Posted on February 20, 2011 - by MG

Author Visits 2011. C’mon in, sit a spell.

The school visit season began this month. Like many fellow authors I’ve been privileged to be invited into the halls, libraries and classrooms of schools and meet teenage readers. So far I’ve met Yr7 and 8 students in Hounslow, Ealing, Bath, and enjoyed judging a poetry recital competition at Christ Church Cathedral School.

Josh Garcia from Hyoronsha's edition of ICE SHOCK

Like most authors I try to vary my ‘author talk’ every year, in fact mine evolves through a few versions each year, especially if people are kind enough to let me know what kind of thing they’d like more of. This year I’ve been making use of the Japanese jacket art for Joshua Files, which features illustrations of all the main characters. (An example of Josh Garcia in the ginga stance is to the right.)

Despite the need to travel and to take time away from the writing schedule, I never get tired of meeting readers. Schools are such fun and vital places to be, filled with so much energy. The enthusiasm of readers who have read and enjoyed a book you have written is a real gift to any author.

Last week I visited via Skype with a group of students in Kingswood School in Bath.It wasn’t my first time doing a virtual author visit (Scottish Book Trust and I used the GLOW Scotland network to visit over 500 pupils interactively in 2009). It WAS the first time that I’d done a virtual visit from the comfort of my own home. (Well, at least, from my husband’s garden office.) A pretty cosy way to visit! Especially as I am so deeply entrenched in writing Joshua 5 right now. It meant I talk to readers with only a brief break from my writing!

Kingswood students have been reading INVISIBLE CITY as a group. Led by their talented librarian, Nicola McNee, they’ve enhanced their reading experience by creating an incident board to follow and solve all the mysteries (shown below). And an Animoto video displaying all their favourite elements of INVISIBLE CITY!

A Joshua Files Incident Board