Alex T. Smith

Illustration Friday: TWIRL

2012-01-27T19:28:00.000Z

click to enlarge

THE GREAT CLAUDE ART COMPETITION!

2012-01-23T15:23:00.000Z

click to enlarge

*Toodle- ooooo <--- FANFARE!*

It gives me (and Claude and Sir Bobblysock) great pleasure to announce an exciting competition!

I am busily working on the next three Claude adventures and on the last page of each book we would like to feature a piece of child's artwork in the new 'Friends of Claude' section. We did this in the new book CLAUDE AT THE CIRCUS and you can see the lucky contributor here. (Thank you Lovely Poppy!)

So... click on the image above for all the details. You could download it if you like and put it up in your school or library or local bookshop.

I can't wait to see what you go and I will also throw in a signed copy of the book with your/ your child's artwork in when the books publish over the next 18 months!

GOOD LUCK!

The Rabbit Choir

2011-12-16T11:35:00.000Z

click to enlarge

I like to imagine that they are singing this.

The Polar Bear Post

2011-12-09T18:51:00.000Z

click to enlarge.

The Polar Bear Post is how all your letters to Father Christmas get delivered to his workshop in the North Pole.
The post gets dropped off by a boat on the icy shore of the Arctic, where it's picked up by the bears who then amble across the snow with it to make sure your notes get to Santa before Christmas. Only they know the exact location of Father Christmas's house. Didn't you know that? I suppose they did rather skirt around it on Frozen Planet so you can be forgiven...*

*I might have made some of this up...

FREE! An address label for your letters to Father Christmas!

2011-12-09T13:09:00.000Z

click to enlarge.

Here's an address label for you to use on you letters to Father Christmas!

Simply click on the image above to enlarge it.

Save it to your computer then print it off.

Then just follow the instructions and Bob's your uncle - your letter has it's own very smart address label! AND there's no need for a stamp as the postage has been paid for you!

Once posted it will then be rushed across the North Pole by the Polar Bear Post.

Have you not heard of that? Well come back later and find out more....

Enjoy!

My Online Shop is now OPEN!

2011-11-30T14:59:00.000Z

Hooray!

My little online shop is now open!

Available right now is a pack of two signed Christmas cards. Keep popping back regularly though as I hope to add new things soon, including some hand drawn badges.

Storytime: Alice, the Blitz and the New Melting Shoes

2011-11-14T12:16:00.000Z

Fancy a bit of storytime? Well put on your tin hats and grab your gas mask - we are going back to 14th November 1940...
Mood music

For anybody who doesn't know, I was born in Coventry, England. It's a not very big city which is famous for quite a few things - car building, watch making, ribbon weaving etc, but it's most well know for two events: Lady Godiva and the Blitz.

Today, 14th November, is the anniversary of when during WWII, the German planes swept over the city and bombed it very badly. So badly in fact that pretty much the entire city centre had to be rebuilt after the war, and the medieval cathedral was hit so badly that all that was left was an empty shell.

I thought that you might like to read a story about that night and about what happened to one ordinary little girl. A little girl named Alice....

Once, not all that long, ago there was a war.

It was a war that stretched all across the world.

Every night was filled with noise and smoke and bombs would fall like rain drops in a storm.

In a small city, in a not very big country, there lived a young girl named Alice.

One cold, cloudless November night, when the moon was as big and as bright as could be, Alice was sitting admiring her new shoes.

It was early evening and in their small house on an ordinary street, all around her her family were busy. Her Mammy was feeding her little brother and sister, her father, or Dadda as she called him, was getting himself ready for his night shift as an Air Raid Warden and her older sister was fixing her hair for a night out dancing. Her older brothers were fighting somewhere in the war, but Alice didn’t like to think too much about that.

What she did like thinking about however, was how smart her new shoes looked. A few days before it had been Alice’s birthday and her family had put all their spare clothing coupons together and bought Alice some new shoes.

They weren’t fancy shoes, or extraordinary in any way. They were sturdy and brown and very sensible, but Alice loved them. Nobody had much money back then and Alice had had to wear all of her sister’s old clothes and shoes for as long as she could remember. This was the first time she she had ever had anything new and something that was just for her.

Soon Dadda was ready to go so he gave Alice a kiss on the forehead and left for his shift.

Her sister blew kisses and clattered out the door to meet up with her friends. Alice’s little brother and sister yawned and grumbled in their sleep and Alice and her Mammy sat in their overcowded living room waiting, like they did every night, for bombs.

They didn’t have to wait long.

The sirens sounded, filling Alice’s ears with their loud and urgent cries. Searchlights snapped awake and danced across the sky, darting all over the place trying to find the aircrafts which grumbled and groaned low over the city.

Alice and her Mammy leapt into action. They bundled themselves and the babies into warm clothes. Alice grabbed her gas mask box and slung it over her shoulder. Taking him by the hand she led her little brother across the pitch black street and down into the shelter, stopping only to push the family dog down in front of them. Mammy and her little sister were close behind.

And it was there in that shelter that Alice and her family stayed that night, crammed in with other people, neighbours, whose white worried face shone out of the gloom. Above them, the earth shook and trembled as wave upon wave of bombs fell on the city. They didn’t know it but the sky was lit up, red and orange with flames. Plumes of smoke coughed and sputtered across the sky.

The night dragged on. Down in the shelter, everyone was quiet. Some wringed their hands, others shuffled their feet. Everyone winced when a loud bang went off nearby and gripped onto each other in fear as all around them the earth shook and quivered.

Alice kept looking up at her mother’s face. It was drawn and tense and she bit her lip anxiously. Alice knew that her Mammy was worrying about Dadda, and her sister and her brothers who were fighting in some far off place. Alice started to think about them too, but shook her head to banish the thoughts away.

Eventually morning came and the bombing stopped. Slowly and quietly, everyone shuffled out of the shelter into the cold, foggy morning air.

The city was in ruins.

Alice gasped as she stood in her now dust covered new shoes and looked around at her street. Not one pane of glass was left in any window and several houses had disappeared. It was if the night had swept them away leaving only rubble and fires and mess. There were other things for Alice to see; a smoke blackened bed hanging out of a bombed upstairs bedroom. A headless porcelain figurine lying half-drowned in a puddle. A neighbour lying dead in the pile of bricks and glass that used to be their house.

Nobody said a word. They just looked at the mess and destruction. Silent tears ran like rivers down their pale, dusty faces.

