Notes from the Cavendish: Endings

My six-week Writing for Children course seems to have passed in the blink of an eye - and I am bereft! I don't like endings. I'm useless at goodbyes. I struggle to hang up the phone and even at the end of a casual get-together with friends or family, I'm never the the one who ups and leaves first and simply says, 'See you later.'

I know, I know - I have 'abandonment issues' - and I know too that endings are what make space for new beginnings, but the knowledge doesn't help.

As a children's writer, reaching the end of a story can be hugely satisfying, but there are challenges too. Children hate to be patronised so the ending doesn't necessarily have to be 'happy'. It might be thought-provoking, bitter-sweet, twist-in-the tale, hopeful, redemptive or whatever. But I think young people, like most adult readers - me included - want a resolution to the problem posed at the beginning of the story. I may struggle with goodbyes, but I still don't like cliffhanger book endings.  

Whether the protagonist 'wins' or 'loses' in the final do or die confrontation, when the stakes are at their highest, what's important is how the main character has changed. What have they learned - about life, about themselves? How have they grown?

And after it's all over? Well, I don't want to be overly-dramatic (OK, I do!) but for me - as a reader, a writer or a course tutor - then comes the let-down, the anti-climax, the sense of being cast adrift, the headlong plunge into limbo and having no idea what comes next... that's where I am now.

I'd love to hear how other people feel about endings... what are the best last lines you've ever read? How do you say goodbye - in writing or in life?

Making Changes, Moving On...

2011 was a momentous year that will certainly go down in history: The Arab Spring, the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, a royal wedding, the summer riots, protests against library closures and global capitalism, the deaths of Bin Laden and Gadaffi ... and so much more.

Phew! Well, that definitely puts my personal highlights into perspective and keeps them firmly in their place!  The timing is still off though. Originally, I planned to go with convention and write this post at the end of December or the beginning of January, but Christmas and birthday celebrations – and revisions to my latest book – put paid to that.

So here it is, the belated round-up of my year:

Website:  Before last year, my online presence was limited to my my website which I set up at the end of 2010. It’s primarily aimed at children and includes a brief biography, details of my books, news and reviews and contact and booking information, but it soon became clear that it wasn’t enough.

Social Networking:  Encouraged by my sons, I signed up to Facebook and Twitter. To use a phrase I have only come across since being on these platforms, I am ‘late to the party’ – but as of today, I have 218 friends and 549 followers! I still have reservations about privacy on Facebook and I had a bit of a false start with Twitter – joining and then deciding a few days later, with only 6 followers that it wasn’t for me. I’m not the best networker in real life and I had serious doubts that I would be any better at it on the internet.  However, one of the aforementioned sons persuaded me to retrieve my account and be a bit more patient. There’s a lesson in there somewhere – and it isn’t just about hashtags and ‘likes’.

Blogging: I made my first foray in the world of blogging with a guest blog for Girls Heart Books to coincide with the publication of Skin Deep and then as part of the Scattered Authors’ group blog – An Awfully Big Blog Adventure.  I started small – and slow – but I had what was described by my publisher as ‘blog triumph’ with my second post, Black, White and Just Right where I wrote about the lack of children’s and YA books with mixed-race characters. And I got another lesson – about the need to toughen up if you put yourself ‘out there’.  An anonymous comment on my third post – since removed by the blog administrator – left me feeling wounded, but I’m learning fast and growing a thicker skin. Oh yes, and I launched my own blog – this one here, that you’re reading now – which still feels very new and experimental.

YouTube: I also set up my own YouTube channel. So far, I have uploaded three videos – a video trailer for Skin Deep, a reading from Skin Deep and a vignette from the Bookshop on the Green Christmas event.

Agent: I’ve never had an agent before now and have always dealt directly with my publishers. This has worked well apart from the difficulty of negotiating advance payments and royalty percentages with the very same people who are giving creative feedback. So in August, I was absolutely delighted to be signed up by my brand new agent, Catherine Pellegrino and to unexpectedly join a veritable sisterhood of writers.

Book Launch: In September, Elizabeth Garret Anderson School for Girls kindly hosted the launch event for Skin Deep. Here are the links to librarian, Lesley Cheetham’s review and blog about the launch.

