Writer for Animation, Film, Television, Books, Comics and Audio
Labels are always tricky things. As soon as you give something a label you run the risk of pigeon-holing it and limiting its potential This is true with books as much as anything. When Sorrowline was published in January it was recommended for 9-11 year old readers – a label which I feared might put off older readers. …
Last week I went back to my old school to talk to some of their Year 7 pupils about writing Sorrowline and my career in animation. I’ll admit I was pretty nervous as I pulled into the car park and went into the reception, dodging groups of lunch-time pupils looking at me suspiciously. It’s changed …
I’m thrilled to reveal a project that has been keeping me busy for some time now: the animation studio I founded, Qurios, is animating two lost episodes of classic Doctor Who, and I’m co-producing them. Here’s the official announcement from DoctorWho.tv. Lost episodes of Second Doctor adventure The Ice Warriors are being animated for DVD …
Every year Teesside University hold a week long animation festival called Animex. I’ve been going along for about 11 years and it just keeps getting better and better. It now has speakers and workshops covering games, comics, animation and VFX. In previous years I’ve helped out chairing events but this time I could relax and …
The day I’d been looking forward to and dreading in equal measure had finally arrived: the launch of my very first book, Sorrowline. I’ve done my fair share of public speaking before – mostly as part of my day job as an animation director and producer – but this was different, this was my …
Being an author is a bit like being in a war where you can’t quite see over the ridge ahead of you. Sometimes it feels like nothing is happening, other times it’s an adrenaline-fuelled mad rush with everything coming at you all at once. Fortunately no one is shooting at me, so that’s where the …
The lovely people at New Writing North have got together with Andersen Press and Waterstones Newcastle to organise a terffic launch event on Tuesday 29th January! Not only will Sorrowline get the star treatment, we’ll also be toasting the launch of fellow Northern Writers Award winner Celia Bryce’s teen novel Anthem for Jackson Dawes (Bloomsbury, …
Is it that time again?? So what’s been the best bits about this week? Getting some lovely target-reader reviews from the Discovery Club reading group at Waterstones, Southampton. “I loved it from the first page.” – Zoe 11. Check out the Waterstones Bookseller reviews tab for more. And more reviews on the Love Reading 4 …
Week 2, and its been a busy one! Here are my highlights! Being named Book of the Week by Peter’s Books. Being on a Top Ten list! Guest-blogging on Swapit! Speaking of Swapit you can win a signed copy of Sorrowline as well as pick up 2500 Swapits! Details here! Confirming my first school visit! …