Alice stood next to her mother and tried to shield her brother’s eyes from the horror. Where was Dadda? she wondered. And her sister? Were they safe?

It was impossible to know if anyone was safe, so they busied themselves helping the wounded and clearing the mess until they could find out.

It wasn’t until the middle of the afternoon that Dadda arrived home. He appeared through the smoke like a miracle. His face was covered in soot and dust and his eyes were small and red and tired. When he found his family however, they lit up like Christmas and he swept Alice and Mammy and the babies into his arms and held them there, safe and warm as the dog danced around their feet.

Alice breathed a little sigh of relief.

Alice’s sister arrived back later, pale faced and tired. Alice noticed that it was only then that her Mammy’s face started to look a little less worried. Her family that were in the city were safe.

The city, however, was not.

It had been almost destroyed. Streets full of houses had been blown to pieces. Shelters full of men, women and children had been hit. Fires raged in the cold winter air.

And worst of all, the beautiful cathedral that had stood proud and solid in the middle of the city for centuries had been hit by the bombs and had burst into flames. It burnt all night long and for several days afterwards.

When the fires had stopped burning and some of the rubble had been swept away all that was left was an empty shell and, by some miracle, the spire.

A few days later, when the fires had died down and the smoke had cleared slightly, Dadda took Alice for a walk through the city. Alice put on her best clothes and her new shoes and walked with her Dadda through the injured, bomb ravaged streets. They eventually found themselves by the remains of the cathedral. Alice couldn’t believe her eyes. Where they had once been a high roof and stained glass windows, there was now blacked stone walls and fragments of brightly coloured glass littering to floor like dropped jewels.

As she stood next to her father, Alice became aware that her feet were feeling hot and uncomfortable. She looked down and with horror saw that the soles of her shoes had started to steam. The stone step on which she was standing was still so hot from the fires and the bombs, that it had started to melt her new shoes.

Dadda saw it too and he saw the shock and disbelief on his daughter’ face, so he lifted her up and he carried her home.

-------------------------------------------------

This is actually a true story and I know that because the little girl named Alice grew up to be my grandmother. Here is a picture of us together when I was a little boy. (Snazzy jumper. hey?!)

Alice was born in Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland in 1926 and when she was still a very little girl she travelled over from Ireland to England and settled in the early 1930s in Coventry. I have the tiny suitcase she used for the journey in my studio. It was in Coventry that she grew up in the big Irish community that set up up home in the city. It was a tough time for the Irish then. There were signs put up in buildings reading 'No Dogs. No Irish'.

Every November, when I was a child, Alice would tell me the story of the Blitz, how she sheltered with her Mammy and younger siblings and how her street was almost destroyed and how, a few days later, she walked up to the Cathedral with her Dadda and how her shoes started to melt on the steps. I think it was a very poignant memory for her as later that winter, her father, whom she loved very very much, became ill and died. She was infact just a little bit older than the Alice in my story, but really did get new shoes for her birthday as well as a golden ring engraved with her initials - AS - Alice Stapleton.
Alice died when I was eleven, but the summer before she took me up to her bedroom and took the ring out of it's box and gave it to me. We have the same initials and she had been saving it for me from the moment I was born and named.

Because Alice's father died when she was young she had to finish school early and put the career she wanted (to become a tailor) on hold. She had to in a way become the mother of the household as her Mammy had to go out to work. Because of this she always felt that she wasn't very clever or well educated and one of the saddest things we found when she died was a little lined notebook that she had kept and practiced her handwriting in and her spelling. She was very funny and although not a writer like her husband Sid, could tell the most wonderful stories, including the one you just read.
Actually, talking about Sid, the story of how she met my grandad is really lovely, but I think I will save that another for another time....

Her shoes melting on the steps of the cathedral must have been a really life changing moment as the memory of it stayed with her forever, and when she grew up and married my grandfather she became a bit of a shopaholic! She had shoes of every colour and bags and gloves to match and we can never remember her ever going out of the house with out looking like a million dollars. Even when she went into hospital towards the end of her life, she made sure she had her lipstick with her - just incase!

COMING SOON: Christmas Cards for Sale!

2011-11-03T16:35:00.000Z

Arthur and Magnus"

"Martha and Pipsqueak"

Two Christmas card designs.

Currently at the printers.

Will be on sale soon.

Limited supply!

My pumpkins bring all the ghouls to the yard...

2011-10-31T18:27:00.000Z

spoooooky.....

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T10:10:00.000Z

I hope you all have a super spooky time!

ELLA, my new picture book (another sneaky peek!)

2011-10-25T13:50:00.001+01:00

It gives me great pleasure to present to you my new picture book for Scholastic UK, Ella.

It's a love story between a shy ladybird (Ella) and a lovesick spider called Pierre set in Paris.
These pictures are from the hardback version of the book which arrived with it's paperback twin this afternoon.
I'm absolutely delighted by how the whole thing turned out and I must thank Ellie and Alison my lovely editors and the very talented Alex Fowler who designed the book and made the whole thing come to life. Also a big thank you to my agent Tamlyn who is always on hand to deal with the little ups and downs that creating a picture book brings. Excellent work from them all!

The book is available to pre-order here and here and will be released online and in the shops in Jan 2012. Look out for it and remember to support your local independent book shop.

And now I must get cracking on my next picture book for Scholastic - another girly book this time about a very 'spirited' Princess and her pug dog Percy.

--------------------------

Come back to my blog soon for another sneak peek of the new CLAUDE adventure - Claude at the Circus!

Bunny Hug

2011-10-17T18:50:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

Inspired by the little rabbit toy my big brother bought for me the day I was born.

He's quite tatty now and lives a quiet life on my book shelf.

Mr Penguin - painted

2011-09-27T11:31:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge.

The Mysterious Mr Penguin.

Gouache, pencil crayon and pen.

The Patisserie

2011-09-22T10:37:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

"Will you come to my party?"

2011-09-14T21:43:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

What on earth would you wear to a monster party?

I think a bowtie would be in order...

Autumn Baby...

2011-09-14T09:58:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

Inside a spiky shell, a little boy lay sleeping...

SWIM!

2011-09-12T17:08:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

Ready for Rain...

2011-09-12T10:36:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

An Afternoon Out with Granny

2011-09-06T19:34:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

Mr Penguin starts his day...

2011-08-29T12:38:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge.

