Dreams and Aspirations

Following on from Chipping, I next did an event at another location very important to the books. At the invitation of Emma Parkinson, I visited Stalmine Primary School on its Prize Day to give a short talk on ‘Dreams and Aspirations’. It’s another school with a great atmosphere and the pupils did presentations telling us what they hoped to be when they grew up; this included a whole range choices from pop stars to policemen and one boy even wanted to be a writer!

My own children attended that school because it’s in the village where they grew up and I still live – the place that, with its boggart, ‘The Hall knocker’, gave me the inspiration for the series. The location even features in the first book when, at the end, Tom guides Alice there to stay with one of her aunts. Of course, I don’t use the name ‘Stalmine’; it goes under its older name ‘Staumin’.

Well, that looks like being the last event of the recent tour. August is usually quiet but I’m at the Marine Hall, Fleetwood, Lancashire, on August 1st (11am to 1pm). Called ‘National Play Day’, it features talent competitions and other family fun. I’ll be there with Tony, the bookseller from Pritchards, Formby and I’ll be signing books and chatting to anyone who wants to talk to me. Following that I’m at the Edinburgh Festival on August 25th to give a talk on my latest book and the series in general.

In my next blog (which I hope to do sometime next week) I’ll try to address some of the questions raised in your comments on the tour blogs.

Story-telling Festival in Lancashire, at the heart of the Spook’s World…

Today, accompanied by Mary Wynburg and her family of ‘The Corner Bookshop’, Garstang, I visited Chipping, Lancashire, to attend the annual Story-telling Festival presented by the children of St Mary’s School.

Organized by Chris Stringer, the day was really enjoyable with lots of interesting and spectacular events performed by the enthusiastic school children. Chipping has a really strong sense of community and it was a good family day out.

I gave two talks, to mixed audiences of children and adults; in the second group was a party from Lancashire Libraries who had been doing a Spook’s walk over Wolf Fell. It was the first time I have ever done an event in Chipping and for me it was a special occasion because that village (known as ‘Chipenden’ in the books) is the very heart of the Spook’s World and the place where he lives during the summer months. For all readers of the books it is a place you must visit one day - maybe next year’s festival at the school?

Babylon Lane

Things are start to calm down a little now but I still did two further enjoyable events last week. The first was at Baine’s Primary School, Thornton; the second was St Peter’s School, Bury. At both I met enthusiastic readers but the second had another significance because it is where my son, Stephen, is currently teaching. He generally works long contracts on supply and wherever he goes he reads from the books and tells his class about the series. As a follow-up to that I then visit the school. This must be about the sixth time we’ve done this. In fact my very first talk as a writer in 2004 was to Anderton County Primary where he was teaching at the time. The kids there asked me to put the name of the school in my next book. I did the next best thing. The school is in Babylon Lane and I used that for the location of the Spook’s brother’s locksmith shop.

Making sure that you buy the right Spook’s books!

After looking at what’s for sale on Amazon UK, I’d like to clarify some of the books, so that UK Spook’s fans don’t buy something by mistake that they have read before.

‘The Last Apprentice: The Spook’s Tale and Other Horrors’
This is a USA publication meant for the American market, which repeats ‘The Spook’s Tale’ which was available as a World Book Day flip-book. It also contains a new Grimalkin story and an Alice story that first appeared as a ‘bonus’ in the paperback edition of ‘The Spook’s Battle’. It is a good production with excellent illustrations and could be a present or provide an introduction to new readers of the series.

‘Spook’s Stories: Witches’ however, is a UK book which will be published in October 2009 in England. It contains five new stories not published here before. There is a story in which Tom and Bill Arkwright face a Banshee witch; ‘Dirty Dora’ a tale of revenge narrated by a dead witch; The Spook’s account of his full dealings with Meg, the lamia witch; an expanded version of the Grimalkin Story (larger than that contained in the USA publication above); finally, in ‘The Brain Guzzler’ Alice Deane tells of her attempts to survive the first week of training in witchcraft by Bony Lizzie. I’m quite proud of that story collection; in my mind it ranks alongside the best of the Spook’s Series.

I hope that clears things up. I hate it when people, by mistake, buy things that they have already read.

Day 18 - Unusual names

Today, I crossed the County border and visited Dringhouses Primary School in York. I was the guest of Clare Smith, a teacher at the school, and gave two talks to enthusiastic groups who asked lots of searching questions.

