Well, lots of news to impart about all sorts of things in this latest blog. Firstly there is the wonderful fact that I am about to become a grandmother. My granddaughter is due to arrive in October, far off in Copenhagen. So I will be winging my way over to meet her and introduce her to the joy of reading. Yes, I intend reading to my granddaughter as soon as she makes an appearance.
But before taking off to meet my granddaughter I will be zooming up the motorway to meet my twin grandsons, identical twins just for good measure, double trouble. I can’t wait. In preparation for the grand arrivals I spent last week with my twin expectant daughter, Suzy, and we packed her hospital bags ready with identical baby outfits, what fun. Then we went for a leisurely meander around the beautiful stately home of Chatsworth. Here is a picture of us in the gardens; the flowers and Suzy blooming in the late summer.
On our way to the house we happened on a pretty lily covered pond and up paddled mother duck with her new six ducklings. The gardener had thoughtfully placed a plank of wood from the pond up onto the bank and all but one little duckling padded up the log behind mother duck. Duckling six, was obviously thinking about far more exciting things, like chasing frogs and fish and consequently overlooked the plank of wood. When duckling six realised it was alone, it flapped in a flurry and fright trying to get up the high bank to its mother. Finally it made a desperate leap, stretched its wings and scrambled out. How clever of the little duckling to find its own special path to mother duck.
Once inside the majestic halls of Chatsworth house I wandered down the dimly lit corridors looking at the heavy oil paintings of Devonshire ancestors. Soon I found myself in the reading room where a table was neatly set with children’s books and I was thrilled to find my title, The Nutty Nut Chase available for children to enjoy. So could I resist a picture of me with book in hand in the stylish reading chair? Of course not, so here I am.
On book news, look out for a new edition of HERE COMES THE CROCODILE in My Little Box of Animal Stories. It’s a fab collection in a carry case containing 5 great animal tales full of crocodiles, crazy chameleons and zany zebras from Little Tiger Press.
I will also be whizzing down to The Wilderness Festival in Oxford on August 11th to hold fun events in the children’s area on RUBY’S SCHOOL WALK and RUBY’S SLEEPOVER in the wind flapping, sun warming, Barefoot tent.
Later, on October 2nd, I’m going back to my favourite city, Bath, to hold a public event for the Bath Festival in the main library reading CLICK CLACK, CROCODILE’S BACK and keeping event goers busy making lots of animal masks and noises to match. Hope to see you there.
Lastly, for all parents visiting this site, A IS FOR ANGELICA a debut novel by Iain Broome (my son-in-law) is available for download and out in paperback this September. If you’re looking for an exciting new voice in literature - here it is. Iain provides a vivid and moving account of the life of Gordon Kingdom, a man struggling to come to terms with a devastating event in his life. Published by Legend Press. Highly recommended.
Thanks for visiting and look out for more news on babies, books and being a writer.