I seem a bit obsessed at the moment with drawing characters in bed...

It's probably because I have some big deadlines looming and I'm very, very tired! When my next picture book is finished I'll make sure I follow Mr. Penguin's lead and have a cup of tea in bed and catch up with the big wide world out there!

On the phone to Grandma...

2011-08-26T09:57:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

Poor thing - she's not feeling very well. Mr. Cat is enjoying himself though!

Hopefully Grandma will be over soon to administer cake,

tea and hilarious stories about how they know Kung Fu*...

More experimenting with this picture.

Am really enjoying working with my sparkly new Wacom tablet!**

*my grandmother does this...

** am a geek.

And now for something completely different...

2011-08-24T16:39:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

A little doodle. Trying something new.

P.s. I would like a penguin please.

Feathered Friends

2011-08-22T18:29:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

There's an autumnal tinge to the air. Only slight, but it's there and I can feel it.

My poor bike (Walter) has been neglected since I moved house, but I think it's time to dust him down, pump up the tyres and go for a cycle. It's not quite as autumnal up here as it is in this picture, but it will be soon I reckon!

This is quite a large painting I created whilst waiting for the most enormous Photoshop files to save for my new book. I've had to piece the image together on screen as I'm still looking for a big scanner!

Nun

2011-08-19T17:39:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

A nun that I saw singing in a jolly fashion in the Sacre Coeur at Christmas.

Illustration Friday: Perennial

2011-07-29T09:51:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge.

Perennial - enduring, persistent, everlasting...

A Quiet Moment...

2011-07-28T08:46:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

Hello!

I'm back from a week in the sun, splashing about in the sea and messing about on boats!
(Pictures from my holiday sketchbook to follow soon!)
I don't know whether it's because I've come back from roasting hot weather, but I can't help but thinking that England is chillier than usual. Almost autumnal... So here is an autumnal picture for you all. I'm thinking about getting some little prints done of this. Would anyone be interested??

Mermaid

2011-07-14T10:11:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

A few weeks ago I was thinking about fairytales and drew some character designs and scenes from Little Red Riding Hood. To continue this mini occasional series, I was thinking about the Little Mermaid yesterday and painted this.
I have to say I do much prefer the Disney version to the original. Probably because when I was a child I had a copy of the original text and it was utterly terrifying. The illustrations were horrible ( and scary!) and the text included a bit about how when the newly human mermaid started to walk it felt like knives stabbing her feet...

<< Shudder>>>

Needless to say, the all singing, all dancing, comedy crab including Disney version was altogether more cheerful!

Contents of my head...

2011-07-12T16:33:00.000+01:00

Wowee I am busy at the moment!
I've just finished my first completely painted-and-not-gone-near-a-computer book ( a board book for a lovely Swiss publisher) and am now in the process of doing the final art work ( a mixture of digital and traditional) for one publisher and thinking about the story for my next picture book with another. The contents of my head at the moment is a bit random to say the least.
On the one hand I have a sly little fox, a cross-dressing alligator and some very jazzy, feathery ballroom dancers and on the other I have this little madam - more about all of this soon I hope!

Day in the Life of a Toddler (Parts 1 -3)

2011-07-05T10:28:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

I've posted the first two of these onto my Flickr page, but here's the whole set. This started off as a small doodle in my sketchbook of the little girl getting dressed and I just kept on drawing!

Introducing BRAND NEW ILLUSTRATOR: THOMAS SMITH

2011-06-06T13:57:00.002+01:00

Click to enlarge

These pictures are nice aren't they?! The top one shows a brave knight battling a FEROCIOUS dragon and below is a very grand castle. They are the work of brand new illustrator Thomas Smith (aged just 6 years old).

Some need to know facts about Thomas:

1. He can rustle up a full colour, stapled together picture books in next to no time especially if you are feeling poorly and need cheering up or if you just seem a long way away. ( My wife and I are both proud owners of some of these masterpieces.)

2. He is an EXPERT on Star Wars, Castles, Knights, aliens and Indianna Jones.

3. He enjoys bouncing on beds and having water fights.

4. He's my Big Nephew*

These pictures were mailed to me on Friday after I asked for something to brighten up my new studio. Watch out publishers and bookstores - there's a new kid in town!

*I have two hilarious nephews and a very lovely, getting-quite-grown-up-now niece. I am a VERY (embarrassingly) proud uncle! Sorry!

Illustration Friday: ASLEEP

2011-06-03T13:15:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge.

SSsssshh....

NEW STUDIO!

2011-06-02T13:46:00.003+01:00

I've moved into my new studio. As you can see 'some of us' are making ourselves right at home. Bella the other dog was feeling too shy to be snapped! The window in front of my desk is proving very distracting!

Bear and Bunny play Detectives

2011-05-27T15:42:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

Once again I have no real idea what is going on here...

Illustration Friday: SOAKED

2011-05-25T16:32:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

'She soaked her feet after a long day...'

Grandma to the Rescue

2011-05-20T16:37:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

Sorry for a another post featuring a bike - I've just worked out how to draw them and am making up for lost time!

Diary: Saturday 14th May 2011

2011-05-17T21:54:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

More Little Red Riding Hood

2011-05-16T14:33:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

A few posts back I uploaded some character designs for Little Red Riding Hood- a story I've always wanted to illustrate. I couldn't resist doing another picture (and adding a bowtie and bowler hat to Mr. Wolf!)

Sleeping Bunny

2011-05-12T13:53:00.000+01:00

click to enlarge

My Saturday Morning

2011-05-09T18:01:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

On Saturday morning Jemma went to have her haircut so I decided to go for a mooch up the road and have a look in the shops. Above is what I saw.

(I also bought two really delicious sandwiches from the deli for our lunch. I wasn't allowed to buy two exactly the same - they had to be different - Deli rules according to the very happy, very friendly,very chatty owner!)

Fairy Tales: Little Red Riding Hood

2011-05-09T17:56:00.004+01:00

click to enlarge

I've always wanted to illustrate some fairy tales. If I did I would start with Little Red Riding Hood. Here she is with the Big Bad Wolf and below is how I imagine her house*

* another of my dream houses...)

On your bike Mr. Bear!

2011-05-06T13:02:00.002+01:00

Ink, pencil, dip pen, and pencil crayon.

click to enlarge

Oh Mr. Bear! Where are you going, you crazy furry fool?!