People are always asking if I will use their name in a Spook’s adventure and sometimes I actually do. Last year I met someone who worked for Random House in Australia and she asked me that question. Her name was ‘Adriana’ and I liked it so I have written her into ‘The Spook’s Nightmare’ (Book Seven). Today I had so many requests from pupils to be in one of my future books that Clare is going to send me the class list of first names so that I can choose one! Remember, to have a chance your name has got to be very unusual – something that seems to naturally belong to the world of the Spook.

Day 17 - In the presence of witches…

On Saturday 27th June, I visited ‘The Bookshop’ in Colne, deep within the Pendle District. I was made very welcome by the proprietors, Jo Watson and Christine Barker, and we were all assisted by Christine’s grandaughter, Fran Bell. It is an independent bookshop with a warm friendly atmosphere and well-worth supporting.

A steady stream of customers visited the shop, not only to buy Spook’s books and have then signed but also to chat, discuss the future of the series and the Lancashire background. As far as I can be sure I didn’t see or meet any witches but I did sense their presence nearby and didn’t really feel safe until I was almost back in Preston. I’m like the Spook and don’t believe in curses but I do hope that nothing has followed me home to Stalmine.

I’ll know for sure once it’s gone dark…

Day 16 - The Prestonian

This morning, I visited the Town Hall, Preston, to meet the team involved in the production of ‘The Prestonian’ the magazine which did an excellent feature on the Spook’s Apprentice series.

Unfortunately, the Press Officer, Carl Holloway, wasn’t there but his colleagues made me very welcome. I signed copies of the books to be given away as competition prizes and met the Mayor of Preston, Councillor Keith Sedgewick.

On my way back across Preston to the railway station I called in at Waterstone’s to have a brief chat with Tori, the Children’s Specialist, and sign their stock. I’ll be back there for a public signing and talk on Saturday July 11th at 11 am.

Outside the station I met Tony Higginson, the manager of Pritchards, Formby who drove me to an afternoon event at Tarleton Community Primary School. There, after being welcomed by Angela, the Head, and Michelle Whittle. I gave two talks - both to enthusiastic groups, who not only managed to keep awake on a very warm afternoon but also asked lots of interesting questions. Later I met a teacher at the school who had been in one of my classes at the Blackpool Sixth Form College about 1996.

So it was a good productive day which ended with a few beers on the sunny banks of the River Ribble with my son, Stephen, his girlfriend Sooze and one of my grandchildren, Jeanie.

Real life Spooks hit Manchester last weekend - see the pictures here!

Here are some brilliant pictures from the Spook’s sampler giveaway in the centre of Manchester last weekend. There was plenty of interest in the books and the Spooks, and all 5,000 copies were snapped up!

Click on the thumbnails to see full-size pictures

Day 15 - The Lancashire Book of the Year Award

Today I attended the Lancashire Book of the Year Award at the County Hall, Preston. It was good to listen to the young judges as they gave their reasons for choosing the winner, Sophie McKenzie’s book ‘Blood Ties’. I also got to meet up with some of the othershort-listed authors, including Craig Simpson who wrote ‘Dogfight’. We have met several times before and share the same agent, Carolyn Whitaker of London Independent Books.

I also talked to Elaine Silverwood of the SiverDell Bookshop Kirkham and we discussed an event that we hope to do in October. It was good also to
meet Jean Wolstenholme and Jake Hope of Lancashire library Services. Behind the scenes a great deal of work From Jake, Jean and the team
ensures that the Lancashire Book Award is a success.

So it was a good ‘event’ and I got to meet a few of my own readers and sign a few books. Not only was an excellent lunch provided, I was even
given a pair of red-rose cuff links!

My next open event is next Saturday 27th June. I will be at ‘The Bookshop’, Colne to chat and do a signing.

Day 14 - Hampshire

Today I was accompanied by my Random House publicist, Lauren Bennett who helped to smooth my path.

Accompanied by Waterstone’s booksellers, Nicoala, Holly and Sue, we first visited Cantell School where I gave a talk to a large group of enthusiastic readers in the library organised by the librarian Melita Sheppard. In the afternoon it was off to Noadswood School for lunch with librarians Denise Woodgate and Catherine Maitland plus a group of students who had voted for The Spook’s Apprentice four years ago for the Hampshire Book Award, followed by a talk to an audience of approximately 200 children. At both events I signed lots of books and answered many questions.

Judith Bowles of the Hampshire school library service attended the afternoon talk and there was also a photographer from the Daily Echo, a Southampton newspaper.

Once again I was given the names of readers who wanted to be in a future book. By now there is quite a waiting list!

Itv was a great day and I’m sure I’ll return to Hampshire at some time in the future.