Spooky stories getting darker!

Well its almost here-the time for publication of my third YA fantasy story Out of Time 3: The Cistercian Conspiracywww.out-of-time.co.uk! The official release date is 28th November but I have advance copies...many of them! Nothing makes the heart skip a beat more than unwrapping the new book for the first time! I am particularly pleased with this one as the cover is even more spectacular and mysterious than the previous two. 

I absolutely love the cover and it is just as I envisaged it-thanks to a talented young man called Stuart Appley who has a company called Comely Media. He is a great historian and is in tune with my ideas-as evidenced by the cover and the promo films he did previously. Equally, congratulations go to Troubador Publishing and their Matador imprint-the quality of the book is excellent once again.

So what of the story? Well without giving too much away (after all I do want you all to actually buy it) this is a darker and more desperate tale. The story focuses on the third sibling in Out of Time and we meet new and old characters. Another time frame is introduced and we explore a real event in the rich history of Furness Abbey, the notorious murder of Abbot L or J depending on which interpretation you use. The story culminates in a fight with the dark side to win the treasure but the end leaves the reader with a cliff hanger!

To celebrate the third book I will be signing at a range of venues; kicking off with Dalton Library and Waterstones in Barrow-in-Furness on Saturday 29th November. I will post further details soon and I will be engaging with schools in the Cumbria area, offering author days and workshops. In 2015 I will hopefully be extending my reach to other areas as well and if you would like me to visit your bookshop, school or group you can locate me on the new website - www.out-of-time.co.uk -again created by another talented person-Naomi Chadd of Windmill Websites.

Fairs, freezing, fighting and Faffing about

Well after the rains comes the frost...I know EH have reassured us-after sending surveyors down, that the Abbey has not suffered lasting damage after the floods...but the pessimist in me thinks otherwise. I cannot see how-when the initial problem with the foundations is due to degeneration of the oak floats, that more rain  in one day than is usual in a month is not damaging. Then fast on its heels is this ice and frost...I dread to think what is going on in the soaked foundations now! However, I will wait to see the outcome of the next meeting. I have to say I don't buy the comment "its in a valley" either-the monks definitely didn't spend 400 years paddling about in wellies...they managed the water course and this has changed...so investigations must be undertaken to see what has changed to fetch copious amounts of water straight in to the abbey precinct and cloister.

With the ice I had a treacherous journey to Whitehaven on Thursday!Twas terrifying and I was not keen to be skating off black ice... the journey took 2.5 hours instead of 1.19 as described by the AA. It was all worth it though because I had a wonderful day at ST Begh's Junior School doing my author thing! The staff and the kids were so friendly and welcoming and I had great fun!Thank you for inviting me!

It was busy busy busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday... I had to present certificates for the "Six Book Challenge" at Jubilee House for people facing massive challenges from all kinds of issues. They were inspirational and I was proud to be there...we could all take a leaf out of their books...if you will pardon the pun? 

Embarrassingly, the same Evening Mail photographer followed me down to the Dock Museum where I joined fellow authors for another photo -publicity for the Author day on Saturday. It looks exciting because there will be 22 local authors all under one roof. I've long cherished the notion of such an event and I am delighted that the Dock Museum are innovative enough to embrace it-and it will be brilliant to showcase the local literary talent. The event will be from 11am to 4pm and authors and poets will be reading from their works.

oldest and youngest members of FAF

Saturday was hard, hard work...we had a Christmas Fair for Furness Abbey Fellowship. It was sparsely attended and we did not make much money-but it was our first proper event. 






Sunday-today was perishing cold but that did not stop our intrepid group, Comely Media and the re-enactment group Iron Shepherds and help from Bjarni Thorvaldrson a local "viking" from braving the cold to present a Living history camp. They showed medieval food, crafts and activities and gave fight demonstrations throughout the day. Thanks must go to Stuart Appley for organising and Abbey Mill Cafe for supporting us and for the warm drinks too. This is just the beginning...watch this space!

The gangs all here

Anna, Martin and Stuart

Bjarni tucking in to some lunch

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

Visits, projects and fellowship

Had a good day at Newbarns Primary school with the writing group. Wow! Some fantastic writers...I will have to watch my back! I was astonished at the maturity and high level of expertise they showed-and they are only Year 6! I will not be surprised to see one or more of them in print in the future. It is brilliant to see kids who are so dedicated-that will give up their lunch break to discuss writing.


I am lucky enough to be invited to the Greengate Juniors trip to Furness Abbey(I'm beginning to feel I really belong there now! I may pitch a tent!) So Thursday morning I will be with them and cannot wait. The teachers have some exciting things planned and we just need to pray for good weather again.


I spent a pleasant hour at Abbey Mill Cafe this afternoon-with my mum. We had coffee and cake-well someone has to do it! It was delicious and the weather was...like summer! It is such a lovely setting and Jackie does work very hard to make it a great experience. 


I had an interesting chat with Stuart from Comely Media about a second promo film for Raven's Hoard.I hope that we can work together on some projects in the future as he really is a talented young man. Keep a look out for what we plan and when we film.


Finally, we are collecting prizes for our tent at Barrow Carnival on 30 June. We ...Furness Abbey Fellowship...are fundraising and launching that day. We will have a number of walkers in the parade-watch out for monks and vikings! Come and see us-we will be behind the Town Hall and hope to have lots of fun activities to raise cash for the group and we will be splitting funds between the abbey and the Dock Museum-the latter to help with funding a new display area for the newly acquired Hoard! Come and see us-or if you have chocolate treats and prizes to offer I would be pleased to hear from you.