Final Few Sketches from France

2011-05-05T14:26:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

I forgot that I had taken a second sketchbook away with me ( a bigger one) and I had drawn these two pictures in it.

Top picture: Lily a big excited boxer dog I befriended and her incredible chic kennel that she liked to sleep in during the day.

Bottom picture: a fruit seller at the tiny market in the nearby village.

What I Drew on My Holiday: Part Three

2011-05-03T13:10:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

Final few pictures from my sketchbook.

1: At the (very small) flea market in Bergerac.

2: We all drew each other!

What I Drew on My Holiday: Part Two

2011-05-03T13:04:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

More pictures from my holiday sketchbook. From the top:

1: A waiter and a tourist.

2: My wife sunbathing by our pool.

3: Me, my wife and her sister (hello Jen!) in the supermarket buying supplies for our Royal Wedding Feast ( and our shopping list)

4: A beautiful chateau (dream house!) and orchard glimpsed as we drove somewhere.

5: Some chickens in a garden in Eymet.

What I Drew on My Holiday: Part One

2011-05-03T12:54:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

We're just back from a week tucked away in the french countryside with my parents in law and my sister in law. It was gloriously sunny in the south west where we were and we did a lot of lounging about by the pool and sitting on the veranda, eating!

We also managed to go for a mooch about in the nearest towns and villages so I did lots of doodling and sketching. In this little batch we have from the top:

1: Something going on between this waitress and diner. I think it was love....

2: A collection of interesting people in the nearby village on market day. I particularly liked the two little twin girls who were wandering about with magnifying glasses and pestering their father who was trying to shop for food!

3: A sweet little girl enjoying a (MASSIVE) bowl of pasta with her stylish dad

4: The fountain in a small square in Bergerac which seemed to fascinate any young children walking past. These two were deep in contemplation.

5: Molly, an elderly ( but still very energetic) little dog I befriended.( and thought about smuggling home...)

Hoppy Easter!

2011-04-21T15:59:00.001+01:00

Have a great spring break!

Ella! ( Front Cover Sneaky Peek!)

2011-04-20T15:13:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge.

Ta- DAH! Here it is! The final cover for my new picture book ELLA which hits the shops in paperback and hardback form early 2012 ( just in time for Valentine's day!)

Hasn't my designer Alex Fowler at Scholastic done a brilliant job?! I'm really pleased with it and I can't wait to see the finish thing in all it's glossy or maybe shiny glory!

Ask Angela: Pipe Problems

2011-04-19T10:19:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

I'm very inspired by the 1950s and 60s and try to give my illustrations a retro feel. Claude in particular is set in this time and I really enjoy looking through old photos and style books to get everything right.

A couple of months ago I went to an antique and vintage book fair and whilst a lot of it was waaaaaay out of my price range (£10,000 for a copy of a Famous Five book?!) a found a stall right at the back selling vintage fashion magazine and I bought a stack of them. It's been great going through them. I particularly love the problem pages ( Ask Angela) and decided to illustrate one of them. I think I might do some more in the future... there's a good question about gravy etiquette!

Grandad Sid's Little Book of Stories: Joseph's Adventure

2011-04-15T15:18:00.002+01:00

I thought, by way of thanking you all for the kind words and touching comments made on the post about my grandfather, I might post and illustrate one of the stories he wrote for me. This story is called Joseph's Adventure and it stars a big brown bear I got around the time I played Joseph in my infant school play ( aged 4) - hence his name.

This was my favourite story in the book as it combined all of my favourite things - night time adventures, snow, cardboard boxes ( I was very keen on playing in these as a child) and fish and chips!

I hope you enjoy it....

Joseph's Adventure

By S. R. Thomas

Joseph, the brown bear, was bored. He wanted some excitement.

“I must go on a journey,” he told himself, “That’s what they do in stories when they want to have an adventure.”

That night, as it was beginning to grow dark, Joseph looked round the bedroom. All the toys were asleep. Padding quietly, he crept out of the bedroom, went down the stairs and into the night outside. He shivered just a little as a few flakes of snow fell on his face.

“My thick fur will keep me warm,” he said.

He gazed about him. The bright orange street lamps looked pretty. The lights from passing buses were even prettier. Yet more exciting were the shop windows which were lit up. He looked into a toy shop and lingered at the window of a sweet shop. He stared at the good in a shoe shop and wondered how humans could wear such articles on their feet.

He walked quickly as the snow fell more heavily.

Suddenly he was aware of a warm, appetising smell. As he sniffed he realised that he was hungry. The toys back in Alexander’s bedroom would be enjoying a midnight feats now. He wished he was there but he had to finish his adventure.

The warm appetising smell became stronger. Joseph stopped and looked up at theewindows of a fish and chip shop. He wished he could go inside to buy some, but he had no money. Anyway, they wouldn’t sell fish and chips to a teddy bear...

He walked on. He was feeling very cold. A passing lorry threw up wet, slushy snow which plastered his thick fur.

“I think I’ve had enough adventure now,” he said, “I’m tired and cold. I’ll go back home.”

Home!

He stopped walking and looked about. Where was his home? He had been so busy looking at all the sights that he had not noticed where he was going.

He was lost! He was about to panic when he remembered his story books again. When people were lost in the snow - in stories - they followed their own footprints back home.

That’s what he would do - but his footsteps had vanished. The snow, which was falling fast, had covered them.

“I really am lost,” he said sadly, “ What am I to do now. Perhaps someone will recognise me and take me home.”

He shook his head. That was a silly thought. No one outside of Alexander’s bedroom knew him.

As he stood wondering what to do he noticed that the traffic was no longer passing by. There were no people in the street. Lights were going out in the houses as people went to bed.

“They are all warm and well-fed and comfortable,” said Joseph miserably, “ I’m cold and tired and hungry - and lost. They are all in their cosy beds.”

Not knowing what to do, he wandered about until he arrived outside a bicycle shop. Near the door was a large, empty cardboard box.

“If I go into that I might be able to keep warm,” he muttered.

But he was wrong! All night he huddled inside the box - and all night he shivered.

“Even my thick fur won’t keep out the cold, ‘ he clattered.

Finally, after a very long night, daylight came. As he peeped out of the shelter Joseph saw a man approaching. A big blue bag hung from his shoulder.

“A postman!” muttered Joseph. He became excited. “ It’s the postman who brings the letters to Alexander’s house. Now I know what to do!”

