This is a long overdue post about my visit to Portobello High a few weeks ago. I was made to feel very welcome by the school librarian, Andrea, and a highlight of my visit was being interviewed for the Teen Titles magazine by two 2nd year pupils, Alison and Freya (that’s a photo of us above). The girls were given my book, Follow Me, to read over the summer and I was delighted (and relieved) to hear that they both really enjoyed it. Alison even told me it was now her favourite book; that’s the biggest compliment a writer can ever receive!

They both asked me great questions, (which you will get to see in the Teen Titles magazine), and made it a really fun experience for me.  We also had a sneaky ‘off the record’ chat at the end where I told them what the original ending Follow Me had been, before I decided to go back to change it. They also got to hear a bit about my new book, (that I am still working on just now), and talking it over encouraged me to finish it as soon as possible. That’s partly why it has taken me so long to update my website, as I have been using my ‘writing time’ to actually edit and write my book for a change!!

After my interview I delivered a talk to a hall full of 2nd years and even although my power point failed I had a great time telling them about my writing journey, and I got them to start building their own story.  This is me with some of the pupils afterwards, below (I was having a bad hair day that day – it’s windy in Edinburgh!)

It was a really fun afternoon and I was delighted to receive a lovely card from the school a few days after my visit – some of the pupils took time to write comments in the card which put a big smile on my face!

It is also my 1 YEAR BOOK ANNIVERSARY this month. This has been one of the most exciting and jam packed years of my life so in some ways my launch night feels like another lifetime ago, and in other ways it feels like it was just yesterday. Here’s a little montage of photos from the launch:

I’ve got an exciting time coming up in November during Book Week Scotland where I’ll be doing an event at Port Glasgow library, Largs Academy and Clydebank High. Details are all on the Events page on my website. I’m particularly looking forward to the event at Port Glasgow library as I will be doing a joint talk alongside my writer Mum, Rosemary Gemmell. My Mum has always been so encouraging of my writing growing up and has been a big inspiration so it will be great doing a writing event together.