Book birthdays are always nice.
If you've never heard of a book birthday - well, it's the day when your book officially comes out in the shops. And today is the book birthday of Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers! Written by me, and illustrated as ever by the fabulous and fantastic David Tazzyman, without whom...
If you've never heard of a book birthday - well, it's the day when your book officially comes out in the shops. And today is the book birthday of Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers! Written by me, and illustrated as ever by the fabulous and fantastic David Tazzyman, without whom...
I'm really proud of this book. I mean, I'm proud of all my books, and I'm certainly proud of the whole Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face series; but I'm feeling particularly proud and pleased with this one at the moment. I do honestly think I've written a very clever story.
The thing is... well, if you're a S&KF fan, you'll know that Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face know that they're in a story. And sometimes the story sort of intrudes upon itself, like in Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Quest for the Magic Porcupine when Miss Butterworth takes a look at the library's copy of Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Quest for the Magic Porcupine so that she can advise our heroes. Or in Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Bees of Stupidity, when they get a note from the writer to tell them they're in the wrong place.. |
In Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers, those villainous badgers get hold of a copy of Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Great Big Story Nickers and start mucking about with it. And this causes difficulties - not just for Stinkbomb and Ketchup-Face, but for me, my editor Kathy, and our designer Karen. Because when characters in a story are making changes to that story - some of them quite big changes... Well, it gets complicated.
And as if that wasn't complicated enough, we held a competition. You know those competitions where the winner gets to be in a story? One of those. So there's a young chap called Alfred Kendon-Furtado who keeps popping up and adding to the complications.
But however complicated it gets, it's still an awful lot of fun. Why not get hold of a copy and see for yourself! And to get you in the mood, here's First Draft with the Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face theme song!
And as if that wasn't complicated enough, we held a competition. You know those competitions where the winner gets to be in a story? One of those. So there's a young chap called Alfred Kendon-Furtado who keeps popping up and adding to the complications.
But however complicated it gets, it's still an awful lot of fun. Why not get hold of a copy and see for yourself! And to get you in the mood, here's First Draft with the Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face theme song!
Of course, I'm not the only one having a book birthday today. A glance at my Twitter feed suggests that the first Thursday in May is a very popular publication day, and some of my other author friends have new books to celebrate. I know that the new Young Bond book, Heads You Die, by the fabulous & fun Steve Cole is out today, and School for Dads by the lovely Adam & Charlotte Guillain (and illustrated by Ada Grey) is also in the shops.
But a special mention has to go to my very best author pal Jo Cotterill for her gorgeous A Library of Lemons. This is a really, really lovely and moving book about grief, friendship, and the power of books. It made me cry, in a good way. Do get yourself a copy.
Jo and I are having a book launch party tomorrow in Oxford to celebrate our new books - any librarians, writers, booksellers, reviewers etc. reading this who would like an invitation, please leave a comment to that effect. And any other author friends with a book out today - do let me know! |
UPDATE:
Paula Harrison has some very shiny new books out today. And several lovely writers including Susie Day, Elen Caldecott and Sally Nicholls have a collaborative book out - 12 short stories by 12 great authors.
Paula Harrison has some very shiny new books out today. And several lovely writers including Susie Day, Elen Caldecott and Sally Nicholls have a collaborative book out - 12 short stories by 12 great authors.
UPDATE 2:
Jonathan Meres is celebrating the publication of his TENTH 'World of Norm' book today!!!
And UPDATE 3;
My lovely friend Cas Lester sees the latest of her Nixie the Bad Bad Fairy books in the shops today, too!
Jonathan Meres is celebrating the publication of his TENTH 'World of Norm' book today!!!
And UPDATE 3;
My lovely friend Cas Lester sees the latest of her Nixie the Bad Bad Fairy books in the shops today, too!