Writer for Animation, Film, Television, Books, Comics and Audio
I’m thrilled to let you know I’ve been appointed as the Patron of Reading for North Durham Academy in Stanley, County Durham. What is a Patron of Reading? A Patron of Reading (PoR) is a school’s special, designated children’s author with whom the school forms a personal attachment. The patron might be a writer …
I’m thrilled to be featured on the Guardian’s website today talking to Charlotte and Eva from the Millennium Riot reading group about being a writer, the power of reading, and casting Benedict Cumberbatch as a bad guy. Read the full article here.
“Something followed me out of my dream. No, not some thing. Some one. Someone followed me out of my dream. He’s watching me now from the end of the bed. He’s called Scissors.” I’ve just finished a short story for the National Literacy Trust for their Premier League Reading Stars programme. Scissors is a creepy …
Isn’t this the best thing ever? This is one of the many ideas of the genius staff at The District of CE Primary school in Newton-le-Willows where I’m Patron of Reading. They’ve jazzed up a small flight of steps with the spines of some of their favourite books, and I’m delighted to be included in …
It’s here at last! My second book is officially published today and it feel so much different to when my first book, Sorrowline, came out. Last year we marked the day with a trip to York and champagne in First Class – I even bought myself a ukulele! That was January last year. This time …
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 …