DON'T PANIC! DON'T PANIC!

I am exhausted with worry! Late last week I read through the Uncorrected Proof of Mouse - see last post - only to discover it was indeed uncorrected and that some corrections I knew had been done with the copy editor weren't there on the page.

Panic. Sleeplessness. Guilt (Why guilt?)Why weren't the corrections there? Was it something I had/hadn't done? Should I keep quiet or . . erm .. raise the matter? I went for the latter, and was told with some gently amused patience that the "book copy" can indeed be taken from an early stage of the mansucript and that all is still progressing nicely.

There was also this Active Learning Written & Spoken Word project I've been involved in. At one level it's been truly great - seeing the same group of children, working out session by session which workshop should come next, seeing definite signs of development, getting to know some great people and children. But oh the paperwork! I have been battling with the session proformas - the downloading, the filling in with data, the observations and outcomes . . . Mercy! I'm a story-teller and my words don't fit easily into boxes.

Please let me have an easier day tomorrow . . .

DOOR WIDENING NEEDED, PERHAPS?

What can I say? My last post told you the uncorrected proofs of A Boy Called Mouse had arrived.

This post makes me feel even more boasty as I have now read from those very same uncorrected pages!

Last weekend, at The Federation of Children's Book Groupa Conference 2010, I gave a seminar - well two if you count the repeat - on the theme of Following The Mouse. (Mice do keep popping up in my books!)

And this meant that not only was I able to read from my beloved book "The Third Elephant" which is full of mice in minor but essential roles, but I was able to read a short extract from Tome One (ABCM). It was an amazing experience as this book has been a loooooooooooong time coming. but at last I feel it will truly exist. And I am so proud of it!

PROOFS AND PUDDING?

Hooray! Today I found a padded envelope on my doormat. I opened it up, half-hoping, and yes - there were two Uncorrected Proof copies of my children's novel, A BOY CALLED MOUSE.

I am so delighted. Thank you Bloomsbury! Now I shall have chocolate pudding with my lunch by way of celebration.