Writing: I wrote the second book in the Sugar and Spice series which is called Dance Dreams. It will be published in September 2012 at the same time as the second Spike and Ali Enson book which is called Spike and Ali in Space. A chapter from my adult novel – a neglected, long-term work-in-progress – was accepted for inclusion in the Four Women: A Tribute to Nina Simone anthology which will be published in America any minute now. I also wrote a first chapter and an outline for a chapter book for 7 to 10 year olds and the first draft of a pre-teen thriller.

Reading: I've already blogged about the Kindle my sons gave me for Christmas. But before that, I read a lot of adult, YA, children’s fiction and picture books made of paper – not all of which were actually published in 2011. It’s never easy for me to choose my favourite books when I’ve enjoyed so many, but I’ve narrowed down my 2011 recommendations to my Top Ten – sorry, twelve:

The Book of Human Skin – Michelle Lovric (A)

Started Early, Took the Dog – Kate Atkinson (A)

Killing Honour – Bali Rai (YA)

You Against Me – Jenny Downham (YA)

Trash – Andy Mulligan (YA)

When I Was Joe – Keren David (YA)

Shadows on the Moon – Zoe Marriott (YA)

Dark Ride – Caroline Green (YA)

Clash – Colin Mulhern (YA)

15 Days Without a Head – Dave Cousins (YA)

Brave New Girl – Catherine Johnson (MG)

Ruby and Grub – Abi Burlingham (PB)

Travelling: Alongside writing, travelling is one of my passions and I love visiting friends and family in different parts of the country – and the world. Last year, I went to Switzerland, France, Hampshire – and Birmingham.  There was not enough sun.

Teaching: In September, I started my second Royal Literary Fund Fellowship – an academic writer-in-residence post – at the London College of Fashion. Since the first two or three weeks when I was so exhausted, I crawled home on my knees, I have really enjoyed it – and re-discovered my vocation, which I blog about on ABBA.

2012 Plans: That’s easy. More writing, more travelling and more time with friends and family.

A Kindle is not just for Christmas

OK, I admit it. I’ve gone over to the other side. I’m a convert. A defector.  A traitor. My sons bought me a Kindle for Christmas – although not without some misgivings. Two years ago, they bought me a digital photo frame which sits gathering dust, unused and unloved, and earning me a reputation as a technophobe. And I had – still have – a few doubts of my own, mainly about how much I might miss the smell and feel of real books. But I already love my Kindle so much, I may have to give it a name. Kevin, perhaps.

The Kindle is small and light, the matt silver-grey finish is very touchy-feely and it’s hard to argue with the convenience of being able to slip a couple of thousand books into your handbag. The screen uses ‘reads like paper’ technology which is not backlit and feels very different to reading from a computer screen - and I can finally read children’s and YA books on the train without anyone giving me pitying or disapproving looks!

I suppose most Kindle users are adults, but I think there is real appeal for younger readers and for schools. It’s the book equivalent of an MP3 player with instant downloads, including free sample chapters that you can ‘try before you buy’. There is instant on-screen access to dictionary definitions of unfamiliar words and the variable font size may be useful for struggling or reluctant readers. There is also on-line access to thousands of free classic texts, some of which are used in schools. Kindle texts – including ‘self-published’ pdf books – can also be displayed or printed from computer screens and interactive whiteboards. The device bookmarks your place and you can highlight text and make notes for your own use or to ‘share’ with real and virtual friends via Facebook and Twitter. 

In case I’m starting to sound like an ad campaign, there are some disadvantages. There’s no colour so it’s not great for picture books or graphic novels and there’s no 3G connection (I barely know what that is!) but you can browse and buy e-books using the wi-fi connection or transfer them from your computer, which is my favourite method so far.

So is this thing with Kevin just a fling or something more permanent? I’ll keep you posted...

In the meantime, my books, Skin Deep and Spike and Ali Enson are available in both paperback and as e-books:

COMPETITION - Whodunit?