You've read the book...now see the film!

http://t.co/JIC5gJBH

Well here it is-the much awaited promotional film! I am delighted with the result-well done Stuart Appley of Comely Media-superb result! Thanks to English Heritage, National Trust, Abbey Mill Cafe and St George's, St Cuthbert's and St Mary's churches for the access to your venues. Big congratulations to the cast and crew-who are credited at the end. Please tweet, share and tell people about this film as it will help to expand the reach of the book. Catch you later with my views about the recent finds at Furness Abbey and my visit to Croftland's Infant School-what a week!

Good news

Funny day-bit messed up and had a big queue for petrol (but  really did need it-it was flashing at me)Luckily got some which means that I'm ok for next week when I have the exciting task of accompanying the child actors for the promo film of Out of Time! Cant wait! It now looks good because we have permissions from Furness Abbey, St Georges Church  and Dalton Castle-it will make it so authentic and have great confidence in Stuart Appley and Comely Media. The kids we're using are all wonderful and I have taught 2 of them in a previous incarnation. 


Then if that wasn't good enough I got home and found I had an email from Troubador Publishing with the cover proof! It looks cool and I am excited because it can't be long now till it arrives on my doorstep! So the next issue is the completion of Raven's Quest-it IS almost done-but fine tuning needed and then a final edit.


Sad news about Chetwynde School closing-though I am not surprised everyone is feeling the pinch and I am sure that running a school without government support is difficult. What I do worry about is that 278 odd kids now have to urgently find places for September-long after the schools have accepted next years cohort. Also are there enough places for these children? A tragedy if not-what will happen to their education? Hopefully, Cumbria County Council may come up with a solution...but I won't hold my breath.

Which way?

Phew! Busy old week so far! Made some lovely friends on Saturday at Blackpool Waterstones and even sold some copies of Out of Time. Sunday-a glorious day for walking...and walk we did! 12.2 miles across field and dale-and muddy puddles good training for Keswick to Barrow walk dystonia teams(please see link to sponsor page-every pound helps). http://www.keswick2barrow.co.uk/sponsor/welcome.asp?ID=60
Been busy ringing schools and book stores to promote wider and wider. So far got another signing in Preston at Waterstones. If you know any schools etc who wish to avail themselves of my services please get in touch. Its very hard all this promotion-and as I've said previously not my natural environment-I am getting better, but I am not keen. Don't mind the social networking etc but its hard to cold call shops and schools.
Got a number of school visits coming up-Lindale Primary for a second day with the younger children this time too. Then Cartmel Priory School, Thwaites School near Millom,Dane Gyhll in Barrow,and Walney Secondary School during World Book Week. The piece de resistance is  Waterstones Barrow on World Book Day-a dress up day....hmmm! ot telling-you will have to come and see me!


I'm excited about the promotional film I am going to be doing with Comely Media soon-take a look at their website-good work! The two main parts are sorted and I can see it will be brilliant! Hopefully getting it on Youtube will bring the book to a wider audience.


Still awaiting Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle's arrival-it is just like a pregnancy! He is due 1st August...4 days before my lovely grandson's 3rd birthday. It will be a special birthday present because I have dedicated it to him and to the children of Dalton S Mary's School-who were responsible for its creation.


We are holding a "friends" of Furness Abbey meeting on 22nd March at the Red Lion pub at 7-30pm. We want to see if we can help to support EH in promoting and expanding visitor numbers. We should take a leaf out of David Gill's book at Dalton Zoo-he seems to know what its all about! If you are interested in joining us feel free..we would love to see you.


Work tomorrow-with my lovely TA students. We are progressing well with the new course and hope to be able to run some new ones very soon via Cumbria Adult Learning.

rebirth, reading and reaching the masses

Funny old day today...no motivation whatsoever and that worries me. I finally shook off the sloth at 7 when we had a quarterly meeting of Furness and South Lakes group of the Dystonia Society. A new member came and a few of the old stalwarts...but we are struggling I guess, we have lost members and few younger ones arrive, but we still need to plod on. It will be 15 years in May since our very first event-coincidentally a Tea Party! So we have decided to celebrate by holding another one in awareness week on 19th May...why don't you join us-details to follow soon. We need prizes and publicity-we will be selling tickets and would like to make this a signature event for the year. Later on we are holding an awareness day where sufferers and public alike can join with us to learn more about this horrible condition.www.dystonia.org.uk


Tomorrow will be an interesting one-I am meeting at Abbey Mill Cafe with Iain McNichol the history man and Comely Media to arrange some filmic publicity of a high quality-if you don't believe me-take a look at the website. On Saturday I will be signing books at Blackpool Waterstones-this is the furthest afield that have gone and hopefully heralds an extension to the reach of my book. Please come and see me if you are in the vicinity.


Next week back to the "infinite variety" that has become my career-Time Investigators, Explorers clubs for Y6 kids, Teaching Assistant's courses, governor duties, meetings and a visit to Leeds Uni with Freya. Writing...haven't done a lot this week despite trying very hard-probably get more done in the impossibly bust weeks ahead!


News on the new book-Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle should be out by 1st August-hopefully sooner! More later ...