY SCHOOL in HULL, to spend a very happy WORLD BOOK DAY with everyone there.

Friday is not quite so far: I'm driving straight up the A1 to DISHFORTH AIRFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL, and I'm looking forward to having fun with everyone there.

See you all soon!