• On Tuesday, I spent the morning at Westcliff Primary School, Dawlish in Devon, where gifted and talented groups from five schools met up for a workshop. I showed them my somewhat chaotic system for working out ideas.

    We were going to come up with a creation myth for an animal. Each time I do this I promise myself I will choose a safe animal and lead the group in a safe direction and come up with a safe and satisfying result. But life’s not like that – is it?

    We decided to do how snails got their shells. I set off thinking it would be relatively easy. It was not!

    We ended up with a crazy plot in which British slugs went across the Channel in borrowed sea shells, to save their french cousins from being eaten by Frenchmen!

    A Dad’s Army flavour entered the proceedings and we ended up with some very funny scenes and excellent, World War Two, Colonel Blimp type dialogue.

    As I kept telling the children, it was only a first draft of an idea that needs lots of work on it yet. Hmm… drafting and editing seem to be children’s least favourite concepts!

    Thanks for a great and funny morning chaps! Now – Forward – Advance and on to Victory!

    ps here is the youtube link to my worm eating slug video!

  • How wonderful is the National Trust? After a tiring day in Okehampton School, I was on my way back to my hotel, when I saw a sign to Lydford Gorge. On instinct, I changed direction and went in pursuit.

    I arrived as they were closing, But the nice lady let me in! I so glad she did. The narrow gorge ends in the Devil’s Cauldron, a circular space around which the water rushes and crashes. It hadn’t rained fro a bit. I imagine, after the rain and in full flood, it must be really quite loud and spectacular. The gorge is lush and green and close to the quaint church and old castle of Lydford too. If you are in the area, don’t hesitate to have a look.

  • The Evil Lord Vorg!
    I should have learned by now – when it sounds like it’s going to be a small quiet country school it’s often quite the opposite. So I discovered on Monday, when I visited Okehampton Primary School in Devon. It is, in fact, the largest primary school in Devon.

    I had to quickly adapt my plans, but everything went off really well. The children had come dressed up – many of them dressed as characters from my books, which was a bit of a surprise. The picture is of The Evil Lord Vorg, from Ricky Rocket. There was also one particularly fine Viking Vik costume.

    I had a great day, telling stories and showing how to draw my characters. How ever often I do it, I’m always amazed at the wonderful, different ways children interpret my instructions – that’s what makes the world go round, I guess!

    Thanks for a great Day everyone and all the best.