The competition is now closed.
Congratulations to the winners:
Bex in Langley, Lynsey in Glasgow and Sheri in London

HOLIDAY COOKIE TRADITIONS

One of the earliest stories about Christmas that I remember reading is The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden, first published in 1958 – although it has been reprinted many times since and was adapted as an animated film called The Wish that Changed Christmas in 1991. It probably says quite a lot about me that my other childhood favourites include Heidi by Johanna Spyri and The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. As a children’s author, my current tastes are for stories altogether edgier but even today, The Story of Holly and Ivy still evokes the magic of Christmas with a charming and nostalgic story about a lonely orphan, a doll without an owner and a woman with a Christmas tree and no one to enjoy it.

And for me, nothing evokes the taste of Christmas more than Mince Pies... Crazy QuiltEdi Cookie Traditions 

BOOKS FEATURING MIXED RACE CHARACTERS

This book list was updated in October 2012 and is a companion piece to this blog post.
UK publications are in bold and Letterbox Library is a great place to find them!

PICTURE BOOKS

Atinuke & Lauren Tobia - Lauren Hibiscus series

Adoff, Arnold – Hard to be Six

Alko, Selina – I’m Your Peanut Butter Big Brother

Benjamin, Floella & Chamberlain, Margaret – My Two Grandads; My Two Grannies

Binch, Caroline – Silver Shoes

Bradman, Tony & Browne, Eileen - Through My Window; In a Minute; Wait and See

Cottringer, Anne – When Titus Took the Train

Dale, Elizabeth – When Betsy Came to Babysit

Docherty, Thomas - Ruby Nettleship and the Ice Lolly Adventure 
Elliott, Odette & McIntyre, Georgina – Sammy Goes Flying      

Evans, Shane W – Olu’s Dream

Fuller, Rachel – Waiting for Baby

Garland, Sarah – Billy and Belle; Eddie’s Toolbox

Graham, Bob – Oscar’s Half Birthday

Hawkins, Elizabeth & Cemmick, Paul – Ben’s Birthdays

Hoffman, Mary & Northway, Jennifer – Nancy No-Size

Juster, Norton & Raschka, Chris – The Hello Goodbye Window

Nichols, Grace - No, Baby, No!
Northway, Jennifer – Lucy’s Day Trip
Quarmby, Katharine & Grobler, Piet - Fussy Freya

Stanley, Malaika Rose & Wilson-Max, Ken – Baby Ruby Bawled

Uff, Caroline – Lulu series

Umansky, Kaye & Sharratt, Nick – Yo Ho Ho! A-Pirating We’ll Go

Venus, Pamela – Let’s Feed the Ducks; Let’s Go to Playgroup

Willis Hudson, Cheryl, Ford, Bernette G & Ford, G – Bright Eyes, Brown Skin

Wilkins, Verna Allette & Venus, Pamela – Boots for a Bridesmaid

YOUNG FICTION

Aggs, John & Aggs, Patrice - The Boss
Baggott, Julianna - The Prince of Fenway Park
Caldecott, Elen – How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini        

Chang, Margaret – Celia’s Robot

Cassidy, Cathy - Cherry Crush; Lucky Star; Indigo Blue
Corder, Zizou – Lion Boy trilogy

Danziger, Paula – The Divorce Express; It’s an Aardvark-Eat-Turtle World
Cottrell Boyce, Frank & Berger, Joe - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again    

Dhami, Narinder – Bindi Babes; Bhangra Babes; Bollywood Babes

Dougherty, John – Bansi O’Hara series

Hiranandani, Veera – The Whole Story of Half a Girl

Hartley, A J – Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact

Howard, Ken – The Young Chieftain 

Edwards, Nicholas – Dog Whisperer: The Rescue; Storm Warning

Frazier, Sundee T – Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It; The Other Half of My Heart

French, S Terrell – Operation Redwood

Gourlay, Candy – Tall Story
Johnson, Catherine – Hero; The Nightmare Card; Brave New Girl; Sawbones

Lovegrove, James – The 5 Lords of Pain series
Matthews, L S - Lexi

Meddour, Wendy – A Hen in the Wardrobe; The Black Cat Detectives               

Miller, David – Leopard’s Claw; Sea Wolf; Shark Island

Osborne, Mary Pope – Falling Star
Osman, Sam - Quicksilver; Serpent's Gold

Ould-Okojie, Jackie (ed) - Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: The Music Man
Pielichaty, Helena – We’re the Dream Team, Right?

