Tea for Three/ Waterstones Prize Evening

What a busy week I've had!
I'm bustling along with my PRIMROSE picture book as well as completing the front cover artwork for the next CLAUDE book, entitled CLAUDE in the Country. It features a rather angry bull and some perky little pigs! I can't wait until I can show you.

But the most important thing to happen this week was that I went to the Waterstones Children's Book Prize award evening. It was a smashing night. I was nominated in the 5-12 section for CLAUDE in the City. I didn't win, but my fellow Arena Illustration artist Jonny Duddle won not only his section ( the picture book category) but also the whole flipping thing! I was so pleased for him as his book The Pirates Next Door really is stunning. It's beautifully written and the illustrations are just brilliant. Jonny is also a jolly nice chap too!

I had a wonderful evening chatting to lots of exciting and interesting people, who all said some very nice things about CLAUDE.
Before the award ceremony, I had the pleasure of joining two of my agents, Tamlyn and Alison, for afternoon tea in a beautiful little french cafe near Fortnum and Masons. We drank tea and ate scones with jam and cream, and had a good catch up. Tamlyn and Alison are always such fun, Here they are showing off the towering plates of afternoon tea nibbles in the style of glamorous, game show assistants!

Isn't that wallpaper lovely? It's actually fabric stretched all over the walls. I found this out when I poked it. I can never resist poking things....

So thank you Team Arena for the lovely afternoon and evening and congratulations to Jonny. If you haven't got his award winning book, do dash out and get it. You'll love it, I promise!