Filming in Furness

Cast and crew

 Exhausted after a long day shooting the promotional film for Raven's Hoard with Stuart Appley of Comley Media. I am always astounded when watching Stuart how he manages to isolate scenes from my book and then fit them together so brilliantly. He sets up the scenes just as I imagined them and the end result is breathing life into my written words.

We travelled extensively today-visiting Barrow Library, Rampside Church, The                          Concle Inn, Aldingham Motte, Gleaston, Dalton church and Furness Abbey. The weather was kind to us and we got lots done. There is a brief shot tomorrow on the beach with a horse and rider and then next Saturday morning to see a brief Viking raid! All in a day's work! 

Tom and Dolly form Raven's Hoard

I have an exciting and busy few weeks planned. There are visits and signings, events and fairs-a wide variety which I hope will get the book reaching a much wider audience.

I had a lovely time today and it was made special by the people who joined us. Some I have known for a while, others are new acquaintances and the children are all people I have taught some years ago. Its lovely to see how they have grown up and little glimpses of those 5 and 6 year olds peep through every now and again.  They are amazing and so mature-it was a genuine pleasure to meet them again-on a very different footing.

I am privileged to be going on Friday to see The Sound of Music at the Forum. Lewis, Connor and Amy are all appearing in it. I'm sure there will be a tear in my eye as I watch. I am equally sure that I will remember them as they were in our modest little Christmas productions too. How nice that even though I have ended my teaching career that I am still able to connect with them in my new author capacity.

Stuart directing Lewis and Izaak for their scene on Birkrigg

Connor as George and Amy and Lewis at Barrow Library with the green screen

Library visits, e-books and tweets

What a great way to spend Saturday morning! I was privileged to join some very smart young people at Barrow Library this morning for their Reading Group. We had a lovely time chatting about writing, reading and of course "Out of Time". Four of the youngsters had already read the book and one was half way through. By the end of the session 2 more had borrowed the library copies:) I hope I can visit again-perhaps when I've got Raven's Horde finished?
I'm over there again on Monday evening this time for the Teenage Book Club-should be fun!
After that-nothing much until January! Ah well-lots of writing time then-in between family Christmassy things.
Looking at book sales today-still going very well, but a bit disappointed with e-book/Kindle sales. Not sure how one increases these sales-more tweets perhaps-and  think I need a wider range for touring schools to get things moving. Ah well-all for New Year I think.

Deep thoughts and deliberations

Grey days and self examination seem to go well together. The mood is sombre and I suppose thats what allows negative thoughts to creep into the psyche like little grey maggots! Its been a funny old year-what with huge upheaval in the employment arena, yet offset with the excitement of bringing out a new book. As we approach the end of the year I can't help but appraise the long months of uncertainty and change. Its been a very challenging time but I hope that a stronger forward movement will occur next year! I am more and more sure that writing is now an important and permanent part of my daily life and I probably need to accept that the old life has gone-I doubt will ever rekindle(no pun intended) the old teaching career-where writing was a hobby and teaching my job-I am now feeling that these two will be completely reversed-which is an odd thought!

However, I am delighted with the book's response and look forward to the up coming publication of Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle. I have had many experiences I never thought to have had-the latest one, signing books in the illustrious drawing room of John Ruskin no less at Brantwood. I am still reeling from this-what an amazing weekend -who knows where I'll end up next. Well obviously, I know some places-Barrow AFC on 3rd December, Chetwynde Hotel at the Rotary Christmas Fair a day later and finally on 18th December Furness Abbey Christmas Fair! I have two visits to Barrow Library planned too to the reading group and the Teens book club-can't wait!

It will be a lovely end to the year and I am putting together dates and venues for next year now. If your school, group or society wish to invite me to do a session, signing or visit please contact me via my email, website etc. Dont forget that Out of Time is in a number of outlets-Lancaster, Barrow, Carlisle Waterstones, Tinner's Rabbit Ulverston, Brantwood, Coniston, Abbey Cafe, Furness Abbey and via the usual outlets online and the Dystonia Society website-Oh and of course its out on Kindle and e-books too!

Spooky times

Wow! What an exciting and scary weekend! The reading at Walney library has led to further sessions being booked in December with other reading groups at Barrow Library which is exciting. On Saturday, at Lancaster Waterstones in Market Street the staff welcomed me and made me feel very comfortable. I spent a few hours signing and met the other author Henry Brooks,who was signing at the same time which was very interesting-a fellow Cumbrian it turns out! I the evening I attended a"ghost tour" at Morecambe Winter Gardens, which was very scary indeed. Sunday though had to be the icing on the cake. There was a Halloween event at Furness Abbey and I was reading from Out of Time in the infirmary. It was very atmospheric with candles and the children loved it. A special thanks to Leeann who acted as my "monk" appearing at the relevant time from under a black cape in the corner-one little chap said "Is it real?" and another "That monk's got glasses". All in all a successful evening, with the bat walk, the abbey walk and the food at the excellent Abbey Cafe (though I would have liked a pie...). The best part of the evening was meeting my inspiration for Mason the groundsman-the real Mr Tom Burrows-who asked me to sign his copy of the book. He is so sweet and has been reappraising his role by telling people where the key items are in the abbey. Oh-and I also got another idea which is bound to appear in the next book!