creative writing | creative life
Hello dear Reader!Yesterday (Tuesday Nov 5) was ANNOUNCEMENT DAY.Yep, we announced the winners of the 2019 Scribbles Creative Writing Awards (or CWAs as we affectionately call them).Now. Girl and Duck is a smooth machine. But we’re a small machine. So, in order to pull off a competition of this magnitude (and trust me it was …
Continue reading "Scribbles Creative Writing Awards Winners! Plus, Behind the Scenes!"
Sometimes, weird shit happens when you write books and stories. Actually. Scrub that. Replace sometimes with all the time. When we write stories we tap into our subconscious. But, I believe we also tap into the collective unconscious. In my opinion, the collective unconscious informs and fuels the imagination. I see the imagination as a …
Hello, dear reader. Do you remember the Ponds Institute? Here at girl and duck HQ, I desperately wanted to call our new school, The Pond Institute. In loving memory, of course. And so I could justify a lab coat. But. I didn't want to get sued. So, we have opened the girl and duck …
Lights! Camera! Book Week! I LOVE dressing my characters. I have to know what they're wearing, in order to get a true sense of them. Over the years, loads of readers (and their parents) have sent me their Book Week, Truly Tan pics. But there's plenty more inspiration in my books. Here's my own little …
Continue reading "Let’s dress up! Book Week costumes a-plenty. Send me your pics!"
Generally speaking, tweenies are kids in the 8 -12 age group. But in the world of children's books, the category is tighter. Somewhere along the line, astute marketing execs identified a subset. These are kids aged about 10 -12, and their needs and interests are complex, often contradictory. As most parents will tell you, a couple of …
Continue reading "Chick lit for tweenies. Ten tips to get you started"
Lights! Cameras! Book Week! I LOVE dressing my characters. Over the years lots of readers (and their parents) have sent me their Truly Tan pics from Book Week. I've compiled my own little parade to give you some ideas. See below. Scroll down for other costume ideas, too! Plus a little bit about my next …
Continue reading "Book Week costumes and another TV appearance!"