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I’m VERY EXCITED that ‘A Hen in the Wardrobe’  has been included on this lovely shortlist – announced today in The Telegraph. http://www.branfordboaseaward.org.uk/BBA%202013/BBAshortlist.html Here’s the blurb: Ramzi’s dad is acting very strangely. He’s sleepwalking because he’s homesick for his native Algeria. So Ramzi, Dad and Mum go back to Dad’s Berber village in the desertContinue reading “Branford Boase Award (2013) Shortlist Announced!”

  At last! I’m allowed to share Wendy Quill’s brand-new, not-at-all second-hand book trailer! It’s for ‘Wendy Quill is a Crocodile’s Bottom’ – which isn’t actually out until May. So this trailer is hot off the press and my publishers have only just released it. And the absolute best bit: all the illustrations (and theContinue reading “Wendy Quill’s brand-new not-at-all second-hand book trailer”

This week, I’ve been busy trying new things. You know, things I’ve NEVER done before. Not sure why my brain chose this particular week. Perhaps it’s because it’s January and everyone looks a bit blue? Or maybe it’s because I’ve got a deadline so I’m busy finding ‘other things’ to do? Whatever the reason, let me tellContinue reading “Thing One and Thing Two …..”

To all those budding children’s writers out there, I’ve decided to give you all a bit of a advice. Here’s the thing. If you really, really, want to be a writer (whoops, bit spice girly), then it’s important that you ‘find your own voice’. What on earth does she mean, I hear you ask? (Well,Continue reading “Finding your (slightly silly?) ‘Voice’”

First of all, a BIG SORRY for taking a little break from posting on this site, but I’ve got a really good excuse! Honest! Yesterday, my second EVER book came out …. (*little drum roll please*) But writing it wasn’t the hard part. Oh no. Doing the front cover and the pictures inside was theContinue reading “Judging a Book by its Covers”

I don’t believe it!!! Finally, the day has come and my first ever book is OUT!  Wohooo!  It’s about a boy called Ramzi Ramadan, his best-friend Shaima Stalk, and a dad who keeps doing crazy things in the night. Like getting stuck up trees and trying to sail to the moon in the bath! IContinue reading “It’s A Hen’s Book Birthday!!!”

OK. I admit it. I’m just ever so slightly excited. *whohoo!* What started out as a little idea has turned into a real thing! And there’s lots of them, sitting above my fireplace. Between two home-made giraffes. It’s so lovely making things, isn’t it? Cakes, quilts, motorcars, even papier mache giraffes. (I haven’t actually made aContinue reading “The Day the Books Arrived!”

This month, I had a deadline to meet. The artwork for A Hen in a Wardrobe needed to be handed in. At first, I wondered how I’d do it? I mean, it’s not like I’m a real illustrator. I drew a few  very strange pictures and started to panic. But just as I was aboutContinue reading “How to be an illustrator”

Guess what ?!!?  A Hen in the Wardrobe, has just been short-listed for the Muslim Writer’s Awards 2011 (yay!). It’s in the ‘unpublished children’s book’ category as it’s not due out until Feb 2012. I’ve been invited to attend the Award Ceremony in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre!!! It’s on November 22nd and there’ll be loads ofContinue reading “A bit of good news ….”