Archive for the ‘joshua files’ Category

Posted on March 6, 2010 - by MG

World Book Week Diary

Last year, we launched ICE SHOCK on World Book Day, at St Gregory the Great School in Oxford. This year I set off to do a mini-tour of schools in the South of England.

World Book Day is the one thing guaranteed to get us lazy authors out of bed early. Even Robert Muchamore tweeted in (mock) anguish “School event in High Wycombe tomorrow. I’ve got to get up at 7am. The HORROR!”

Started off at D’Overbroecks College in Oxford, speaking to the sixth-form English Lit and Communication& Culture students. After spending the afternoon tailoring my author presentation to their sophisticated 6th form ears, I accidentally ran the normal Powerpoint. Somehow we still ended up talking about Aristotle.

The next day, a launch party at Blackwell’s Oxford for my friend Tim Pears’s new novel, Landed, which has already had bags of terrific reviews.

For the last part of the week it was on to Canterbury and then Worcester to visit two more schools. Lots of fun at Simon Langton Grammar in Canterbury talking to hundreds of boys about Joshua Files. And a special privilege of spending time with the school’s writer’s group, including three young men who’ve written a 108,000 word dark fantasy novel. Very impressive INDEED.

At Christopher Whitehead Language College in Worcester I hung out over lunch with the student librarians and we talked about how to construct a story. Brilliant suggestions from the kids who created a thrilling storyline for a supernatural adventure about a girl who has to rescue her mother…from Hell!

A special thanks to the kids who patiently posed with me for the photographer from the Worcester Gazette!

And to the wonderful librarians Teresa (Simon Langton Grammar, Canterbury) and Liane and Clare (Christopher Whitehead, Worcester) for all their work to encourage and develop readers and for inviting me to your schools!

Finally, a big thanks to the lovely Punjabi students that I met on the train to Canterbury. I left my coat-belt on the train, after enjoying a nice chat with the boys. On the train back to London at the end of the day, the guys were there again. When they heard I’d lost my belt, one of them insisted on giving me his. Then spent the rest of the trip determinedly making a hole in the thick leather so that it would fit me. Thank goodness for the belt or I’d have frozen solid on the walk home!

Best question of the week: Is fiction getting too ‘fast’ and are we losing something valuable in the drive to make story openings vault us directly into action.

Posted on February 27, 2010 - by MG

Castaway!

With lovely Sylvia Vetta in the Summertown Wine Cafe.

I first met Sylvia last year at an event I did for the Oxford Literary Festival Fringe, a writer’s workshop at Blackwells (where most of the lit fest fringe events run). Sylvia is a local journalist and the former owner of The Jam Factory, an antiques centre that had cult status in Oxford for most of my years here, but which closed a few years ago when the neighbourhood was yuppified.

Sylvia writes the monthly ‘Castaway’ article in the Oxford Times limited edition magazine, a glossy special. She interviews local authors, artists, businesspeople, academics etc, through questioning them about their favourite art, antiquarian books and antiques.

And in June, Sylvia’s article will feature me!

I don’t think of myself as an art lover, or collector of antiques etc. Frankly I’m too broke, what with the exorbitant cost of visiting all the foreign lands to research Joshua, as well as my exotically foreign family. (I’m referring to the ones who live in Australia and Switzerland by choice, not the Mexicans…)

Luckily Sylvia allows you any object you desire, since it’s mere fantasy. Even the Elgin Marbles, if I wanted them, hah take that, British Museum! In fact, I did lust after one object in the BM…

When the article is published I’ll let you know. The interview, which we did in the Summertown Wine cafe, is accompanied by images from a photoshoot that is yet to be arranged. I’ve asked to be photographed in an huge leather-upholstered Jakobsen Egg chair in St Catz, reading an Uncle Scrooge McDuck comic.

MG Harris at the Kennington Free Literary festival

If you’re Oxfordshire-based and would like the chance to see me or other local authors talk in a mini literary festival, Sylvia also runs the Kennington Free Literary festival in Kennington, Oxon, on Saturday 24th April. Tickets are free, with a £2 booking charge if you want to guarantee a seat. But even booking is free for children - so come on down to listen to the MG Harris author talk!

