You know that it's exam season when the summer suddenly decides to arrive in a great big sky-blue bunny-hopping fanfare, all freshly mown mornings, buttercup and bumblebee afternoons and barbecue smoke evenings. The higher the revision mountain the brighter the sun shines in through the window, hat firmly on, and generally showing off.
One of the compensations for growing old is whole summers without exams. Now I have children doing exams instead. But I'm working hard on finishing the first draft of the second Secrets of the Tombs book, so I'm not allowed out to play until June either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that summer won't have been and gone by then.
I did get out for a day last weekend to go to the brilliant Linton Children's Book Festival. Linton is a village near Cambridge. It's not very big, but thanks to an amazing team of organizers and volunteers they put on a festival every two years that is every bit as exciting as those held in much bigger towns and cities.
What a treat to talk to a big hall full of children all full of imagination and enthusiasm for reading and making up stories.
It was lovely to meet some other children's authors there too including the wonderful Caroline Lawrence (Roman Mysteries) and Julia Golding (Young Knights of the Round Table).
I've copied these two photos from the festival's facebook page.
For lots more great pictures of the whole weekend have a look at the Linton Festival facebook page.
After my talk I signed lots of books, including one for a very special girl called Grace who was there when I talked at Linton two years ago too and came back with twelve books for me to sign this time! It was lovely to see you again!
Good luck to everyone revising for exams or who has just taken them (I know that SATS have just finished - hooray!)
One of the compensations for growing old is whole summers without exams. Now I have children doing exams instead. But I'm working hard on finishing the first draft of the second Secrets of the Tombs book, so I'm not allowed out to play until June either. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that summer won't have been and gone by then.
I did get out for a day last weekend to go to the brilliant Linton Children's Book Festival. Linton is a village near Cambridge. It's not very big, but thanks to an amazing team of organizers and volunteers they put on a festival every two years that is every bit as exciting as those held in much bigger towns and cities.
What a treat to talk to a big hall full of children all full of imagination and enthusiasm for reading and making up stories.
It was lovely to meet some other children's authors there too including the wonderful Caroline Lawrence (Roman Mysteries) and Julia Golding (Young Knights of the Round Table).
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| As always I am the master of the understated hand gesture - |
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| And I'm picking on people again . . . |
For lots more great pictures of the whole weekend have a look at the Linton Festival facebook page.
After my talk I signed lots of books, including one for a very special girl called Grace who was there when I talked at Linton two years ago too and came back with twelve books for me to sign this time! It was lovely to see you again!
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| Drift's stunt double helps me to sign Grace's books |
Good luck to everyone revising for exams or who has just taken them (I know that SATS have just finished - hooray!)