Rainger, Amanda - Me and My Family series
Rhys, David – Where’s Gran?

Riordan, Rick – The Kane Chronicles: Red Pyramid, Throne of Fire

Scotto, Michael – Latasha and the Little Red Tornado

Stanley, Malaika Rose – Spike and Ali Enson; Spike in Space; Skin Deep

YOUNG ADULT

Adoff, Jaime – Jimi and Me                                                       

Anderson, R J - Arrow

Beam, Chris – I am J

Blackman, Malorie – Noughts and Crosses trilogy                     

Brahmachari, Sita – Artichoke Hearts, Jasmine Skies

Burchill, Julie – Sugar Rush; Sweet

Cann, Kate – Possessing Rayne; Fire and Rayne

Chadda, Sarwat – Devil’s Kiss; Dark Goddess

Kate Costelloe – The Breakfast Club

Crutcher, Christ – Whale Talk

Dalton, Annie – The Rules of Magic

Durrow, Heidi W – The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Elliott, Zetta – A Wish After Midnight; Ship of Souls

Evans, Diana – 26a

Freer, Echo – Magenta Orange series                                       

García, Cristina – I Wanna Be Your Shoebox

Green, Caroline - Cracks

Gurtler, Janet – If I Tell

Hautman, Pete – Blank Confession

Herne, Lily – Deadlands

Hijuelos, Oscar – Dark Dude

Hoffman, Mary – Stravaganza series

Hucklesby, Jill – If I Could Fly

Johnson, Catherine – Stella; Other Colours; Face Value

Jones, Carrie and Wedel, Steve – After Obsession

Kearns, Zannah - No Use Crying
Kent, Rose - Kimchi and Calamari

Larbalestier, Justine – Liar

Lee, Y S - The Agency trilogy

Lester, Joan Steinau – Black White Other: In Search of Nina Armstrong
Leitich Smith, Cynthia – Tantalize series

Magoon, Kekla – Camo Girl

Marriott, Zoë – Daughter of the Flames

Marshall, Clare C - Within
Newbery, Linda – The Sandfather

Ostow, Micol – Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa                             

Perkins, Mitali – Monsoon Summer

Phillips, Ellie - Dads, Geeks and Blue-Haired Freaks
Pullman, Philip – The Broken Bridge
Rai, Bali - The Crew; The Whisper

Rees, Celia – Pirates!

Rees Brennan, Sarah – The Demon’s Surrender

Reeves, Dia – Bleeding Violet

Resau, Laura – The Indigo Notebook 

Sarkar, Donna – How to Salsa in a Sari

Senna, Danzy – Caucasia; From Caucasia, With Love

Smith, Cynthia Leitich – Rain Is Not My Indian Name

Shusterman, Neal – Dread Locks 

Stevenson, Sarah Jamila – The Latte Rebellion

Sturman, Jennifer – And Then Everything Unraveled; And Then I Found Out The Truth

Thompson, Holly – Orchards

Waterhouse, Lynda – Cut Off

Wenberg, Michael – Stringz

Elizabeth E Wein – The Sunbird; The Lion Hunter; The Empty Kingdom
Wolff, Virginia Euwer – The Mozart Season

ADULT

Wheatle, Alex - Brixton Rock; Brenton Brown 

BLACK, WHITE AND JUST RIGHT

BLACK, WHITE AND JUST RIGHT

Mixed-race people have existed ever since our ancestors first set out to explore and wage war - and today, the UK has one of the largest and fastest-growing mixed race populations in the western world. Partly this is because of the greater number of people who choose to define themselves as mixed-race on census forms and elsewhere and partly as the result of more mixed marriages and relationships and more blended, adoptive and step-families.

    

The BBC’s recent Mixed Britannia series told some of the stories behind the headlines and statistics and stirred up quite a few personal memories of my own. As a result, I decided to try and compile a list of children’s and YA books which feature mixed-race and mixed heritage main characters and I began... read more