When Librarian Mrs Ward asked me to say a few words about reading to a group of lovely Year 7 eager readers (chaired by SF Said) I wondered about where to start. And it seemed only natural to start in bed, lying on my side, covers pulled up, the warm glow of my bedside lamp, and icicle fingers holding a book. Ever since I was young - and I’m so old now, so that must be over 45 years – I’ve gone to sleep the same way. There is so much pleasure, so much intense delight in the i

So. #amrewriting. More brutally exacting than #amwriting. Less enjoyably forensic than #amediting. In the case of my sci-fi novel Summer at the Methane Lakes (to be published by Blowfish Books in December), it’s a root and branch restructuring: I’ve got a more coherent plot line and a massively expanded premise; there’s now a second narrative voice which has given rise to a new two part configuration. Characters have evolved, been given personality transplants and fresh back

Heavens to Betsy. I have the book in my hot little hands. All the way from our lovely printers in Poland – Say hi, Walter! The book took a long time to write, but as ever, the voice of the main character, Ben, came galloping at me, insisting I write down his words. He didn’t give up and here it is. I wanted to write about a boy – from his point of view – partly because I have a lot of boys and young men in my life (three stepsons and two sons) so their voices and their anxiet