Mollie Teachers' Notes Chapters 7 & 8

Chapter 7

1. We all need to be able to understand the feelings of others and Mollie is very ‘other-aware’: she has a very good understanding of others, especially of Flora. Although she is always happy with the situation in which she finds herself, she is generally capable of empathising with Flora/with the other person. Would you say that Nan shares this trait? Do you think Nan’s funny stories about school help to make Mollie feel better? Can you recount/ invent some funny school stories of your own?
2. Flora’s emails are quite funny, though they are mostly about herself and her own life. Can you write her email in a different tone, making sure that in the new and improved version she actually shows more care and consideration for the feelings of her daughter? Or you might write an email from Mollie to Shannon in which she tells that she won’t be going to Paris – try to capture the disappointment and Mollie’s determination to put a brave face on it.
3. Nan often uses food to comfort and cheer, and her apple crumble certainly seems to make Mollie feel better. What are the foods that you would choose to eat when you’re feeling low? Design a menu to lift the spirits of even the most downhearted - think chocolate and sticky puddings and … You get the picture!
4. Do you usually understand or empathise with what other people may be feeling? eg Do you understand what’s happening for a classmate when someone calls them a name; do you have a sense of how your shy friend/ classmate feels when asked to answer /stand up in front of the class? Discuss with your partner/ group how safe others feel in your school and if you can think of ways you might improve the atmosphere for the school community. Suggestions could be brought to the Students’ Union/ Council, and/or to the BOM.
5. The cores and peels from the apples used in Nan’s crumble do not go to waste as Nan feeds these to her tiger worms. Composting is an excellent way to observe the life cycle - life, decay/death, re-use/re-birth. Any organic waste, anything that can decompose is biodegradable. Biodegradable materials include eggshells, paper, small pieces of fruit, vegetable peelings, twigs, straw, leaves. All of these materials can be composted at home and at school. Have you ever tried to make a composter? All you need is an old plastic storage bucket/ bin with plenty of holes drilled in sides and a lid (with more air-holes) that fastens securely so that you can shake the container regularly – this will help the compost to mature more quickly. You will find a recipe for compost and helpful hints on http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/5th-+-6th-class/5th-+-6th-class-environme/caring-for-the-environmen/how-to-compost/index.xml
6. Mollie is the victim of both mental and physical bullying. She doesn’t seem to be handling the problem well because she reacts badly to friendly overtures from both Bonny and Landy and immediately regrets this. Do you/ you and your group think it’s important for young people to be able to recognise what influences how they feel and how they react towards others? Do you have strategies to deal with potential problems that may arise in friendships and other relationships? Take a few moments to think about these – it might be useful to list some strategies and add to these as other strategies occur to you.

Chapter 8

1. There are many strong female characters in this book. Alanna runs her own business, Nan lives alone, Flora is a lone parent and TV star/presenter, Mattie Finn is captain of the ferry. Are there any other clues in the book that would lead you to believe that the author is a feminist and believes in equal rights for all?

2. Anything that humiliates you or makes you feel small is bullying. No one has the right to make you feel like this. Bullying includes teasing and name-calling, as well as threatening or harassing behaviour. Ignoring and/ or excluding a child/children from friendship groups is also a form of bullying. Bullies are usually people who want attention, or who are dealing with problems of their own. The way a ‘victim’ responds could show the bully different and more positive ways of coping. Make an anti-bullying poster to display in your school. Include pictures and advice about whom to contact if bullied.

Remember to always tell a teacher, parent or adult if you or a classmate are being bullied. Or you can contact Childline if you need someone to talk to on 0800 1111 (Ireland).

3. Mrs Joseph, the head teacher is ‘… wearing a frown you could plant potatoes in’ (page 83), Granny Ellen used to say that Flora had ‘champagne taste on a lemonade budget.’ Can you think of other interesting and unusual turns of phrase that are sometimes used to let us know more about personality, character and/ or behaviour? See how many you and your partner can think of. Try and use some next time you’re writing!

4. In this chapter, Mollie, Bonny and Lauren experience a range of emotions. Take a few moments to think about these and how the girls might have handled jealousy, uncertainty, feeling left out, anger, pressure to belong and conform to friends’ expectations/demands. Could you rewrite the scene in the head’s office (pp83, 84) and this time have Mollie tell Mrs Joseph the truth. Make sure your chapter ends on an exciting note so that readers will want to continue.

5. Red Moll is a fictional character, but is inspired by Gráinne Ní Mháille or Granuaile, the warrior chieftain who ruled the seas and large areas of land around Co Mayo in the sixteenth century. With a large army and a fleet of ships, this unconventional woman lived by trading and raiding, and her captains demanded payment for safe passage from all who sailed her waters around Clew Bay off the west coast of Ireland. In your group, read more about the ‘Pirate Queen’ and write five of the facts you find most interesting about her life and times. Share these with the class.

6. A very well-known traditional Irish folk song, ‘Óró sé do bheatha abhaile’, celebrates Grace O’Malley and calls on her to help the Irish, though the song may first have been written with Bonnie Prince Charlie in mind! Ask your teacher to play one of the many versions of the song to be found on YouTube. Can you and your class learn and perform the song as the students from Coláiste Lurgan might, in a modern ‘pop’ version? Here are the words of the chorus in case you can’t remember them!

Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile,

(Gráinne Mhaol is coming across the sea)

Óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,

(armed youths with her as her guard)

Gaeil iad féin is ní Gaill ná Spáinnigh

(They are Gaels and not foreigners or Spaniards)

'S cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh

(And they will put put the foreigners to flight).

Mollie Teachers' Notes: Chapters 5 & 6

Chapter 5

1. We realise from the first chapter that Flora is often less responsible than her daughter is and now we see that Flora doesn’t tell Mollie that she can’t meet her as they’d planned. Flora allows her own mother to break the unpleasant news to Mollie. Take a moment to think quietly about what might have caused Flora to shirk the unpleasant task. Can you understand why she might have done so? Can you empathise with her? (Try not to be too hard on her – grown-ups make mistakes too!)
2. Mollie is deeply disappointed that she can’t go to Paris, but there may be other emotions at play in her reaction to the news. Can you name some of these, and say if you think her reaction is understandable? How do you think you’d have reacted to the news? Can you suggest a different and better way to deal with unexpected emotions?
3. Have you ever been away from your family for a long period? Can you imagine what it would feel like to leave your home even for a month? Draw a large heart on an A4 page. Draw a line down the middle to split the heart in two. On one side, write a list of all the things you’d miss about your home if you had to leave. On the other, write a list of the ten things you’d most like to take with you. As you work, think about the choices that refugee children have to make when they are forced to leave their homes, perhaps for ever.
4. Draw some paper dolls, the sort that Mollie used to make with Granny Ellen. [You will find printable dolls and even some clothes with tabs online if drawing isn’t your favourite subject!] Draw or print one for each character you’ve met so far. In each doll-shape, write as many descriptive words and phrases as you can think of for each of the characters. So, Flora’s doll might say ‘disorganised’ ‘irresponsible’ and Mollie’s might say ‘perceptive’ ‘hot-headed’ etc Add more adjectives to the characters as you read through the book.
5. What do you think will happen between Lauren’s twin, Landy and Mollie? Do you think they will get on and become friends? Write your predictions in your notebook and see if you were right when you get to the end. In fact, now might be a good time to write your predictions for all the characters – see if you have the same ideas as the author!
6. Slí an Atlantaigh: Little Bird is a small island off the coast of Ireland and Mollie thinks there it’s boring, boring, boring, with nothing to do and nothing to see, except maybe some tractor-spotting! As you read, make a note of all the attractions on the island, and design a brochure to encourage tourists to visit. And/or choose some part of the Wild Atlantic Way and design a brochure that Fáilte Ireland might use to attract more visitors to our western coast.

Chapter 6

1. Once again, Mollie has had trouble sleeping. Can you list the reasons she might be finding it difficult to sleep? Have you ever found it difficult to sleep? Were you worried /excited about something? Can you recall your thoughts as you lay awake? If you’re lucky enough to sleep soundly every night, close your eyes and try to picture yourself lying awake – what might you be thinking?
   1. Mollie treasures the gloves her granny had knitted for her eighth birthday. Did you ever get a present that meant a great deal to you? If not, visualise something that you would love to receive on your birthday – no cars or swimming pools, please, try to think of something you might be likely to get from an older relative! Describe this present to your partner/group. Don’t tell them what it is, but let them draw or paint as you describe the colour, texture, shape etc Do your recognise your present in the painting(s)? Can you draw the present more accurately? What might the variety of interpretations tell you about the way we see things?
   2. There’s ‘an awkward silence’ after Mollie mentions Alanna’s parents and discovers that they’re ‘not around.’ Have you ever said /asked something that caused embarrassment or awkwardness? Think about some awkward or embarrassing moment and reflect on what gave rise to it. Do such moments teach young people to recognise the importance of care, courtesy and consideration with others?
   3. Alanna gives Mollie a potion to help her sleep, but what she really wants is something to make her feel less lonely. Many primary schools use Buddy Stops for the junior classes, others train senior pupils to make sure no-one looks lonely or friendless in the yard. Can you write a formula or magic potion that might help Mollie/ any child feel less lonely in school? Be creative!
   4. Flora has always liked to move around a lot and so Mollie has been enrolled in many schools. People react to change with varying degrees of excitement, anticipation, fear, anxiety etc Do you view change as an opportunity or as a problem, or might you have mixed feelings depending on the change involved? Take a few minutes to discuss with your partner/ group.
   5. The school uniform Nan brings back is scratchy and beetroot-coloured – (are all school uniforms scratchy?) – but Mollie isn’t used to wearing a full uniform. What is your opinion of school uniforms? You might do a survey on the opinion of your class/ school and/or have a class debate to tease out the advantages and disadvantages of being dressed exactly like all your fellow pupils. You could address your findings to the Students’ Union/Council and/or the Board of Management of your school.

