An actual book!

This week has been amazing.

On Monday Lydia (one of my very lovely editors at HarperCollins) sent over a couple of advance copies of Blown Away. Actual finished, printed, bound copies of my book.

It was quite a surreal experience holding it in my hands for the first time - genuine dream-come-true stuff. Cheesy, I know, but true. And it looks lovely, even if I do say so myself! I’m so pleased with it, particularly the PLC (bookspeak for the cardboard cover thing underneath the dust-jacket).

Here’s a couple of pics… (will post more soon)

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The week’s other surreal moment came at the HarperCollins Summer Party - an annual event held every July for HC authors published that year. And, according to the badge that I had to wear for the evening, I’m one of those! How hilarious.

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Anyway, back to that second surreal moment; at the party I was introduced to… JUDITH KERR, author and illustrator of one of the best children’s books of all time, The Tiger Who Came to Tea.

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She was so nice - sweet and generous. Plus she had some lovely encouraging words for me that I’ll always remember. Such an honour to meet her. She may be 91 but she’s as productive as ever - her new book The Crocodile Under The Bed is out soon.

So yes, quite a week. And there’s more exciting things coming as we get closer to publication date (August 28). Will be sure to keep you posted but in the meantime click here for a little book teaser…