Welcome to my site!

I write books for all ages, for young children to teenage and adults. I have also written a book on writing - Writing for Children - for both aspiring and newly published authors.

While I spend quite a lot of time visiting libraries, schools and festivals talking about my books and running creative writing workshops, I do manage to find time to write, too!

Latest News:

Teenagers launching Dead Boy Talking

Platinum Pages Publication Promotions

– is the company name for a great class of 13/14 yr olds from North Berwick High school in East Lothian, Scotland. They have been working hard to publicise and organise the launch of my new novel DEAD BOY TALKING.

They have a started blog about the project (http://deadboytalking.blogspot.com) – why not have a look and follow the blog.

There is also a Facebook page for Dead Boy Talking and they have all sorts of exciting ideas for the launch which will be in the school at the end of June.

PPPP have been learning about publishing and publicity, increasing their skills in IT and communications. The project has also encouraged them to think about design of posters and invitations and they have been organising competitions and other exciting things for the launch day.

Visit to ISA (International School of Aberdeen)

April ended with a couple of interesting days

when I visited the ISA.

The International School of Aberdeen

I spoke to a variety of classes from the little ones in the kindergarten right up to the older students in Grade 5. I read from What Colour is Love? and the Hamish McHaggis books and here I am reading The Giant and the Frippit,

Although most of my time was spent in the library -I joined the Grade 5 class in their classroom where I read from Spider

We also discussed my new novel Dead Boy Talking.

We talked about how the design for the cover had gone through several changes and they gave the final cover design a thumbs up!

“Thank you so much for your visit to ISA. The 5th grade students were enthralled with your writing and can’t wait to get their hands on your next book – Dead Boy Talking!”

Just before I left the school BUSTER, the school mascot, came for a visit and decided to sit and read The Giant and the Frippit for himself!

Back to my desk

Getting back to my desk I feel the urge to spring clean my desk and my computer files and start with everything cleared away. April is that kind of month for me and I have a much less punishing schedule in the next couple of months and I plan to keep it that way for a while to allow me more time to write. But I am not sure if that will actually happen because there are some very exciting things planned with the publication of my new book DEAD BOY TALKING in JUNE. More about this very soon!

: Greenfaulds High School

March was very busy with lots of school visits right up to the last week when I was visiting all ages, from tots to teens during the Craigmillar Book Festival, speaking to adult writers in Port Seton, East Lothian and a last minute invitation to North Lanarkshire’s St Margaret’s High school and Greenfaulds High School.

: Grenfaulds High School