Booking form for Kennington Free Literary festival.

Full colour brochure for Kenningtom Free Literary festival.

Posted on February 4, 2010 - by MG

The ZERO MOMENT launch party

Once again, it’s cake time. Thanks to some lovely friends in Oxford and the wonderful staff of Blackwell’s bookshop, we were able to enjoy another round of cupcakes, Joshua cake and a glass of fizzy pink wine.

Scholastic Children’s Books were on hand with shiny new Joshua Files enamel badges and glow-in-the-dark wristbands for all, as you can see if you look closely on the photos in the slideshow below.

You can listen to a special podcast from Radio Litopia which features the panel discussion and Q&A session from the launch party, featuring me with Peter Cox of Redhammer Management and BBC Oxford’s Bill Heine. (Press ‘Play’ below)

So, to everyone who attended, which was your favourite cupcake? (I was very torn between chocolate hazelnut and lime cheesecake.)

Fellow author Mark Robson has also mentioned the ZERO MOMENT launch party on the Trapped By Monsters Blog, where he’s giving away a free signed copy of the neon paperback edition of ZERO MOMENT.

And Susie Day, lolarious YA author of Big Woo and Girl Meets Cake, also my partner-in-crime in bacon-sarnie-and-coffee consumption, has blogged about the ZERO MOMENT launch party at susieday.com with another lovely photo.

Early reviews by two of the top UK book bloggers are here:
Zero Moment reviewed by Mr Ripley’s Enchanted Books
Zero Moment reviewed by The Bookzone for Boys

Posted on February 1, 2010 - by MG

Zero Moment is HERE!

Yes indeed, today is officially the publication day of Joshua Files #3, ZERO MOMENT.

To celebrate, I’m holding My Big Fat Zero Moment Contest for Joshua fans over at themgharris.com.

How well do you know The Joshua Files? One reader will win the exclusive prize of Joshua Files books and goodies like enamel badges, neon wristbands, a drawstring gym bag and a Joshua T-shirt.

Closing date for entries is March 1st 2010. Go here for contest details.

For the first time so far, the neon-sleeved edition is only available for a short time, a limited run. It’s probably because of this that those retailers that managed to get hold of the limited run have gone out early with ZERO MOMENT. At the time of writing you can still buy this version at Waterstones, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Amazon.co.uk

But fear not if you don’t get hold of one, because the new neon paperback editions are also very snazzy.

And as shown in the video above, in between sessions of signing all 4700 copies of the limited run, I actually got to watch the first printing of the neon green paperback of ZERO MOMENT!

Posted on January 26, 2010 - by MG

Up In The Air (I’ve Been There)

Up In The Air (I’ve Been There)

Originally uploaded by mgharris

There’s a lovely Clooney movie out just now, "Up In The Air" which features a key scene in Detroit Airport (also the airport destination of the latest Al Qaeda nutso, the Underpants Bomber.) Now who’da thought that an airport that I had never visited in years of travelling, at least 5 times to the USA, would suddenly become so ubiquitous, months after I happen to spend several happy hours there?

The simple answer is probably that it’s the major hub for American Airlines, who feature prominently in the Clooney film.

Is "Up In The Air" good? For a movie that purports to be a romcom it’s being taken quite seriously. But that is only because it isn’t actually a romcom. There is one important convention to romcoms, you might even say it’s the defining characteristic and it isn’t followed in this movie. Then again, "Annie Hall" ends with the lovers apart too.

It’s a good comedy drama though. With a rather nice, poignant twist at the end.

I took this photo in Detroit Airport, next to the jumping fountain. In the movie Clooney and his young co-star stand in almost exactly the same place, also with a sunset.

Meanwhile, "Zero Moment" is effectively published early, with online promotions starting this week at Waterstone’s and swapitshop.com

I spent today writing my 2010 author talk. First school event on Wednesday. Krispy Kreme party for the Joshua Facebook group on Friday. Big launch party next Tuesday. Much excitement and cake, then down to editing Dark Parallel.

Wednesday 27th also sees Joshua’s first outing in Polish!
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