He crept out of the box and stretched his cramped limbs. Then he watched the postman making deliveries. Carefully, he followed the man.

Soon they were outside the gate of Alexander’s house. While the postman searched for letters in his bag, Joseph crept past him. He hurried to the front door and waited.

A moment later the postman walked up the path.

“What have we here?” he said when he saw the shivering teddy bear, “You look as if you could do with a warm!”

He rang the doorbell. When Alexander opened the door the man nodded towards Joseph.

“You’d think he’d been out all night, “ he said, “ He lives here doesn’t he?”

“Yes,” said Alexander, “Thank you for letting me know he was out here.”

He picked Joseph up.

“ I wonder how you got out and where you’ve been,” he said, “ Wherever it was - I’m very pleased to see you back again. Now you must come and get yourself warm.”

To see larger versions of the illustrations please go to my flickr page.

Benji Boy

2011-04-14T10:21:00.004+01:00

We adopted a homeless little chihuahua the other day. His previous owner was very elderly and could no longer look after him. So welcome to the pack Benji Boy!

He's very timid and nervous but is gradually finding his feet. The other dogs are being very good and easing him in nice and slowly, although they are losing patience a bit as they just want him to join in and play now!

Grandad Sid

2011-04-08T15:30:00.003+01:00

Today would have been my grandfather's 84th birthday. His name was Sid and he was one of the biggest influences on me growing up to be a children's writer and illustrator.

He retired from teaching the year before I was born and, as he only lived around the corner from my house, I think I must have seen him every day throughout my childhood (even if it was just me flashing the light on and off in my bedroom at night and peering out of my window to see him and my grandmother do the same from their kitchen!)

Sid had been Head of English at a large school in Birmingham (having moved to Coventry from Wales to be with my grandmother which is another story!) but in the evenings and at the weekends he wrote and he wrote and he wrote. He was passionate about books and the english language and even wrote a book on the subject which was published.

He also wrote articles for magazines and newspapers and even had a few radio plays produced and broadcast. But what he enjoyed writing the most was books for children and he must have written hundreds ranging from very short stories to longer novels. But this was before the days of Young Adult books and although lots of publishers enjoyed the stories, they couldn't ever quite find a market for them.

When I started school, my grandmother decided that rather than have our dog mooching around our house on her own all day whilst we were all out, she would send Sid over to fetch her so she could spend the day (being spoilt) by them. I would leave my best ever toy, a grubby cardigan wearing bear called Silver (not my choice - his name was on his label), on the sofa for Grandad to see.

Imagine my surprise when I came from school to find Silver holding in his paws several piece of A4 pieces of paper addressed to me on which was written a story starring Silver and ME!

It was the best day ever and from that day for the next 4 or 5 years when I came home from school I would find Silver holding a new story nearly always about what the toys in my bedroom had got up to while I had been at school!

Then one day shortly before the summer holidays in 1994, just before my ninth birthday I came home to find not a letter in Silver's grubby, much loved paws, but an entire book! In an old, unused diary, Grandad had painstakingly copied out by hand some my favourite stories and collected them up for me to keep for ever. Above is the dedication.

Since that day the book, called ' The Royal Pool and Other Stories', has been on my shelf in every house and studio I've lived and worked in and even traveled with me when I ( very briefly - another story) studied at university in North Wales.

Sid and I had a very close relationship - he was more of a friend than a grandfather. Always supportive and excited when I visited with a new picture to show him or a new story I had scrawled in a notebook.

When I finished university and got my first book deal I think he almost burst with pride. My girlfriend (now wife) and I had just moved into a titchy flat where there was no room for me to work so he converted his unused back bedroom into a studio for me and I worked there for quite a while. It was brilliant. Grandad potted about downstairs (writing) and I would draw upstairs and every so often he would call me down to the kitchen for tea and cake and to catch up on every thing I was doing and how the book was progressing. I wish it could have lasted longer as it was a very happy time.

Unfortunately Sid became ill very quickly and died shortly before my first book hit the shops three years ago. My publishers were brilliant though and rushed out a bound proof copy for him to see and he was so thrilled by it.

He is greatly missed by me and all our family. But he lives on and still regularly pops up in illustrations, in the background and the character of Claude is a little bit based on him. He was terribly clever, but at the same time seemed to bumbled through life going from one hilarious mishap to another.

Not only was he a super grandad and a great story teller, he was a gifted musician and after my grandmother died he wrote a short, very beautiful piece of music dedicated to her. A friend of ours recorded this and orchestrated it for us so that last September at our wedding it played in the church as my wife and I signed the register on the altar.

So there we go, I have good old Grandad Sid to thank for my job and love of books and for the gift a book written by him, just for me.

Happy Birthday Sid, you great big eejit! As it's your big day and it's coming up to late afternoon - treat yourself to a little whiskey and a good book (maybe Claude? I've heard that's quite good!)

Siblings

2011-04-06T17:46:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge.

I was going to say that these children appear to have leapt straight out of the 1950s, then I realised that the little girl looks just like my niece when she was about three who had a dress very similar to the one the girl above is wearing. It was a costume for a dance show she was in, but that didn't stop her from putting it on and wearing it around the house!

Meet The Dogs

2011-04-05T12:02:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

My parent's came to visit this weekend and brought with them their three dogs. So combined with our three, we had six nutty pups dashing about the place. Here's a little portrait I did.

From left to right:

Billy Bongo (Our Tiny Chihuahua)

Maisie Mouse ( My parent's Yorkie/Chihuahua cross puppy and Billy's girlfriend)

Bella Boo (Our Chihuahua/Jack Russell cross)

Murphy (My parent's West Highland White/Small Poodle cross)

Barney (My parent's Border Terrier/ Small Bear!)

and...

The One and Only Lucy Locket (Our 14 year old Yorkshire Terrier. The Boss)

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-04-03T12:51:00.002+01:00

Happy Mother's day to my little Mum ( who checks this blog every day)!

Nobody believes me when I say it but I am actually just a slice under 6ft tall. My mum, however is a titch. I tower over her and when I go to visit my parent's house it's like walking into a doll's house. Everything is at completely the wrong height. Mirrors cut me off at the neck, I smack my head off things and come home with back ache from ducking every five minutes.

But never mind. My mum's brilliant. Utterly doolally, but utterly lovely.

Happy Mother's day!

