Tom and Matt: The Baddie and The Horrible Princess

How exciting!

Sarah, the brilliant art director/ book designer extraordinaire over at Meadowside Children's Books, has just sent these photos over.

They show the hot-of-the-press advance copies of my two new books.

(Brilliantly) Written by ( the very nice and tremendously talented) Anna Maxted, they tell the story of brothers Tom and Matt (and their little brother - Baby) who go on two amazing adventures.

THE BADDIE takes place in Deep Space when Tom and Matt find that their parents have been kidnapped by the dastardly BADDIE. Thank goodness the two brothers have their blasters and a cardboard box spaceship so they can come to the rescue and (hopefully) save the day!

In THE HORRIBLE PRINCESS, Isabella (or IS-A-SMELLA) the little girl from over the road, kidnaps Matt's best toy - Baby Dragon. The boys, their little brother Baby and a new, enormous, fire-breathing friend, are determined to get Baby Dragon back. What follows is a terrifically exciting adventure involving knights and dragons, a castle with a deep, dark dungeon, Kung-Fu fighting dolls and lots and lots of enchanted frogs!

Both books were such fun to illustrate and I can't wait for them to hit the bookshops.

The Baddie is publishing at the end of July this year with The Horrible Princess following in September. You can pre-order both books here and here!

Murphy

My parents came up to York last week for a visit, bringing with them their two dogs Murphy and Barney.

Barney is a big, tubby border terrier with a sweet little face which looks like he's run very hard into a brick wall and Murphy is a Westipoo - half West Highland White Terrier, half small poodle.

I couldn't resist sketching Murphy over the weekend. He has such a strong character. I don't know whether it's the combination of his long ears and bushy eyebrows, or just the way that he is a big baby (encouraged by my mum!), but I just find him hilarious. He's a massive fuss pot, can't bear anybody playing with his toys, likes to be involved in everything that's going on, loves to be dressed up in ribbons and bows left over from Christmas presents and absolutely refuses to eat his lunch unless it has a light sprinkling of grated cheese over it.

The thing I find most funny about Murph is that when he's had his haircut he reminds me of Anna Wintour! But I think he's a lot nicer...

Introducing...CLAUDE!

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The first in my children's fiction series 'CLAUDE' is available now for pre-order!

To find out now, and place your order, click here and here!

More details soon!

Thank you Mr. Fox

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Feeling a bit down in the dumps. Think I got myself over excited earlier when I popped into town and realised that their was a proper french market on and bought lots of yummy french things.

Anyway this nice little fox dawdled his way onto my computer to cheer me up!

Hope he cheers you up too!

:-)

What I Wore Today...

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I've been wanting to join in with What I Wore Today for ages, but haven't found five minutes to do a quick doodle. Well done to me then for choosing a day when I am wearing a really boring outfit to do a picture for the group!

Bella and Monty: A Hairy, Scary Night!

OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK!

Elephants.

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A short conversation between me and my fiancee, Jemma.

Jemma: (flicking through a brochure) Where shall we go on Honeymoon?

Me: (colouring in a picture in my sketchbook) I only want to go somewhere where I can bath an elephant.

Jemma gives me The Look.

Jemma: (pausing on a page) Ooh! This looks nice!

Me: Can I bath an elephant?

Jemma: Um... no...I don't think so.

Me: Not interested. I want to bath an elephant...

Or hug a monkey...