Mollie Cinnamon Teachers' Notes: Chapter 2

1. Granny Ellen had never talked about Nan, and Mollie had never been allowed to ask about it (page 17). Now she guesses that her family background has been discussed by Nan and Alanna, and this irritates her (page 18). It is healthy for us all to develop an appreciation for our family background and a realisation of how it shapes identity, but it is sometimes difficult for us to talk about significant events in our lives.

With a friend, can you discuss how Mollie felt and how you might feel if you knew that others had been discussing your family background? Close your eyes for a moment and think about the things about your family that you don’t want to share with others. Now think about the things about your family that you are happy to share with others. Would you like to share some of the latter with your partner/group/class?

2. Click is the name of the dolphin living in the bay and Mollie is excited to see him as she has never seen a real-life dolphin before. Many people love to swim with dolphins - but dolphins are wild animals and there are safety implications that must be evaluated and assessed before we jump into the water with a dolphin! Discuss the risks/ possible dangers and the best way of dealing with a situation where your friend might want to get in and swim (with or without a dolphin) in an unsupervised area. What could you say or do to persuade your friend to make a good decision? What might you do if your friend made a decision that might lead them in to danger?

3. Nan has to tell Mollie something about St Brigid when she explains that the little straw dolls dressed in white cotton skirts and green cloaks are called Brideogs (page 24). Strangely, it was traditional for the man of the house to twist straw or rushes to form these little dolls! Can you think of a reason for this? The children of the house would have gathered the first buds or flowers of spring, pretty stones and green leaves to decorate the Brideogs. Can you find some other folk customs practised on the feast of Brigit/ Brigid? Which is your favourite? Try to write at least five interesting facts about Bríd and the ancient celebration of Imbolc. You might write these facts in the shape of a Brigid’s cross.

4. Have you ever heard anyone recite the first line or two of this poem on Lá ‘le Bríde? Generations of Irish people learned ‘Cill Aodáin’ when they were at school. It was written by Antoine Ó Raifteirí (Raifteiri).

‘Anois teacht an Earraigh beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh

Is tar éis na Féile Bríde ardóidh mé mo sheol…’

(‘Now with the coming of Spring, the day will be lengthening /stretching

And after the feast of Brigid I'll rise up my sail…’)

Many believe he also wrote the well-known ‘Mise Raifteirí an File’, though others say Seán Ó Ceallaigh wrote it as a tribute to the blind poet. Here are the first few lines. What do you feel as you read?

Mise Raifteirí an file,

Lán dóchas is grá,

Le súile gan solas,

Le ciúnas gan chrá….’

(I am Raftery the poet,

Full of hope and of love,

With eyes that don’t see,

With peace without trouble.)

The first four lines of this poem appeared on the old Irish £5 note. Can you find an image of this note?

old irish five pound note

5. Do some research on the life of the poet. He had a sad life but his poems are still read and appreciated to this day. Imagine you can inform him of his continued relevance in the 21st century. Visualise his reaction. Can you write the dialogue you and he might have if you were to meet him/his ghost?

6. Granny Ellen was very superstitious, always saluting single magpies to ward off bad luck. She avoided walking under ladders and stepping on cracks in the pavement and picked up pins and “lucky pennies” all the time. She also made wishes on all kinds of things: shooting stars, rainbows, engagement rings. Many people make a wish as they stir a Christmas pudding, or when they eat the first new potato of the year though it is best not to expect too much from wishes as you might well be disappointed! Some religions frown on making wishes /practising superstitions - can you think why? Make a list of other occasions that might cause Granny Ellen to make a wish/ and/or make a list of other superstitions commonly practised by people today.

6. ‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride’ is a saying or a proverb that may date back to the 16th century

Your wish: Take a day to think about something you really wish for. You might write it in your secret diary, or on a slip of paper that you could roll or fold and hide in a safe place. Or you might type and then print your wish in class, and when everyone has done this, you could create a collage of wishes, or hang them on a branch of a tree and create a wishing tree.

I Don’t Have an Agent – Where Should I Send My Work?

I put this together for my writing class at the Irish Writers Centre. It might be useful to you also. Here are the submission details of the main Irish children’s publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts: O’Brien Press, Little Island, Penguin Ireland, Poolbeg Press, and Mercier. The information is taken from their websites. The Little Island guidelines are particularly useful.

Good luck!

O'Brien Press - Submission Guidelines

Thank you for considering sending your manuscript to The O'Brien Press. We are committed to new and developing talent, and encourage any aspiring authors to send their writing in to us.

However, please note the following:

We publish mainly children's fiction, children's non-fiction and adult non-fiction. We generally do not publish poetry, academic works or adult fiction.

Due to the high level of submissions we receive, unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned. As such, please do not send us any original work, illustrations etc. Note also that stamps from countries other than Ireland are of no use to us!

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, O'Brien Press is not in a position to offer critiques of any unsolicited manuscripts we receive.

Should your submission be 1000 words or less then you may submit your work in its entirety. Please number all the pages of your submission appropriately. For anything in excess of this length -- for example a children's novel -- a synopsis and 2 or 3 sample chapters is more than adequate.

We will only accept submissions/proposals/artwork etc, via the post. Please do not email your work to us.

Please send submissions to Submissions Department, The O'Brien Press, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland.

Please allow a minimum of 8/10 weeks response time. As the number of unsolicited manuscripts requiring review by our editorial team can be quite high, sometimes this process can take longer. Please do bear with us.

At The O'Brien Press, we are very conscious of the environment and recycle as much paper as we possibly can. We would therefore encourage you not to use excess paper clips, staples, folders, etc.

Little Island - Submission Guidelines

Little Island is always on the lookout for quality fiction for children and teenagers, and you are welcome to send us your manuscript for consideration. You don’t need to have an agent – but submissions from agents are also welcome. As an Irish publisher, we tend to give preference to books with an Irish connection (though we also publish books in translation).

What we are looking for:

Fabulous writing (Take a look at Good Red Herring.)

Great stories (Take a look at Fennymore and the Brumella.)

Nightmare Club stories (1800–2000 words) Annie Graves doesn’t really write these books. If you can write a funny spooky story for the 7+ age group in Annie’s voice, we’ll consider it.

Storybooks for younger children (max 20,000 words, shorter is better) Funny, adventurous, sad or thoughtful. (Take a look at The Powers, for example.)

Novels for older children (25,000–45,000 words) We are on the lookout for well-written novels for children that tell a good story. (Take a look at The Keeper or Bartolomé – super writing, great stories.)

Novels for teenagers (max 65,000 words, shorter is better) We publish novels for younger teenagers and also for ‘young adults’ (15+). Funny, sad, romantic, fantastical, sassy, grittily realistic, tough, amusing, puzzling – we’re open-minded. (Take a look at Grounded or Primperfect.)

What we are not looking for:

Books by children (Sorry if that sounds mean; we have our reasons, but we can’t go into them here.)

Trilogies (or books with several sequels planned)

Books that have been previously self-published

Sequels to self-published books

Issue-driven books (Stories that deal with issues are fine, that’s different.)

Books about fairies or angels (They are just not our kind of thing.)

Horror (No, you can’t count The Nightmare Club!)

Dystopian fiction (Nothing against it, but we’re full up on that one.)

Stories with accompanying illustrations

A book your children/grandchildren love because you wrote it and it’s about them (Great if they love your book for other reasons, of course.)

Books that treat children as if they are under-cooked adults

Books with the word ‘snot’ in the title

Stories that start from the premise that the main character’s father has got a new job and the family has had to move

Some advice on submitting:

We only publish about eight or nine books a year. This means we have to absolutely love a book before we can even think about publishing it. So you will have the best chance if you send us your book when it is as sparklingly wonderful as you can possibly make it. The reason is that we get lots and lots of manuscripts, some of them fabulous, some of them really rather good and some of them just not working. The ‘really rather good’ ones are problematic for us. These may turn out to be fabulous in the end, but if there’s an already-fabulous book that we can have instead … well, obviously, that’s the one that is much more likely to get published.

If you have a good idea but are not sure how to develop it, by all means give us a ring and we’ll have a chat – but it’s better not to send us a tentative or underdeveloped manuscript.

So get cracking on your fabulous book and knock our socks off!

How to submit and what to expect:

If you are submitting a short book for younger children, you may as well send the whole thing, along with a covering letter.