Book Sniffing

2011-04-01T13:59:00.002+01:00

Have you all found The Book Sniffer yet?!

It's a new, utterly brilliant and very, very funny children's book reviewing blog. It have book reviews, interviews with authors and illustrators* and now every Friday is Doggy Doodle Friday when illustrators send in their doggy doodles! And I've done one this week. I'm delighted to introduce Prunela to you. She's a Chinese Crested and doesn't let her lack of hair stop her from getting glamorous with the accessories!

The genius behind The Book Sniffer is the lovely Emma who used to work for one of my publishers Hodder, but then left ( still sad about this :-( ) to work at Templar Books. Emma is one of the very nicest and hilarious people working in the children's book world. And so very kind. Whether it's emailing me funny pictures of animals in costumes or sending me ACTUAL presents such as a chihuahua pen and a cowboy badge to say thank you for the littlest thing I have done for her, she goes out of her way to support picture books and the work that authors and illustrator's put into them. So do go to the Book Sniffer website and book mark it! It's brilliant, just like Emma!

* it also has interviews with illustrator's dogs... Including my three little nutcases. Read what they say about me here!

Daredevil Danny

2011-03-29T17:01:00.002+01:00

click to enlarge

I told y'all I was going to re-boyify this blog :-)

Meet Danny -He built that plane in his bedroom and is taking it for a spin!

And without a helmet too!

Silly boy...

Illustration Friday: CULTIVATE

2011-03-25T20:44:00.004Z

click to enlarge

Slightly, just slightly, late Illustration Friday picture for the theme 'cultivate'. Going to have to start thinking about the theme a bit earlier this week!

Anyway - CULTIVATE. We've had a lot of lovely spring sunshine here this week meaning I've been doing a lot of standing in the garden looking at the mess winter has made. We need to do a big tidy up, but I think the dogs will be furious if we do. They like the garden in it's weedy, tangly, messy state. It means lots of hidey-hole's for things they've stolen ...*

*This week: post-it notes. (again)

TICKLE: A scene I saw today.

2011-03-23T21:04:00.003Z

click to enlarge

I was walking home in the sunshine from a trip to the Post Office and saw this cute little scene. I had to get back to the studio and draw it. I've never drawn a comic before, but I really enjoyed it. Also, this little girl (about 4 years old) was the sweetest, tiniest little thing with a great big booming laugh like a drunk old man. Made me chuckle!

The Glamour Cats

2011-03-22T10:13:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Some sugary sweetness for a Tuesday morning. Also, I seem to be obsessed with cats at the moment.

Think I might draw some robots and spacemen to reboyify this blog now...

In which I actually paint with actual paints!

2011-03-18T15:02:00.002Z

I got my gouache paints out for the first time in ages. I'd forgotten how much I love painting! More soon!

New Bits

2011-03-16T12:30:00.002Z

ELLA ( A sneaky first look!)

2011-03-14T17:09:00.004Z

click to enlarge

Above: Ella spends her days doing shores for the Wasp Sisters and her only friend is Miss Buzzbottom, a kindly bumblebee.

Below: " Even in her ordinary glasses, Ella looked more beautiful to Pierre than any other bug in Paris..."

TA - DAH!

I am very excited to be able to show you some sneaky first pictures from my next picture book for Scholastic UK! And here they are!

The book is called ELLA and will be publishing early next year in the UK.

It's a fairytale love story set in Paris starring a lonely ladybird called Ella and a lovesick spider called Pierre who is lacking inspiration for his next painting (he's an artist!).

Poor Ella does have a tough time of it. She lives with Belladonna and Ivy, two selfish, mean wasp sisters and spends her days running around after them doing chores. But things are about to change forever as Miss Buzzbottom, Ella's best friend (a bumblebee), has magical plans in store for Ella and Pierre...

Keep your eyes peeled for more info on ELLA coming soon!

Someone's at the door...

2011-03-11T14:37:00.002Z

I'm almost at the end of two flippin' enormous deadlines! I'm working flat out to get TWO books finished so they can go for a bit of sunshine and some bellini's in Bologna. (Wish I was going too!)

However, that didn't stop the image and piece of text drifting into my head...

I wonder what happens next?

Who is the little girl?

Why does she live in such a grand looking house?

Who IS the little kitten in the box and where has he come from?

So many questions....

Some thinking music here

What We Wore In Paris...

2011-03-04T09:14:00.004Z

click to enlarge.

A few days before Christmas my wife and I visited Paris. We'd both been suffering from the 'flu and had been looking forward to a couple of days wandering around the beautiful city. Then the snow came and we got stuck in a queue for the Eurostar for EIGHT HOURS in the freezing cold, so by the time we actually got to our hotel we were feeling pretty ropey. But we pulled ourselves together and had a lovely time doing not very much other than walking and looking and sitting and eating ( oh and visiting the circus)!

On the last day we wrapped up warm and went to the Sacre Coeur ( one of our favourite places) and sat watching a roly poly nun lead some Christmas singing before we went and got a hot chocolate in Montmartre.

Even though it was snowing we decided to sit outside. We'd hardly been settled a minute when a shy Spanish tourist came and asked to take out picture. Then after that a group of Japanese tourists came and snapped us. Then a couple took a picture of us whilst trying very hard not to be noticed and then finally a french woman came and very politely asked if she could take a few pictures. We said yes but forgot to ask why....

I still don't know what it was all about. We were dressed ( as we often are) like a couple of pensioners so I'm not sure it was for a street style thing. Maybe they couldn't believe we were crazy enough to sit sipping hot chocolate in a blizzard...

Anyway, the picture above is us that day, giving each other the eye , both thinking, ' What the heck is all this about?!'

In Dreams....

2011-02-18T13:22:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Another portfolio piece...

Big Sister, Little Brother

2011-02-18T13:21:00.000Z

More cuddles...

New Portfolio Bits...

2011-02-15T15:28:00.003Z

click to enlarge

I am in the midst of several looming, scary deadline at the moment. To keep me sane whilst things save/ are drying/ uploading, I've been doing bits for my portfolio.

Above:

Image 1: A cake delivery service = my idea of heaven

Image 2: An editorial sample

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T14:52:00.001Z

click to enlarge

The Prettiest Kitty in Paris

2011-02-09T11:52:00.003Z

click to enlarge

The background of this picture is, in another colourway, for my next picture book. I couldn't help using it and tweaking it for these lovely kitties.

