OUT NOW!
News
LAUGH OUT LOUD
I'm dead chuffed to tell you that one of my poems 'Laughing Your Head Off' has been chosen Macmillan Children's Books to be included in their new poetry anthology called 'Laugh Out Loud'. The book is available in all good book shops.
DRIVING THE INVISIBLE BUS
My third collection of children's poems is now available. It's called 'Driving The Invisible Bus'. It features loads more funny, crazy, quirky and entertaining poems for kids aged 7 to 11. Copies are £4 each including P&P. For details on how to buy a copy please e-mail me or catch me live in a library somewhere!
AWARD WINNING SHINE MAGAZINE
In October 2007 I hosted the Youth Justice Board/Arts Council Just Creativity
Awards held at the Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds. This awards ceremony
is about celebrating the work the arts provides in youth justice. I was
very pleased to be nominated for an award in the Outstanding Partnership
category alongside Kirklees Youth Offending Team for the magazine we produced
called "Shine". The competition was of a very high standard, but
managed to WIN.
I was delighted because Kirklees YOT have really embraced
the work I have been doing with them and their young people and the magazine
is a testament to all this hard work. So well done everyone involved!
MICHAEL MORPURGO
I recently hosted an event with children’s writer Michael Morpurgo at the Leeds Town Hall. 1200 people came along to hear Michael talk about his books and where he gets his ideas. I warmed the audience up and introduced him. He was a lovely bloke, down to earth and friendly. He even asked me if I wanted a cup of tea. Tea with Morpurgo. Sounds like one of his stories.
YORKSHIRE ARTSPACE
My good friend the artist Trish O’Shea was recently Artist–in Residence at the Town Hall in Sheffield. Yorkshire artspace commissioned me to write a response piece to the work that Trish had been doing. It was a bit of a challenge to me because this is not the kind of work I normally do but I think its good to challenge your self now and again. The piece was called The Space In-Between and will be included in a publication out next May.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS IN EDUCATION
I’m happy to say that I’ll be working on another NAWE project next year. I’ll be working alongside Riverside Primary school in Tadcaster in January 2009. I’ll be talking to the pupils there about poetry and generally messing about with words and ideas. I really enjoyed the last NAWE thing I did and look forward to this one.
TOM PALMER
My old mucker Tom Palmer has a new book out called Foul Play which is published by Puffin. I was dead chuffed when I found out that Tom had got this publishing deal with a major publisher. He really deserves it. The book is brilliant, fast paced, lively and gripping. It’s about football but even if you don’t like football you’ll like it. The last time I saw Tom he took a fiver off me at pool. But don’t worry, I’ll get him next time. (besides, I think he cheated, talk about Foul Play!!)
Other Interesting Stuff
There is all sorts of other interesting stuff coming up. I’m going to work with Creative Partnerships on a school project as well as working in Rotherham on a writing project called Working Heroes. Keeps me out of trouble.