If you are submitting a novel, the first forty or fifty pages is enough, along with a one-page synopsis and a covering letter.

We like to get submissions electronically first (you can use the form below to send it via the website). If we’re interested in reading more, we’ll ask you to send hard copy also to: Commissioning Editor, Little Island Books, 7 Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6W.

We will send your manuscript back by post if we are not going to publish it, but only if you send us the postage in Irish stamps.

It can take us a while to get to your manuscript. We do try to acknowledge scripts as they come in, though, so if you don’t hear from us within a short while, then assume it’s gone astray and try again. After we’ve acknowledged your script, give us about three months. Then give us a nudge if you haven’t heard.

What our feedback means:

Sadly, we can’t give detailed feedback to authors whose work we are not going to publish.

We may say that a book ‘does not fit our list’. For example, we don’t publish horror, so if you send us a book set in a dungeon inhabited by a family of vampires and we tell you that it ‘does not fit our list’, that’s just the honest truth. It may be wonderful horror, but it’s not for us.

Another reason that a book does not fit our list could be that we have too many books of that type already on the list (and our list is small – there isn’t much room for duplication).

If we say that your book does not appeal, that is also just the simple truth. It means we did not like it enough to want to publish it. But that is a matter of personal taste as much as anything, and someone else may indeed love it. Don’t be discouraged.

If we feel a book has potential, even though it is not right for us, we’ll try to give you a little advice if we can, but don’t expect a long and detailed critique.

If we really love your book, you’ll know all about it.

Penguin Ireland - Submission Guidelines

We strongly encourage submissions via email, to: submissions@penguinrandomhouse.ie.

If you wish to submit electronically, please send a Word document consisting of a cover letter, short synopsis (no more than 500 words) and the work itself. The cover letter should include a brief summary of your book (a couple of sentences – not a synopsis) and a short note on yourself. Please do not send separate documents: all three elements should be included in a single document.

In the subject line of your email please include:

• your name

• the title of your work

• whether it is fiction or non-fiction

• the initials of the editor you would like to look at your material if you have a preference (check out details of who our editors are and what they publish on the Contact Us page).

So your subject line might read like this: Stephen Green - The Chimneys (F) – BB.

In the body of your email please duplicate the information you have provided in your cover letter. (We ask you to provide this information twice for administrative reasons.)

When you send through your submission, you will receive an automatic email acknowledging receipt.

Hard copy submission:

If you do not wish to submit via email, we also accept paper submissions of between 20 and 40 pages. Please also include a synopsis and a cover letter that includes your contact details (particularly an email address as this is our preferred way to contact you), and post to: SUBMISSIONS at PENGUIN IRELAND, 25 ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN, DUBLIN 2.

We cannot consider hand-written submissions. There is no need to have the manuscript bound or to present it in any special way. Please do not send us the only copy of your manuscript. While we take scrupulous care of the material we receive, it is not possible for us to confirm receipt of hard copy material and we do not accept responsibility for it.

Please note that for administrative reasons we do not return hard copy material, even if you include an SASE or postage.

Response time:

An editor will read your submission as soon as possible. Please allow at least three months for a response; because of the volume of submissions we receive, it is impossible for us to estimate precisely how long a response might take. We are not in a position to give you information about the progress of your submission by phone or email. Unfortunately, it is not possible to give editorial feedback at submission stage.

We are very keen to consider your work, and we thank you for adhering to our submission requirements, which are intended to help us consider it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Poolbeg Press - Submission Guidelines

How to Submit a Manuscript to Poolbeg Press:

All manuscripts are submitted at the author’s own risk. Due to the large number of submissions we are not in a position to acknowledge or return your manuscript. Please do not send your original copy as it will not be returned. If you do not hear from Poolbeg within three months then your work is not suitable for our list.

Please do not send a synopsis only. A synopsis plus a sample of the first six chapters is preferable in hard copy plus a CD containing the word file.

Manuscripts should be typed in double line spacing on one side of the page only (please note for fiction titles the minimum word count should be 100,000 words).

Presentation is important so check spelling and punctuation.

Pages should be numbered.

Please include a CV and short biography on yourself.

Manuscripts and CD copies in word should be addressed to:

Paula Campbell,

Publisher,

Poolbeg Press,

123 Grange Hill,

Baldoyle,

Dublin 13

Mercier Press - Submission Guidelines

Mercier Press is Ireland's oldest independent publishing house and we take great pride in publishing works by Irish authors and bringing them to a global audience. We are happy to accept unsolicited submissions for adult non-fiction. Our list concentrates on Irish interest material, principally Irish history, cookery, biography/memoir, politics/current affairs, sport and lifestyle.

We are not currently accepting unsolicited submissions for adult or children’s fiction or poetry.

Submitting your manuscript to a publisher can be a daunting prospect. It can often be difficult to discover which publishing house is the best fit for your work. Many manuscripts are rejected because they are sent to publishers who do not publish that type of material. You need to check the competition in the marketplace to discover which publishers produce books in your manuscript's category. Go to your local library or bookshop and look for books similar to yours to see who has published them. Read some of them to make certain that you are selecting the right publisher.

You can also find a list of all publishing companies in Ireland and the types of subject they publish at www.publishingireland.com and at www.writing.ie.

Many thanks for thinking of Mercier Press and we look forward to receiving your submission.

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION

Please take time to read the submission guidelines below:

Non-fiction submissions must contain a proposed outline, chapter outline and a sample chapter if available.

All submissions must be accompanied by a submission form which can be downloaded through the below link. This form is intended to help us to assess your project in terms of intended readership, the market and suitability for our publishing programme. If this important material is not included then your proposal will not be considered.

contentfiles/SubmissionForm.doc (see http://www.mercierpress.ie/submit/ )

Submissions can be sent by email to commissioning@mercierpress.ie or by post to Sarah Liddy, Commissioning Editor, Mercier Press, Unit 3B, Oak House, Bessboro Road, Blackrock, Cork, Ireland.

Submission Response:

Due to the high level of submissions we receive, please allow at least three months for a response; it is impossible to estimate precisely how long a response might take and unfortunately we cannot comment individually on every submission.

We prefer to receive email submissions, but if you send your material by mail, please do not send us any original work, illustrations etc. We do not accept responsibility for any material sent to us. If you want your manuscript returned after we have considered it, please enclose an adequately sized self-addressed envelope with adequate postage, or, if you live outside the Republic of Ireland, a sufficient number of International Reply coupons. Please note that non-Irish stamps are not accepted by An Post. Submissions without the correct postage will not be returned and will be discarded.

With a Little Help from Your Friends: Festivals + Friendship

Last weekend my friend, Judi Curtin and I were on stage at the Mountains to Sea Book Festival (I run the children’s bit of it in fact), talking about our friendship. We’ve known each other since her first book (for adults), Sorry, Walter was published in 2003.

Our First Meeting: Judi (who has a much better memory than I do), says I invited her to a writers’ dinner in town and we ate pizza and chatted about books and writing.

Since that time, both of us have written lots of books for young readers. We’ve also gone on two book tours together which I talked about in another post here:

During the talk last weekend the lovely Sarah McIntyre drew this sweet picture of us on stage together:

Sarah McIntyre's sketch of me and Judi

And took a pic of and me and Judi:

me and judi

And of the audience, plus the lovely Philip Reeve, her book writing partner:

me and judi audience

Afterwards we met lots of young readers and signed their books. We also caught up with lots of our writer friends at a big writers’ dinner: Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve (who were wearing the best costumes ever), Oisin McGann, and lots of others, and also met some new friends.

Best costumes ever!

Book festivals are a wonderful way of bringing writers and book lovers together. Over the next few months Judi and I will visit West Cork, Kerry, Dublin and many other places on our Friendship Tour. We’ve both decided that it’s much more fun touring together than alone. Roll on festival season!

What’s your favourite book festival? Who have you met at a book event? I’d love to know!

Yours in books (and festivals and friendship),

Sarah XXX

Sunny Days and Moon Cakes - Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal of Sunny Days and Moon Cakes

Sunny Days and Moon Cakes cover

Sunny Day and Moon Cakes is book 2 in the Songbird Cafe series. It's about a girl called Soon Yi, or Sunny, who has a little sister called Min.

I have two sisters. I’m the eldest, then Kate, then Emma and we are very close. Kate works in marketing and Emma’s back at college at the moment, after teaching Montessori for years. So I know a lot about being a sister!

Sunny has selective mutism, which is an anxiety disorder. She only talks to her sister and parents. It look me a long time to research the condition as I wanted to get it right. I was lucky to meet a mum early on who has two daughters with the condition and she was really helpful, reading my manuscript and talking to me about her daughters’ lives. I also watched a lot of documentaries about the condition and read academic books. An expert in the field, a UK speech therapist called Maggie Johnson was also a great help.It’s amazing how kind people are if you ask them for help with book research!

Songbird Cafe_Mollie final cover

I loved writing Sunny's story and I hope readers will like it too. It's out in September but in the meantime you can read Mollie's story which is out today! 

The Songbird Cafe Girls: Mollie Cinnamon is Not A Cupcake has just been published (Walker Books) and Sunny Days and Moon Cakes will be out in September.

