Hi, all
Just thought I'd let you know what I've been up to lately, work-wise. I think being your Patron is bringing me good luck - I've never been so busy with writing!
In the last few weeks, I've been working on
four different books! That's never happened to me before. They are:
- Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Badgers of Badness - the book's nearly ready to go to
the printers, and I've been checking to make sure there are no mistakes. Good job I did - half a sentence was missing from Chapter Three!
- Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Quest for the Magic Porcupine - the wonderful David Tazzyman's about to start the illustrations, but first I had to chop out about a third of the story! It was much longer than the first one, and my editor suddenly realised how much longer. I had to lose a few bits I really liked, but I was able to cut out a surprising amount just by losing a word here and a word there
- A Midsummer Night's Dream - I've been asked to retell the story for a schools' reading scheme. I finished the first draft last night and am about to send it to the editor; which means that now I can do the first draft of:
- The Story of Sir Dave - this is for another reading scheme; they asked me to write a story set in the time of King Arthur. I worked out the storyline a couple of weeks ago, and now I've got to write it!
Along with
Twice Upon A Time, which I think I told you about, this means I should have
5 books coming out in the next year or two - or maybe even more, as I've just been asked by OUP (who are publishing Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face) if I'd write a funny Christmas story for them.
On top of all that, I appeared at the Wychwood Festival at the weekend ( pictures below);
I had a school visit yesterday; and now I'm off to Glasgow for the West End Festival up there! Better go!
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| Philip Ardagh trying to climb into my ear |
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| My daughter and her friend giving me a purple quiff |
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| Me doing my thing at Wychwood! |
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| A quick strum at the signing table |
ReplyDeleteHiya John,
Love the photos (even your daughter putting something on your head). Can you send the other book covers of your other books? I also met Philip Ardagh and read his book The Grunts in Trouble, it's really good. You're writing a lot lately (Stop writing, your hand could fall off).
From Alex :)
Hey John,
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that you have been doing four books in a few weeks that is surprising, but very good! By the way I like the pics and your books sound really interesting. I might have to get round to buying one when they have been published. How an earth do you write that many books at once? I hope you keep this up because you are a great author! I really liked when you came to our school for a day it was great I would like to see you again at some time!
From Laura May Jones!:)
Hiya I'm Laura-Rose and your new books sound amazing! I'd really like to have one so maybe I will buy one. I haven't written on the blog before but any way,Do you think you could send some picturs of the new covers? Is there any chance that when you dont know what to write about, what about writing a book about us? We could be in space and we could be the wejlings. Also I can't belive you have written 4 books at once. Finally I was hoping I could see you again. Will you come back and see us again soon?
ReplyDeleteby Laura-Rose
Hi John, Your latest book Stinkbomb and Ketchup face and the Badness of Badgers will be an absolute hit in the libraries and I can't believe you met Philip Ardagh, WEJS book club met him as well when we went to visit another school! He is very funny. I found that you both have something in common with each other, you both like talking about underpants. You must have been busy at Wychwood festival having a good strum while signing your books. How's your daughter and son going with books and what have they recently read?
ReplyDeleteHiya John, you must be very busy with all of the book writing you are doing. I also noticed that you met Philp Ardagh at the Wychwood festival! WEJS Book Club met him as well. You had a strum while signing your books. The newest addition to your books Stinkbomb and Ketchup Face and the Quest for the Magic Porcupine will be a big hit in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHi John, hope you are OK.
ReplyDeleteHave you (or your kids) ever read Shadow Forest by Matt Haig? Highly recommended. I am also reading Constable and Toop by Gareth P Jones, which I am thoroughly enjoying.
We have got the library people coming in in a few weeks to talk to us about the Summer Reading Challenge so that will be exciting. We had quite a few children involved last year, but hopefully we can get even more this year. The book club are making videos to promote it around Norfolk so they have been reading lots of spooky stories (which is this year's theme).
Mr B
Hi, all!
ReplyDeleteI should say - I haven't written four books in a few weeks! I've been working on them, which is subtly different. Two of them were written some time ago, and I've just been tweaking them and making corrections and revisions.
Alex, my hand is in no danger! But the tips of my fingers are getting a bit flat from all the typing...
Laura May, hopefully you'll see me when I come back to WEJS next year. I'm looking forward to it already.
Laura-Rose, I love the idea of the Wejlings! And, yes, when I get the covers I'll post them on the blog.
Haiden, my kids and I have just finished The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tyler and will be starting something new tomorrow (not tonight, as it's my rehearsal night and I leave the house before they go to bed). I'll let you know what! My daughter is still ploughing through the works of Jacqueline Wilson and my son has read Young Bond - Double or Die three times now!
Ben, I've met Philip several times now, and we always end up having a very silly conversation! He's great fun, isn't he?
Mr B, we're all well here, thanks! I've read Shadow Forest but my kids haven't yet - great idea! I haven't come across Constable & Toop - will definitely look into that one.
Summer Reading Challenge! Excellent! My friend Helena is Patron of a school that was the first in the country to have every pupil completing the challenge - I wonder if WEJS could be the second???
Thanks for the nice comment John, Hope you are doing well and we can't see you come back to WEJS next year because We have to go to City Academy in September.
ReplyDeleteHi, Haiden
ReplyDeleteHave a chat with Mr Biddle. I'm really keen to organise some way for this year's Year 6 to join in next year's visit. We'll see what we can do.