Attention! C'est une patinoire!

2011-02-07T13:44:00.001Z

click to enlarge

Translation: WATCH OUT! It's an ice rink!

When I was in Paris before Christmas, Jemma and I went to have a breakfast picnic in a beautiful little park near to where she used to teach. It was a very bright, but cold and icy morning and we enjoyed eating out croissants on a bench by the duck pond. All of a sudden a troupe of nursery school children marched down the path and the above happened. I felt a bit sorry for their teacher - I think he had his hands full with his chic, clumsy little pupils!

I sketched the scene in my sketchbook when we were having a warm up hot chocolate in a cafe nearby. I couldn't resist colouring it in.

Kitty Cuddles...

2011-02-01T13:43:00.002Z

click to enlarge

I can't stop drawing small children cuddling animals.

Sorry!

Dog, floating.

2011-01-31T15:49:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Illustrated Diary Week 4

2011-01-31T12:16:00.000Z

click to enlarge

Oh, I do love you...

2011-01-25T13:27:00.001Z

click to enlarge

Daily Diary Week 3

2011-01-24T14:27:00.003Z

Another week, another set of diaries!

For those of you who can't remember Clarissa Explains It All - all you need to know is here!

Diary Week 2

2011-01-17T10:48:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Week two of my illustrated diary. There is an entry for last night but it's unfinished - I fell asleep mid-doodle! Come back next Monday for the next semi-interesting installment...

Junior Magazine meets Claude...

2011-01-12T11:11:00.003Z

click to enlarge.

The lovely people at the brilliant (and very chic) Junior magazine have a nice article and mini interview with me about my forthcoming fiction series Claude ( publishing in Feb). It's in their February issue which is out now until Feb 4th so I urge you to go out and get it!

I'm so pleased to be featured in the magazine, as it's one of my favourites. It's helped me out a few times when I haven't been able to think of a stylish outfit for one of my characters to wear.

And if you need another reason to buy this month's issue there is a recipe for delicious looking Whoopie pies in there which I think I will have to make! (and eat....) YUM!

LINKS:

Junior Magazine

The full interview I did with Catherine the editor can be read here.

And don't forget to bookmark Claude's VERY OWN BLOG and keep checking it regularly for lots of exciting and exclusive things!

Daily Diary 2

2011-01-10T17:06:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Daily Diary

2011-01-10T17:00:00.002Z

click to enlarge

One of my New Year resolutions was to keep an illustrate diary.

Happy NEWS Year!

2011-01-10T15:39:00.004Z

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R ! ! !

And a Big hello to all the lovely people who commented on my last update and have since started following my blog!

I had a lovely Christmas (involving a trip to Paris and the circus! More about that soon!) and am now back in the studio working away on lots of exciting, and sadly for the moment, TOP SECRET things which I hope to share with you soon!

But first, some NEWS:

FANTASTIC FRANKIE and the BRAIN-DRAIN MACHINE written by Anna Kemp and illustrated by me is out now available to buy and, most excitingly it's been nominated for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. The winner will be announced on 9th Feb!

And on Friday I had an email from my lovely french publisher Editions Nord-Sud telling me that the french language version of my book EGG is publishing next month under the BRILLIANT title 'Omelette Surprise!'

The above image is a New Year greetings card they've made to promote the book!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-17T10:40:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Merry Christmas to all you lovely people who come and peek at my blog, look at my pictures, leave lovely comments and read my wafflings! I hope you have a fantastic, white (fingers crossed, please,please,please) Christmas and a new year full of excitement, adventures and fun!

Thank you all for looking at my blog and for all your kind words.

-------

For another Christmassy treat - dash over to my CLAUDE blog!

What I Wore Today: Visit to the doctors

2010-12-09T16:50:00.005Z

click to enlarge

Oh croak, croak croak!

I have lost my voice almost completely. I sound like a sad, croaking frog!

Here is what I wore to visit the doctors.

-----------------------------

REMEMBER:

Check out the new blog for my new children's book character CLAUDE and his best friend Sir Bobblysock.

It's the place to go for silly pictures, funny stories, sneaky (pre-release) peeks of the new books and all sorts of other CLAUDE related things!

Waiting...

2010-12-08T18:48:00.002Z

click to enlarge

A little portfolio piece drawn on my newest discovery - Langton Hot Pressed Watercolour Paper. Lovely - and available in pads rather than sheets.

The image above has ( in real life) a pale grey background, but for some reason that hasn't scanned well...?!

Claude's new BLOG!

2010-12-02T15:02:00.003Z

My new character CLAUDE now has his own blog! CLICK HERE and be whisked off to a world of berets, bobbly socks, and adventures. Keep checking back for news on the Claude books, events, silly pictures and some of Claude and Sir Bobblysock's musings on life.

Letters to my Nephew - The Polar Bear

2010-12-02T10:18:00.003Z

click to enlarge

Yesterday we had even more snow! There was a blizzard blowing when I walked my wife to work. When I got back home and had thawed my feet out I wrote a letter to my nephews telling them about what happened when a polar bear came for a visit. All true I promise you (!)

Anyway, here's the picture I drew to go with the letter...

Bella and the Snowflakes

2010-12-01T12:09:00.003Z

click to enlarge

Well, I appear to be living in Narnia!

Outside my studio window the snow is falling thick and fast and everything is under a duvet of the chilly white stuff! I love it and I'm not the only one! Bella Boo, our chihuahua/jackrussell cross is finding the whole thing very exciting. She likes nothing more than scampering about outside, nosing the snowdrifts and making patterns of footprints all over the garden.

It's all very cute, but I'm exhausted from having to have a series of tiny jumpers warmed and ready for her to change into when she bothers to come back in! The other two dogs are much more sensible - they are having a brilliant time WATCHING the snow from the snuggly safety of their blanket on the sofa.

... and she carried her home...

2010-11-23T11:50:00.002Z

click to enlarge

I don't know where the line '... and she carried her home...' came from. I doodled the lady with the cat and the line of text floated into my head.

Above is the final illustration, taken from my original sketchbook page.

Getting ready for Christmas... pt.1

2010-11-22T16:29:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Inspirational...

2010-11-17T11:36:00.002Z

click to enlarge

Another little experiment in using my original sketches and turning that into a final piece. In this instant I doodled the little girl whilst waiting for a file to save in Photoshop. I drew her quickly and with biro which is something I very rarely use.