Demon Road - Derek Landy's New Series

FROM THE CREATOR OF SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT COMES DEMON ROAD Harpercollins Children’s Books sign new Derek Landy Series (LONDON - 4 MARCH 2015)

Derek Landy

HarperCollins Children’s Books is delighted to announce a mind-blowing new YA trilogy from Derek Landy, the genius behind the #1 bestselling international genre-busting sensation Skulduggery Pleasant. UK and Commonwealth rights in three titles were acquired by Nick Lake, Publishing Director, from Michelle Kass at Michelle Kass Associates. The first book in the DEMON ROAD trilogy will publish in hardback in September 2015 with the second and third following at six month intervals.

Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...

Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves. Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

Derek Landy says, “Having completely indulged myself whilst writing Skulduggery Pleasant, I needed my new series to be as frenetic, as frightening, and as fun. I am having an indecently splendid time writing about Amber and Milo and the 1970 Dodge Charger they drive (that may or may not have a murderous mind of its own). I am excited that our six-month publishing schedule means that the books will be moving almost as fast as the car itself, as we get them into the hands of our voraciousreaders. Nick Lake and the entire team at Harper Collins Children’s Books have nurtured Skulduggery Pleasant to success with unheard-of care and attention. I am thrilled beyond measure that we get to take this journey on the Demon Road together.”

Nick Lake says, “We first published Derek Landy in 2007 and are so delighted that he’s now taking us to a whole new realm. A filmic thrill-ride, DEMON ROAD is a journey that all of Derek’s fans will want to take – and legions of new readers will

Writing Historical Fiction for Children

Going Back in Time by Brian Gallagher

What’s the worst part of writing historical fiction?  That’s easy - facing the blank page each morning.  (Just like it’s the worst part of writing any kind of fiction.)  And what’s the best part?  That’s easy too – the sheer fun of stepping into a time machine every working day, and going back to a point in history that you find fascinating.

Brian Gallagher

How many jobs are there where you get paid to imagine that you’re present as dramatic events from the past unfold?  Not many, I suspect.  But that’s what a writer of historical fiction does.  Which isn’t to say that it’s an easy job – far from it – but it is an interesting one, where no two days are the same.  And few things beat the thrill of sitting down to plan a new book and wondering what exciting period from the past you’re going to pick..

Readers often ask me was I good at history at school, and - shocking admission – I hated history at school.  Looking back now I can see that it  wasn’t actually history that I disliked, but rather the boring way that it was taught back then.  It seemed to be all about learning off lists of dates, whereas now I love history, but regard it as being about people, great and small, and what they did, and why.  And people, unlike lists of dates, are fascinating.

So when I sit down to write a new book the first thing I do is pick an exciting, action- packed period in which to set my story.  But my next priority is to populate the story with interesting, credible characters that the reader can care about.  So when writing about the past I want to know what people really cared about, but also what songs they were singing then, what kind of food they were eating, what were the hit films and books of the day.  I want to immerse myself in that world so that the reader too can travel back in time, and see things through the eyes of my fictional characters.

Writers have always used libraries to do this sort of research in the past, and today we have the internet to check up on all those tricky little facts and figures that can trip up an author.  For me though, the best research source is always people.  If I can find someone who has lived through the era I’m writing about, I know I’m likely to get the kind of telling detail that really brings a story to life.  And so, having done my research, created my characters, and worked out my plot, all that remains is to travel back in time - and start writing the book…

Brian's New Book

Why I Love History by Nicola Pierce

Well, I think it is that when I research subjects and events from the past, like the sinking of the Titanic or the most important battle of World War II, or the fearlessness of a walled city stubbornly locking out a king’s army I’m on the lookout for the story within the story. Perhaps I’m actually looking for my story within the story, the history.

Nicola's New Book

For example:

What would I have done on the sinking ship, would I have tried to save anyone or would I have jumped into the first lifeboat available? Why do I think Titanic sank?

Would I have stood up to Nazi soldiers? I believe in peace but Hitler and his followers had to be stopped and there was no other way – was there? Would I have joined the army or would I have simply done my best to exist as quietly as possible?

How important is my religion? Would I have fought for it back in 1689/90? Would it have occurred to me that others should be free to practice the religion of their choice? If I had shut the gates of Derry against King James’ army, would I have continued to stand by my decision when children began to starve to death? Would I have gone for the soft option, anything for a quiet life? What is religion worth to me?

Ultimately, as I read my history books, I am constantly asking myself what I would have done had I been there.

As a subject history has always been my favourite, along with English, because it is crammed with great stories, great characters and lots and lots of gossip.

And I don’t care what year it is, people are people.

For instance when I read about King James, who fought King William at the Battle of the Boyne, I can empathise with the fact that, when he was sixteen, his father, King Charles I, was murdered by an angry mob. That must have been terrifying for a boy who was following in his footsteps to be both his father’s son and a king.

Then, in his later years, James converts to Catholicism, his mother’s religion, and thereby loses the love and respect of his two daughters. In fact William of Orange was his son-in-law so his family was ripped apart when James was obliged to leave England after William was invited by Protestant noblemen to invade. Now, that has got to mess with your head. As far as I’m concerned it explains why James’ heart wasn’t in the fight at the Boyne, he decided to retreat almost as soon as the battle was begun.

The story goes that King William didn’t put up a great chase when James took off back to Dublin. It would appear that William did not want to capture his wife’s father which probably would have proved mortifying for all involved.

And so on and so on. Really – I could go on!

When Sarah Met Judi

Judi Curtin

I can’t remember when I first met Judi Curtin. It was almost certainly at a book event. It could have been a festival or a launch or a reading drive. I knew her writing of course, I’d read and enjoyed her first book, Alice Next Door when I was a children’s bookseller and I’ve loved every book since. She has a way of drawing the reader in and a lovely warmth to her writing, and her characters are so real they almost jump off the page. But I can pinpoint when we started to become not just fellow writers, but proper friends. A few years ago myself, Judi and Sophia Bennett went on tour together around Ireland with Children’s Books Ireland. We talked to hundreds of girls about our books and about reading and writing. We had a wonderful tour manager, Tom Donegan, who now works in The Story Museum in Oxford.

Here’s Judi

Every evening we had dinner together. We chatted about all kinds of things – books, writing and our lives – and it was terrific fun.

Then I went on another tour with Judi, this time with the Irish library service. We took Oisin McGann along with us to join in the fun. And he even did ballet with us! That cemented my friendship with Judi (and Oisin in fact, who is a brilliant man and a wonderful writer).

Judi and I are very different – she’s practical, patient and kind. I’m impulsive, passionate and stubborn. She’s calm and I can be a bit manic at times. It’s great to be able to compare writing and publishing experiences with her. We both write for girls of age 8/9+ and love talking about our work.

Judi has helped me more than she knows and I like to think that I have helped her too. Myself and Oisin even helped her pick a title for one of her books – Viva Alice!

viva alice - judi curtin event book cover

Judi made me this little fellow – Greg from the Wimpy Kid books – as she knows I like him. When I go to school events, I love showing him to the children and telling them that Judi made it. They are always very impressed that I know Judi.

IMG_5156[2]

This year Judi and I are doing some special events together at festivals, talking about our friendship. The first one is on Saturday March 21st and is called When Judi Met Sarah and it’s part of theMountains to Sea Book Festival in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, Ireland. If you would like to book tickets you can do so on the website here.

Songbird Cafe_Mollie final cover

March is a busy time for me as I also have a new book out called Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake in The Songbird Cafe Girls series. It’s set on an island called Little Bird and it even has its own map. I love maps in books! Judi knows all about the characters and plot at this stage and she also helped me with the cover.

Writer friends really are great.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

This blog first appeared on the Girls Heart Books website.

Darkmouth by Shane Hegarty - Review

It's about to get Legendary all over Ireland

Sarah Webb on the first in a new fantasy series by the arts journalist, Shane Hegarty (review first published in the Irish Independent)

shane hegarty

Shane Hegarty, a well-known arts journalist, made his own headlines in 2013 when news broke of his six-figure children's book deal following a frenzied auction at the Bologna Book Fair. His debut children's novel, Darkmouth, the book that caused all the excitement and cheque waving, is published next week. So does it live up to the hype?

The answer, in a word, is yes. I haven't been this excited about a fantasy adventure novel since I read Derek Landy's first Skulduggery Pleasant book in 2007. Interestingly, Hegarty and Landy share the same publishing house, HarperCollins, and the same publicist, Mary Byrne, one of the best in the business. (Not that Mary Byrne, although she is Irish!) If anyone can make Darkmouth a successful international brand, she can.

The book opens in the rather Dickensian, mist-swirling town of Darkmouth, the last 'Blighted Village' in Ireland that still has 'Legends' or monsters, terrifying man-eating creatures from myths and fables. Enter 12-year-old Finn, the youngest of generations of Legend Hunters. The future of Darkmouth rests on his shoulders, but there's one major problem: Finn is more likely to run away from a Minotaur rather than successfully shoot one with his Ghostbusters-nod Desiccator gun.

His father, the Rambo of Legend Hunters, is determined to change this and his son's gruelling training begins. But when the village is threatened with the worst attack of Legends ever encountered , will Finn rise to the challenge?

