Out on the event trail again today, this time to Borders in Lakeside, Thurrock, for a /particularly/ excellent bookshop-type bash. Seven awesome authors – and me! – were given the opportunity to speak to students from eight schools in the local area. In an unusual twist the audience were divided up into small mixed groups and the authors gave our talks simultaneously, until a whistle blew and everyone changed places. If you examine the photo below – with the eye of faith! – I think you can just about see Stuart Hill doing his stuff for another group in the distance!

The talks were short – half an hour each – and a longish journey meant I only had the chance to do two, but both were great fun. In fact at one point I got so excited that my head exploded.

Ahhh, all right. Technically, it’s true, my head didn’t explode: when this pic was taken I was standing in front of a window, with the sun shining strongly behind me. But I’ve got exactly the kind of dopey, surprised expression that I’m certain I’d be wearing if I ever did get so excited my head exploded. And I was certainly happy enough! 😉

My thanks to Sue for inviting me, and to everyone I spoke to today – but especially to JAKE, pictured here on the far left, for asking some terrific questions and generally being a thoroughly splendid fellow (cheers, Jake!) And thanks, too, to the magnificent Mr Graham Marks, one of the aforementioned awesome authors, for kindly giving me a lift back home. 😉

Today was great, but I’m enormously excited about /tomorrow/. I’ve got another Carnegie event (see previous post) in the morning, which I’m thoroughly looking forward to. Then in the afternoon I’m travelling to Leicester, to attend a fabulous-sounding awards party (there are going to be jugglers, and everything!) where the winner will be announced of the Leicester Book of the Year Award for Teenage Fiction.

And – get this! – Black Tat is on the shortlist! Together with:

BEING by Kevin Brooks

THE ANGEL COLLECTOR by Bali Rai

JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen, and-

BERSERK by Ally Kennen.

I have read all the books on this list, and was massively impresssed – not to say intimidated – by every one of them. And Bali Rai and Kevin Brooks are going to be at the do. Wha… [pauses to wave arms in the air like a highly caffeinated Muppet-!] …it should be a brilliant evening! I’ll keep you posted. 😉

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