I then scanned her in and coloured her digitally in Photoshop. I'm actually quite pleased with the result as it still has the energy of the original sketch which can so often be lost when creating final, 'tidy' pieces.

What inspired me to create this picture is this piece of music from the film The Chorus. I'm quite often inspired by music. I can remember going to see a classical music concert when I was little. I didn't really want to go, but when I was there I just sat listening and enjoying the stories and images the music created in my head. They are often random little pictures, with bits I don't quite understand - why is the little girl above carrying a steaming teapot in her basket for example? But that's the fun of it - getting the drawing down and wondering about the story later!

I do love a good mystery!

Circus Girls...

2010-11-16T09:42:00.003Z

click to enlarge.

Two versions of the same picture.

Top picture has be created using my original pencil sketch and colouring it digitally in Photoshop.

The bottom picture is a mixture of ink, watercolour and gouache on paper, scanned in a placed on a digital background.

Illustration Friday: Afterwards...

2010-11-11T12:02:00.002Z

click to enlarge.

Mystic Maude - Communicator with the Afterlife...

Something glittery and girly for a Friday morning...

2010-11-05T10:53:00.002Z

click to enlarge.

Have a sparkly weekend!

Sketchbook Update 2

2010-11-05T10:46:00.002Z

click to enlarge

More sketchbook doodles!

Sketchbook Update 1

2010-11-05T10:40:00.003Z

click to enlarge

A selection of my recent sketchbook doodles.

Mostly drawn whilst on holiday recently - a good way to pass the time on a 10 1/2 hour plane journey!

More to follow....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2010-10-29T11:27:00.002+01:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Have a SPOOK-tacular time!

Just Married...

2010-10-07T14:34:00.003+01:00

Photo by Mr. Craig Lawson (our BFF)

Where have I been for the last few weeks?!?

Well... I got married!

Then we dashed off on to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for two amazing weeks where we rode an elephant and watched dolphins playing as the sun set over the Indian Ocean.

Now it's back to reality and a house move! Back to the cardboard boxes!

More 'official' photos and details soon! These are just two lovely snaps taken by our best friend and my auntie.

Pretty in Pink

2010-09-06T12:02:00.002+01:00

Click to enlarge

Gouache, pencil crayon and digital.

Messing about with paint...

2010-09-02T17:55:00.003+01:00

Click to enlarge

In preparation for my next book I've been playing around with combining a looser drawing style, paint and ink and photoshop. I'm quite pleased with these. I've been looking at the brilliant Madeline books as well as looking again at my favourite, Mary Blair.

Having a lot of messy fun!

The Débutante...

2010-08-31T17:56:00.001+01:00

Click to enlarge.

I bought some new inks at the weekend. Just trying them out...

Edinburgh and a Suspicious Group of Suspicious Suspects...

2010-08-31T14:09:00.002+01:00

Click to enlarge

So I'm back!

Not last weekend, but the weekend before I spent a couple of days up in Edinburgh for the book festival! I should really have updated the blog before now, but I didn't seem to find the time.

Here is what I did up in Edinburgh:

* stopped in a lovely hotel and people watched from the enormous Georgian windows.

*Winced when i saw one of the decorators on the top floor of the building opposite reaching out whilst wobbling about on a rusty old ladder.

* Trotted up and down Princes St dong a bit of shopping and spending far too long in all the Waterstones.

* Did my very first event for my new book ( out today!) The Baddie, which went very well, but being an idiot I forgot to bring my camera so you'll just have to take my word for it that the 3D rockets we made were sparkle-tastic and coloured in marvelously . A lovely group of children and some very nice and helpful grown ups as well.

*Then I met up with the lovely Ellie Parkin from Scholastic and her friendly husband Phil (you can see a picture of them here - thanks Sarah!)who whisked me out for a delicious dinner at Tigerlilly on George Street. It was lovely!

* We then zipped across town to watch the hilarious Idiots of Ants at the Pleasance Courtyard.

*Then we wandered back to the New Town and settled in to Guille Dhu for a little pre- bedtime drink. There was traditional Scottish music being played and then an old actress from Corrie wandered about in a ball gown before bustling up stairs for her cabaret show. We went back to our hotels then...

* The next morning I trouped down Princes St in the drizzle to see the Impressionist Gardens Exhibition which was wonderful. I really enjoyed it and lost myself for a couple of hours amongst the beautiful gardens of France and Italy. There were also some from America which I was surprised by and liked very much. What I didn't like was the number of people wearing waterproof trousers when there was only a light shower going on outside, but that's probably my issue that I need to work through. I did some sketching of the other gallery wanderers (2nd and 3rd pictures above)

* I went for a hot chocolate and a cupcake as I was feeling a bit cold, then I set off for my MY MUM HAS X-RAY VISION event.

* The event went well. Lots of very funny, and very sweet little children who kept me on my toes and didn't mind that I kept forgetting that I was wearing a radio mic and kept wandering to close to the speakers and creating and unholy racket! The children just carried on colouring and drawing and telling me fun facts about all sorts of things. Mainly about monsters.

* I was then reminded by a 3 year old ( 2nd picture) to tell everyone that they could take the pictures they had drawn home with them but if they took the clipboards I would be told off. Thank you helpful girl!

* Then I signed some books and dashed off to meet the amazing Sarah McIntyre and her husband, who I think I might have scared a little bit by being *very* excited when he told me he works at one of the Harry potter filming locations...

* Sarah was lovely, and although I was a bit star struck ( to the extent that I forgot to get her to sign a copy of her brilliant book) we had a lovely chat over a cup of tea and some cookies. If we'd have had more time we would have swiped everything off the table like when Arthur in Eastenders went mad and got out our pens and paper and drawn like lunatics. Next time Sarah!

Then I got the train home and tried to catch up with myself!

Thank you to all the people at Meadowside Children's Books and Scholastic Children's Books for all your help and for making my events up in Edinburgh go smoothly. Special thanks must go to Queen of Organisation at Scholastic, Alex Richardson, who provided me with The Typed TimeTable of Amazingness which kept me informed of exactly what I should be doing and when. Brilliant! And to Ellie and Phil who kept me company and entertained for my time up there.

---------

The top picture above is a page from my sketchbook of suspects from the MARPLE on tv last night. I am a MASSIVE fan of Miss Marple, and am now wondering if I can get someone to write a mystery novel set in the 1950s for me to illustrate!