It's hard to believe that this is Hegarty's first children's book. His characters, including Finn's mysterious and plucky new friend, Emmie and the 'Hogboon' from the 'Infected Side', Broonie, are beautifully crafted and utterly believable. There are hilarious scenes and brilliant wise cracks that reminded me of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl, balanced with gentle family scenes between Finn and his hilarious and hard-working dentist mum, a character who will have bedtime-story reading mums cheering out loud. Kudos to Hegarty for making an adult woman in a fantasy-adventure novel not only super smart but witty too. The difficult relationship between Finn and his ambitious and testosterone-driven father is also touching and real.

Darkmouth_Front_RGB2 (1)

Hegarty's writing has an attractive lightness of touch which is spot on for the nine-plus age group and now and then his character's clever life observations make you sit up and take notice. It's slightly slow to get going, as Hegarty has a lot of world-building to do, but once the action kicks in, it's a rollercoaster of a read.

The story is enhanced by the magnificent black and white line drawings by James de la Rue. Illustrations in children's novels are making a comeback and it's a brave and savvy move, one that will make this book stand out in the international fantasy-adventure fray.

Book two in the series, Into the Infested Side, will be published in July, so readers don't have too long to wait for their second Darkmouth fix. With a cracking story, eye-catching cover design and catchy but simple tag line: 'It's about to get Legendary', I think the clever folk at HarperCollins may have another superstar writer on their hands. Watch out, Landy, there's a new kid in town!

Darkmouth; Shane Hegarty; HarperCollins, hdbk, 416pp, £9.99

Sarah Webb's new book for younger readers, The Songbird Café: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake, will be published in March

My Predictions for the Children's Books Ireland Awards 2015

In March the shortlist for the Children's Books Ireland (CBI) Book of the Year Awards will be announced. Over the last few years I've put together my predictions for the shortlist. (Purely my own opinion. I am on the CBI Board but not on the judging panel.) You can see the predictions for last year here and the previous year here. The shortlist is for books published in 2014 and covers all age groups and all genres (fiction only). It includes books published in the Irish language. The writers/illustrators must be Irish or resident in Ireland.

2014 was an interesting year for children's books, with some stand out YA novels (young adult) in particular.

So here's my list. See if you agree with my choices - I'd be interested to know what you think. There are usually 8 to 10 books on the list. All the categories are not always awarded - eg Special Judge's Award.

louise oneill

CBI Book of the Year Award 2014

I would like to see Louise O'Neill win this award for her stunning YA novel, Only Ever Yours. However it may not as it tends to divide opinion. I think it's brave, original and still has people talking about its characters and plot over six months after its publication.

 Eilís Dillon Award (first book)

Again, Louise O'Neill. It has happened before. In 2011 (awarded for a book published in 2010), Chris Haughton won both for A Bit Lost. Kim Hood could also be a contender for this award for Finding a Voice. It will depend on the judge's preferences.

shh we have

 Honour Award for Illustration

For me this is a toss up between Chris Haughton for Shh! We Have a Plan, a glorious picture book with glowing illustrations and Oliver Jeffers' clever and beautifully produced Once Upon an Alphabet. I'll go with Chris.

 Honour Award for Fiction

sarah crossan book cover

I'm not sure about this award as it makes no sense to award Louise O'Neill the overall prize but not to give her this one also. Unless this prize is for the second best novel. If it's for the best, then Louise O'Neill. If it's for the second best, then for me Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan and The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald stand out. I still can't understand why Sarah's first book was not shortlisted last year. Back to Blackbrick is a great YA novel. 

 Judge's Special Award

This is not awarded every year - and I'm not sure it will be this year, unless Oliver Jeffers' Alphabet qualifies. Of course being completely biased (as I edited it), I'd love to see Beyond the Stars shortlisted. But as it's a collection of 12 stories and 12 illustrations, all by different creatives, it may not fit the award criteria. We shall see.

Shortlisted Titles

Other titles I believe deserve to be on the shortlist are:

yasmeen image 1

Specs for Rex by Yasmeen Ismail 

A fun, fresh book with wonderfully lively illustrations and colours that sing.

Brilliant by Roddy Doyle, illustrated by Chris Judge

A book with a lot of heart with astoundingly good illustrations by Chris Judge. I'd shortlist it for them alone, but together they make a cracking team.

City of Fate by Nicola Pierce

If the judges like historical fiction, they may shortlist this strong novel about the Battle of Stalingrad.

I've already mentioned Apple and Rain and The Apple Tart of Hope on the YA end of things, but I'd also add Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan, a moving with some of the best teen dialogue I've ever read in an 'Irish' YA novel (Brian lives in Ireland).

Other possible contenders:

The Fish in the Bathtub by Eoin Colfer

Skulduggery Pleasant: The Dying of the Light by Derek Landy

The Black North by Nigel McDowell

Irish language:

Pop! by Andrew Whitson and Caitríona Nic Sheáin

Songbird Cafe_Mollie final cover

Watch out for my new book, The Songbird Cafe: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake which will be published in March by Walker Books. 

Feminism and Education for Girls

FEMINISM What does it mean?

And what does it mean to me? Am I a feminist?

I have an eleven year old daughter. She’s into art and sport and loves Girl Guides. She works hard at school and likes it, even if she complains about the amount of homework she has to do. She wants to attend college and become a dentist.

I was in the car with her recently and a piece came on the radio about Malala. She asked me why Malala wasn’t allowed to go to school. I explained to her that in some countries girls and boys are not treated equally. I told her that there are 66 million ‘Malalas’ around the world, all denied an education just because they are girls.

Why? She asked.

Why indeed?

malala pen

In October 2012 in Pakistan, Malala was shot in the face by a Taliban gunman for daring to say that girls should have equal right to an education. She narrowly survived and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2014 for her bravery. She says ‘We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.’

My friend, Elizabeth (a children’s writer) is working in a school in Cambodia at the moment. She says ‘I'm currently seeing at first hand the lack of choices and the pressures on girls and women in a developing country. They are fighting a patriarchal society and arranged marriages, low social expectations and other problems. I know girls who get up at 3am to study before their lessons (7.30am to 7.30pm). It is slowly changing but the sad thing is, currently, even with all that education, there are few jobs available because the higher positions are reserved for men.’

So where does feminism come into it? Here’s the science bit. The definition of feminism is this: a collection of movements and ideologies that share a common stated aim, to define, establish, and defend equal political, economic, cultural, and social rights for women. This includes seeking to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment.

Equal opportunities for women in education and employment.

This is important – EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

Many people think we don’t ‘need’ feminism anymore, that feminists are women who don’t like men or boys in some way. That is so wrong. Feminists are people who believe that girls and boys should be treated EQUALLY. It’s as simple as that.

We are lucky in Ireland and the UK. Girls have the right to an education.  But girls in other countries are not so lucky.

I am absolutely 100% a feminist. I believe my daughter and my sons should be treated equally. If my daughter wants to be a dentist, I’ll do everything in my power to help her get there.

What else does feminism mean to me? It means doing everything I can to ensure that ALL girls are treated equally, not just my own daughter. It means being kind and supportive to girls and women, helping them when I can, mentoring them. It means drawing attention to the inequalities that girls and woman face around the world.

In short, it means supporting women and girls in my own community, my own country and in the wider world.

Do you believe in equal rights for girls? Do you believe that all girls should have the right to an education?

Then like me, you’re a feminist. Good for you!

I’ll leave you with this fun video about being yourself and enjoying sport. It’s called This Girl Can.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7lt0CYwHg

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

This blog first appeared on www.girlsheartbooks.com

To find out more about Malala's story, read her book:

Malala's Book

A Day in the Life - the CBI Conference and Thoughts for Writers

Right, because I love you all and I know many of you could not make the Children’s Books Ireland Conference today in the Lexicon Library in Dun Laoghaire, here are some notes and thoughts on the day. The title was: A Day in the Life

Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer and Friends

Eoin Colfer kicked off the proceedings in a lively manner with a funny and thought provoking talk about writing, his love of Ireland, how ‘place’ informs writers’ books and how his Laureate-ship is shaping up so far.

On writing he said: ‘It starts with character for me. My criminal mastermind, Artemis is based on my brother, Donal.’

‘People often say don’t write a local story. I think write a local story with universal themes.’

He said for him, having a new book out never gets old and he never takes it for granted:

‘It’s amazing to be published – to hold a new book in your hands – it’s always fantastic. Whatever else happens in your life, you’ll always have that.’

His aim with the Laureate events is to visit ‘tiny schools on remote islands who don’t normally get author visits… As a child I didn’t realise that writers were real people.’

He said: ‘Reaching that one kid, planting the seed of story in their head, that’s what the Laureate’s all about.’

On why Irish people are such good storytellers and writers:

Eoin explained that it’s in our blood. We grow up hearing stories.

‘Myths and legends are on the curriculum in Ireland. I was surprised to find this wasn’t the case in other countries.’

Alan Nolan

Next up was Alan Nolan who talked about the books he had written and the comics that had influenced him as a child.

