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:

Check out my events page to see where else I will be appearing soon.

October was a busy month with lots of interesting and varied happenings. My latest novel Spider – my first venture into young adult fiction, was launched and has had some great reviews. The Irish Examiner said it was ‘ a triumph of teenage fiction.’ The Edinburgh Evening News did a feature on me click on this link to read it http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/features/Teenage-car-thief-inspires-city.4574448.jp

Launch of new teen novel SPIDER

My new novel, Spider is officially launched. Spider is a novel for teenagers about teenage love, loyalty and fast cars.

‘Spider is on his last warning. If he is caught joyriding agian he will be sent down, no questions asked. He’s trying to stick to the straight and narrow but his girlfriend Deanna and mate Andy reckon he should risk one last RUN.

Spider is an adrenaline-fuelled ride – a compelling glimpse into a life spinning out of control’

February 2008

February has been a strange month so far, a time for taking stock and catching up with all the odd jobs that have been pushed to one side while the three books coming out this year have been finished off. Here are some pictures of Sally and I working on the latest Hamish McHaggis story -The lost Prince.

It is quite an exciting time because I have also been thinking about my next book , a novel for older children. I have only had odd moments to scribble down ideas so far but now I want to get down to doing some research and building up the characters.

I was in North Ayrshire last week where I was running a CPD workshop with Primary school teachers. we worked on ideas for stimulating creative writing in the classroom.

I have also been organising some of the many events that I have coming up in the next few months and also later in the year. It takes quote a lot of time to organise dates and all the details, and of course the travel arrangements, but I enjoy travelling around, seeing new places and meeting new people.