‘The way to get children reading is to get them hooked on a series,’ he said. His job as Illustrator in Residence in the Church of Ireland College of Education is to ‘remind trainee teachers how much fun children’s books are.’

Monster Doodle

During lunch there was a wonderful Monster Doodle for adults – where everyone got stuck in.

Sarah Crossan

Sarah Crossan

Next up was Sarah Crossan in conversation with the wonderful Colm Keegan, Writer in Residence at dlr Libraries.

She spoke passionately about engaging teens with poetry and why she writes novels in verse for teens. Her new novel in verse, One (and not Won as she pointed out) will be published in August and is about conjoined twins. It sounds great.

Next up where the New Writers – many new writers took to the stage to share their books with the audience in 5 minute sessions.

This was an interesting insight into the way people approached being asked to do this. Some gave some background to the book, others gave a straight reading without any intro. The ones that worked the best I think did a little of both. The ones that stood out for me were Dave Rudden who is an excellent reader of his own work and gave a short intro which set the scene well and Moira Fowley-Doyle. She read with a lot of passion and it’s my kind of book – a family/friendship drama with a clever and fresh premise. It’s called The Accident Season and it’s about a family who for one month a year are horribly and tragically accident prone. She read the perfect section (from the start of the book so it didn’t need an intro) and I really enjoyed her reading.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed them all (other writers included Patricia Forde, Kim Hood, Shane Hegarty and a lovely picture book guy), but it did make me ponder the importance of professional development for writers and how new writers need help preparing for readings and events. I am going to write a series of blogs on events/readings and how to write and deliver them when I get a chance as I think it might be helpful to newer writers.

I was a nervous wreck when I started out doing events! I love doing them now, as long as I am well prepared. You can throw me in front of any age group from babies and toddlers to teens and I'll have something to say, but it wasn't always the case. It's taken me years to be confident in front of an audience. I would have loved to shadow a writer before I started doing events. And I would have loved some guidance on how to put a good talk together. So I'll share what I can soon, I promise!

I'll also post some publicity and marketing tips and interviews with publishing pr people this year - remind me if I forget!

Julia Eccleshare

Julia Eccleshare

Finally after a very nice coffee break – with biscuits – was the inspiring Julia Eccleshare, Children’s Books Editor for the Guardian. I thought she was FANTASTIC and spoke such sense. Of course, she did say that writers made extra-good reviewers as they understood things like a writer’s intent and theme, so I may be slightly biased.

She spoke lyrically about her job – how she has to sift through over 10k children’s books a year to select the 45 books she can review in the Guardian.

She is passionate about books and stories. She said ‘I never go anywhere without thinking about a story.’

And ‘Everything in my life is coloured by the stories I read.’

She explained how these days writers have to be advocates for their books. Gone are the days where you could write a book and sit back on your laurels. You have to get out there and do events. ‘You cannot sit at home and be shy.’

She told us how JK Rowling’s books were game changers – how after the Harry Potter series, children’s books became cool and people started talking about stories and children’s books like never before. She mentioned Philip Pullman winning the overall Whitbread Award with The Amber Spyglass and quoted him: ‘Children’s books are the home of the story.’

She spoke about the importance of children’s books: ‘Children learn things from children’s books that their parents don’t want them to know… There is no serendipity for children anymore. They are the most watched children ever. How do they learn that things go wrong (if they are always being watched)?’

Books help them explore dangerous worlds and allow them have adventures and decide what kind of people they would like to be, she explained.

It was a wonderful talk and she’s a powerhouse.

The day ended with a drinks reception where I talked to Julia and many writers and readers and ate some very fine finger food.

So ended the CBI Day – thanks to all the speakers, to Marian Keyes who provided the wonderful venue and to the girls at CBI, Elaina, Jenny and Aoife for a cracking event.

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

PS If you read my blog and find it useful, do let me know via the comments or on Facebook or Twitter. :)

sarah crossan book cover

Spring 2016 Children's and Teen Highlights

This piece originally appeared in the Sunday Independent. This year looks all set to be a stellar one for children’s books and Irish YA in particular will blaze a trail in 2016. There are new titles from ‘brand names’ such as Julia Donaldson, Eoin Colfer and Derek Landy, plenty of interesting debuts, and some intriguing books from ‘grown up’ bestsellers, Cecelia Ahern and Sheila O’Flanagan.

crystal run

The current Children’s Laureate, Eoin Colfer’s Ironman novel for children is due in the autumn from Marvel. According to Colfer, the billionaire playboy Tony Stark is all set to get the ‘Dublin treatment’. Penguin Random House Children’s lead title this spring is Dave Rudden’s The Knights of the Borrowed Dark (March), the first in a trilogy featuring Denizen Hardwick, a boy who doesn't believe in magic until he's ambushed by a monster created from shadows.

HarperCollins is very excited about Cecelia Ahern’s  debut YA (Young Adult) novel, Flawed, set in a society where perfection is everything (March); and Hachette is publishing Sheila O’Flanagan’s fantasy debut for age 10+, The Crystal Run (May). Gill and Macmillan has their first YA novel ever in April, from a writer who is only a teenager herself, sixteen-year-old Eilís Barrett. Her book, Oasis is set in the future and follows a group of teen outcasts turned freedom fighters.

needlework

Little Island, the children’s answer to Tramp Press, has been making waves with their strong fiction list, and 2016 is no exception. First up in February is Needlework by Deirdre Sullivan for young adult and adult readers, a novel about child abuse and its aftermath which I read in one sitting. It’s not an easy read for obvious reasons, but like Louise O’Neill’s Asking for It, it’s an important and beautifully written book.

Also from Little Island for older teen readers is Anna Seidl’s No Heros (March), the story of a school shooting and its aftermath, a publishing sensation in its native Germany; and in May they launch The Best Medicine by Belfast woman, Christine Hamill. Twelve-year-old Philip’s mum has breast cancer and he writes to Harry Hill for advice.

Kim Hood’s debut YA novel, Finding a Voice was shortlisted for the prestigious YA Book Prize in the UK last year and her second novel, Plain Jane is out in April from O’Brien Press. The story of a sixteen-year-old girl whose sister has cancer, it’s one I’m particularly looking forward to as I love her fresh, vibrant writing voice.

The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood (Macmillan, May) follows 17-year-old physics prodigy Gottie Oppenheimer as she navigates a summer of both grief and rips in the space-time continuum; and The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (Macmillan, April) is a World War II story set in Amsterdam about a young woman who gets involved with the resistance.

Puffin Ireland Editor, Claire Hennessy’s YA novel, Nothing Tastes as Good is published by Hot Key in July and is already creating quite a stir. Annabel is a recently deceased anorexic teen who finds herself assigned as a ghostly 'helper' to Julia, another girl with an eating problem. Brian Conaghan’s The Bombs That Brought Us Together (Bloomsbury, April), dealing with terrorism and war, also sounds promising; and Derek Landy is back with the second book in his Demon Road fantasy-horror trilogy, Desolation (HarperCollins).

darkmouth 3

For readers of age 9+, there’s book three of Shane Hegarty’s Darkmouth series, Chaos Descends (HarperCollins, April);  and the latest novel by Brian Gallagher (O’Brien Press, April) called Arrivals, about a Canadian murder mystery in 1928. Ger Siggins is back with another book in his popular sport series, Rugby Flyer (O’Brien Press, February); and Matt Griffin tackles a war between the humans and the ancient fairy race in Stormweaver (O’Brien Press, April).

It’s great to see Cork man, Kieran Crowley back with The Mighty Dynamo (Macmillan, May), about a boy who dreams of being a professional footballer;      and I’m currently reading the exquisitely written Anna and the Swallow Man by New York based actor and writer, Gavriel Savit (Penguin Random House Children’s, 28th January), set during World War II.

And finally for this age group, the outstanding American writer, Kate DiCamillo returns with Raymie Nightingale, a novel about three girls and a friendship that will change their lives (Walker Books).

Poolbeg will add Maebh Banrion na Troda (February) and Sceal Naomh Padraig  (March) to their Nutshell library for younger readers; and the ultimate staying-between-the-lines challenge has to be the Where’s Wally? Colouring Book coming from Walker Books in June.

Sarah Bowie’s picture book, Let’s See Ireland (O’Brien Press, April) has striking artwork; and finally Julia Donaldson’s Detective Dog, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Macmillan, June) about Nell, a dog with an extra keen sense of smell sounds just the book to make both children and parents smile.

A Spread from Let's See Ireland

Sarah Webb’s next book for children, The Songbird Cafe Girls: Aurora and the Popcorn Dolphin (Walker Books) will be published in March. 

Aurora Book Cover

She's Making a List, She's Checking It Twice

As it’s Christmas Eve I thought I’d talk about lists. I hope you’ve all sent your wish list to Santa, or Father Christmas as you call him in the UK. I’m from Ireland and he’s Santa around these parts. Top of my Santa list is always books and book tokens. Are you a list maker? I am! I love making lists. Here is my list of the lists I keep:

1/ Favourite movies

I love going to the cinema and I don’t get to go as often as I’d like. My great treat to myself is an afternoon at the cinema – with a friend or by myself – I just love it.

This year I watched 14 different films, mainly at my local cinema in Dun Loaghaire. And I also went to some plays and lots of book events. Hurrah, another list to make for next year – book events.

Here’s the list of movies I watched (at the cinema) in 2014. My lists are scribbled and have rambling notes but I love looking back at them years later.

2015 Movies List

2014 Movies List

2/ Favourite books

This year I read 44 novels (adult and YA) and lots more children’s books for all ages.

Here’s part of the list. As you can see I score my books and movies out of 10. Geeky I know!

Books 2014

Books 2014

3/ Books I’d like to write in the future

That list is secret! It’s full of plans and ideas for future characters and plots. Sometimes the first thing that comes to me is a title or a character’s name and I jot that down on my list.

When I was a teenager to my shame I had a boy list. I listed all the boys I liked and where I’d spotted them. It was very much an aspirational list. I’d never met most of them. Some of them were pop stars or actors. The boys from Duran Duran regularly featured on my boy list – the One Direction of their day.

Duran Duran

Duran Duran

IMG_4917[1]

I have an ongoing to do list on my desk. Here’s one from November. As you can see my Girls Heart Books blog is number one on that list.

Why do I make lists? It helps me make sense of the world and it helps me stay on top of things.

Sometimes life can be overwhelming, especially at busy times like Christmas. Everyone’s rushing around, buying presents, preparing food, getting into a tizzy about Christmas Day - who’s collecting Auntie Mabel , who’s peeling the potatoes? When I’m feeling a little stressed out I sit down and make a list. A shopping list, a to-do list, a list of the people I need to ring. It helps me feel more in control.

It’s OK to feel a bit overwhelmed at Christmas. It can be a noisy, manic, emotional time of the year. I’m not a ‘noisy’ person. I’m a reader and a book lover and a story-girl. I like peace and quiet, I like to be able to think.

If you’re a quiet person like me it’s perfectly normal to need a little time out from the mayhem, a little peace. You might like to:

Read a book

wizard of oz

Watch your favourite old movie – mine is The Wizard of Oz

Write in your diary

Go for a walk

Listen to music

Hug the dog

Hug your mum (I’m a mum and I love random ‘just because’ hugs)

Or maybe, just maybe, make a list like me!

Have a happy, peaceful and book filled Christmas everyone!

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

This post first appeared on the Girls Heart Books website: www.girlsheartbooks.com

Why Irish Children's Publishing Should Be Supported

I've been thinking about Irish children's publishing this week. After reading Oisin McGann's excellent blog on the subject I decided I too have something to say on the matter. O'Brien Press, our largest and most important children's publishers previously received e63,000 which has been cut in 2015 to e10,000. I have posted some Arts Council funding figures below (which are in the public domain) which may be of interest. The Arts Council should themselves be supported by our government. They do an important job and Sarah Bannan, Head of Literature, fights tirelessly for books. But at the moment we all need to fight for children's books, together. I think  it's vital to support Irish children's publishing for the following reasons:

I grew up (in the 1970s) reading books mainly about British and American children. Yes, there were books by Patricia Lynch and Eilis Dillion and a couple by Walter Macken, but that was pretty much it. When I started writing as a child I populated my own stories with red letter boxes and ginger beer. Modern children are lucky – they see themselves reflected on the pages of their (Irish published) books. Family stories set in Limerick (Judi Curtin), gritty teen novels set in Northern Ireland (Sheena Wilkinson). They learn about Irish history on the pages of Under the Hawthorne Tree. (Children are 22 times more likely to remember a story than fact – and the editors at O’Brien are particularly good at discovering and promoting new historical fiction for children – Nicola Pierce is a wonderful talent who they have nurtured carefully.)

In Irish published books children read dialogue that sounds Irish and all this is reflected in their own writing. I have visited schools all over the country with the excellent Writers in Schools scheme and often they learn to read using Irish published books from the O’Brien Press Panda series. They love the fact that these are Irish books, with an Irish sense of humour, like Danny’s Teeth.

If O’Brien Press is not properly supported, if their hugely knowledgeable editorial staff are not kept on (and I know they have had to make staff cuts in the past), then Irish children will suffer, the future readers and writers of this country.

sally go

I have worked with many different publishing houses over the past twenty years, in Ireland, the UK, the US and further afield and I know from experience how good the team at O’Brien are. Their editorial skills in particular are second to none. They really care about their writers and their books. I publish with them as well as international companies because I believe that Irish children should have access to Irish written, illustrated and published books. My recent book with O’Brien Press, Sally Go Round the Stars, makes traditional Irish nursery and playground rhymes available to a new generation of parents and young children. This book would not have been published by any other publisher. O’Brien Press took a huge risk bringing it out, but it paid off and has been very popular with Irish parents and their young children. 

I believe that the right book in the right child’s hand at the right time can change a life. We need to provide every child in Ireland with access to excellent Irish published books that they can connect with and fall in love with. I for one do not want to live in a country without its own indigenous children’s publishing.

Yours in books,

Sarah

Funding from the  Arts Council for some of the Irish publishers is below.

To look at the Arts Council funding (publishing and other areas of the arts) in more detail see here - a link to the funding area on their website.

Regular Funding 2014 (2015 decisions not yet public)

Carysfort Press

€10,000

Clo Iar Chonnachta-Teo

€70,000

Cois Life Teo

€33,500

Dedalus Press

€77,500

Little Island

€43,500

Salmon Poetry

€40,750

The Gallery Press

€150,000

The Stinging Fly

€53,000

Regularly Funded Organisations 2014 (2015 decisions not yet public)

Lilliput Press

€65,500

New Island Books

€72,000

Annual Programming Grant 2014 (no Programming Grants for 2015)

O'Brien Press

€63,000

(cut to €10,000 for 2015)

Publications Title by Title Scheme 2014

Arlen House

€10,000

Dalkey Archive Press

€14,250

Doire Press

€3,530

Futa Fata

€9,000

Leabhar Breac

€9,000

Mercier Press

€10,000

Tramp Press

€10,000

My Top Ten Novels of the Year - 2014 (Adult and YA)

anne t

It's been a stellar year for YA novels in particular, which is reflected in my list. Although I am biased - I love YA! My picture book of the year was Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton. This list is YA and adult novels. Watch out for my favourite children's books of the year in the Irish Independent on Saturday (Dec 13th), along with Robert Dunbar's favourites in the Irish Times. I'll post my round up after Saturday. I read 44 (and counting) adult and YA novels in 2014. I scored each book out of ten. All these books below scored an 8 or higher. As you can see, I read a lot of different genres and age groups. (Children's books are not a genre. Each age group is made up of different genres - yep, even board books and picture books, right up to YA (*see Only Ever Yours below).) Top score went to Anne Tyler's A Spool of Blue Thread (out in 2015 - sorry!). I gulped it down. Not the strongest plot, but those characters and her writing . . . bliss.

So in order of scores, here are my top ten novels of 2014. I should point out that I read far more YA and children's novels than adult novels, which is probably reflected in this list.

1/ A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler (published 2015) A wonderful family drama set in Baltimore (of course). Pretty much perfect. Thanks to Maria from Dubray Books for the proof copy.

glass castle

2/ The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls (older book)

I listened to this audio book while travelling up and down to West Cork over the summer and fell in love with Jeanette and her family. It's the most compelling memoir I've ever listened to. Her voice is perfect. I highly recommend it in either audio or book form.

a j fink

3/ The Collected Works of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (published 2014)

In a word, adorable. Quirky tale about a bookseller (like me - why may be why I loved it so much) and a baby girl he finds in his shop. Wise and sweet.

4/ The Examined Life by Stephen Grosz (published 2014)

I loved this clever, beautifully written collection of real life stories about unusual lives. Grotz is a practicing psychoanalyst and he writes with a lightness of touch about his patients.

5/ Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume (older book)

Another audio book (I'm passionate about audio books). I'd never read this one and it was such a treat listening to it. Wise, funny, and Blume's voice - is there a better writer for young teens? I think not.

babylon

6/ How Many Miles to Babylon? by Jennifer Johnston (older book)

I'd never read this (to my shame) stunning novel about two boys - one from a Big House, one from the village (who works for the house) - and their friendship, with a World War I setting. It's beautifully written and so moving. Highly recommended.

we were liars

7/ We Were Liars by E Lockhart (published 2014)

Wonderful YA book set on a private island in the US. Her writing (and plotting) are mesmerizing.

8/ Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill (published 2014)

Stunning YA debut by a young Clonakilty writer. Feminist dystopia - rather terrifying. Well worth reading. (*YA is the age group, feminist dystopia is the genre)

9/ Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult (older book)

Picoult is a master story teller and this audio book kept me gripped. Wolves, family problems - what's not to love? I think Picoult is underestimated. One of the hardest working writers around.

kim hood

10/ Finding a Voice by Kim Hood (published 2014)

Drew a tear many times. Another wonderful YA debut. Hood is Canadian but lives in Ireland. Family tale, with some strong themes. Loved it. Great teen voice.

I also loved (all published 2014 apart from Captive):

captive a j

Captive by AJ Grainger (YA - kidnapping drama - coming in Jan 2015)

Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent (brilliantly written thriller - with a children's writer as the murderer!)

The Secrets Sisters Keep by Sinead Moriarty (superior popular fiction)

Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (superior Australian popular fiction)

Dear Thing by Julie Cohen (superior UK popular fiction)

memory book

The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman (more brilliant UK popular fiction)

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan (great YA family drama)

house where

The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald (another brilliant YA novel)

The House Where it Happened by Martina Devlin (compelling ghost story inspired by a real life witch hunt in Northern Ireland in the 18th century)

What were YOUR favourite books of the year?

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

2015 - Children's Books To Look Forward To

I had a neck injury last week which meant I could only type for short amounts of time. As I have a novel for adults to finish before Christmas this was not the idea situation, although said novel is the very reason I was spending so long every day at my computer. The Catch 22 of a writer’s life. I had to rest my neck at regular intervals. Yes, this does mean I had to lie in bed and for those of you who know me, yes, I was very cranky. I’m not a good patient! However it did mean I got lots and lots of reading done.

Not only did I catch up on books published in 2014, I also read lots of books out in 2015. I’m now pretty much on top of my to-be-read pile for the first time in a year. I have a few yet to be published books to read next (writers looking for feedback) and then my 2014 reading will be complete.

So what goodies should you be looking out for in 2015?

Some Strong YA Titles

captive a j

Captive by AJ Grainger (Jan 29th)

Annalie Grainger is my editor at Walker so I was predisposed to like this one but also worried that I wouldn’t. I needn’t have stressed – it’s super. A smart, gripping thriller about a girl called Robyn Knollys-Green who is the daughter of the British Prime Minister. She’s kidnapped by a radical group but one of her captors is not all that he seems.

Annalie has a wonderful voice and Robyn is a flawed yet highly likable heroine. The moral questions in the book are handled deftly and I flew through this one. 8/10

Vendetta by Catherine Doyle (Jan)

Sophie Gracewell’s life changes forever when a family of five boys moves into a house in her neighbourhood. Her father is in jail and her life is not exactly easy. But it’s about to get even more complicated.

Set in Chicago, this is a compelling romance set in the Mafia underworld. Another strong debut, this time by an Irish author. 8/10

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

Another debut, with one of the strongest opening pages I’ve read in a long time:

‘One afternoon, when I was eight years old, my class was told to write about what we wanted to be when we grew up . . . This is what I wrote: I want to be a girl.’

I haven’t finished this one yet, but I love the voice and it’s another gripping read. 8/10 so far

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Jan)

A wonderful book, funny and heartbreaking and real. The main character, Theodore Finch holds the reader’s attention (and heart) right through the book. I love American YA and this is right up there with John Green and Sarah Dessen. 8/10

Next on the to-be-read pile is:

Still Falling by Sheena Wilkinson (Feb)

I’ve just started this one and I love it so far. Sheena is such a strong writer and her dialogue sings. 8/10 so far

Age 9+ (Middle Grade)

Darkmouth_Front_RGB2 (1)

Darkmouth by Shane Hegarty (29th Jan)

Believe the hype. This fantasy adventure yarn is a stunning debut. The relationship between the young hero (anti-hero in fact as the clumsy lad isn’t exactly equipped to save the world), Finn and his father, a famous Legend (monster) hunter, is touching and real, and I adored Finn’s hard-working dentist mum, one of the funniest characters in the book. There are touches of Ghostbusters in the mix, along with some Bond-like gadgets, plus a rather Dickensian setting (the mist-swirling town of Darkmouth).

It’s for slightly younger readers than Skulduggery Pleasant, there’s more family drama and less horror. Hegarty’s writing has an attractive lightness to it, and now and then his clever life observations make you sit up and take notice. It’s slightly slow to get going as there’s a lot of world-building to do, but I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. With a super cover design and a catchy but simple tag line – ‘They’re coming and only Finn can save us. Shame he’s a bit rubbish’, not to mention a cracking first book, I think those clever folk at HarperCollins have another top brand on their hands. 9/10

The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (29th Jan)

Andy and Terry live in the world’s best treehouse according to the blurb on the back of this book. And after reading the book, I have to agree.

Already a huge hit in their native Australia (360,000 copies sold), this series will make any Wimpy Kid fan happy with its blend of humor and zany illustration. 7/10

The Astounding Broccoli Boy by Frank Cottrell Boyce (March) is also on the to-be-read pile, along with Sarah Bannan’s adult novel, Weightless (March). I'm also looking forward to reading Phil Earle's Demolition Dad.

Plenty to look forward to in 2015 already!

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

All About Covers + a Sneak Peek - Songbird Cafe Girls Cover

Songbird Cafe_Mollie final cover

The first book in my new series, The Songbird Cafe Girls: Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake is out in March next year. Here's a sneak peek of the cover:

The book is about Mollie Cinnamon, who's 12 going on 13. While her tv-presenter mum films a new travel show, Mollie has to stay with her great-granny on a tiny island called Little Bird. Mollie is bored, bored, bored until she starts to make new friends in the Songbird Cafe. But disaster strikes and the Songbird is threatened with closure. Can Mollie and her new friends save the cafe?

Readers often ask how a cover is designed. And do writers have much say in the process? What happens in Walker (all publishers work slightly differently) is this: ideas for a possible cover are sent to me and my agent by the designer and we have a look at the various suggestions and feed back our thoughts. Booksellers are also asked for their opinion, people in the other departments in Walker (editorial, sales and marketing etc), and also the target market (girls age 9+). Then the designer takes all this on board and produces a cover.

The designer who worked on the Mollie Cinnamon is Not a Cupcake cover is called Maria and she's wonderful. It took her a long time to find the right girl for the cover but she's just perfect.

Maria and my editor, Annalie (who has a book out in January called Captive) also commissioned a map for the book. I love maps in books so I'm over the moon about the map of Little Bird, the island where my series is set.

The Map of Little Bird

The Map of Little Bird

Book covers are so important. You've heard the expression 'Never judge a book by its cover'? Readers do exactly that. Judge a book by the cover. The cover has to say so much about a novel: the age group (for children's books), the genre - is it an action/adventure book, a horror novel, or it is about friendship and family (like Mollie Cinnamon) - and it also has to set the tone for the book. It's a very hard thing to get right. But I think Maria has captured my story perfectly.

Do YOU have a favourite book cover? I'd love to know.

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

This post first appeared on the Girls Heart Books website.

Getting Published - Irish Publishers Tell All

I was at an excellent event at the Dublin Book Festival today and I took some notes just for you. They are particularly relevant if you are writing for children or teenagers. As you may know, it's my area and I love sharing news about the children's book world, especially good news. And there was lots of good news at this event. 

Grainne Clear from Little Island Books

To be accurate I was at the first 1/2 of the event (I had to talk at my own event after that) - Meet the Publishers and Agents with Grainne Clear from Little Island Books, Sarah Davis-Goff from Tramp Press, Nicki Howard from Gill and Macmillan (soon to be just Gill) and Peter O'Connell (ex Liberties and now book pr). Sadly I missed the second part - with the agents.

Grainne Clear gave an excellent talk about the children's book world and Little Island Books in particular. She reads chapter 1 of a submission (and yes, they take unsolicited) and then the start of the next few chapters - to see how the story progresses. If she likes what she reads, she asks to see the whole book.

90% of their sales are printed books (not e books - most young children up to age 12 are not ebook readers).

Her job is not to give you feedback on an early draft - so don't send first drafts or ideas. She wants to see finished books which have been worked on.

She likes honesty and personality in a cover letter.

Nicki Howard, Gill and Macmillan

Nicki explained that Gill and Macmillan publish Irish interest books, mainly non fiction but are NOW ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR CHILDREN'S NON FICTION AND FICTION. This is great news for children's writers. They also accept unsolicited manuscripts.

She said 'publishing adds value to the space between the writer and the reader'.

Sarah Davis-Goff from Tramp Press

Sarah Davis-Goff from Tramp Press is looking for 'stonkingly brilliant fiction', including genre fiction and YA. She also gave a thumbs up to unsolicited manuscripts.

She hates submission letters that begin 'Dear Sir' as Tramp Press is run by two women! Little Island Books also.

All three women said that your cover letter is your calling card and to work on it and make it great.

Interesting facts:

Tramp Books - they would consider a debut novel a success if it sold 2k copies in a year

Gill and Macmillan - would look for at least 5k sales for a title over a year (but some of their books, like the Neven Maguire cook books would sell up to 10k a year, and The Pope's Children by David McWilliams sold 100k)

Little Island - a debut novel would be deemed successful if it sold 1.5k to 2k over a year to 18 months - Grainne mentioned that they are looking for longevity in a title and said award winning novels have a good track record for them in the long term.

Thanks to Grainne, Sarah and Nicki for all the useful information. And great to hear Gill and Macmillan are now looking for children's fiction.

Yours in books,

Sarah XXX

PS I met a young man who is writing for teenagers - I asked him what he liked to read, he said he wasn't a big reader. NEVER SAY THIS TO ANYONE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING PUBLISHED. Poor man, think I gave him a bit of an earful.

PPS If you are serious about getting published, www.writing.ie is a super website - do check it out.