Lego nostalgia!

I know this is totally random but I love Lego men. They give me such a fuzzy nostalgic feeling especially at this time of year.
My favourite present that I ever got from Santa was Lego. I remember wriggling my toes down the end of the bed on Christmas morning to hear the rattle sound of a box of Lego. I used to sleep in the bottom bunk and I remember how thrilled I was to when I saw that it was Lego. It was wrapped in a pillowcase down the bottom of my bed on Christmas morning.
My kids are mad into Lego especially my son Oscar. I love the little characters they zing with humour and personality.

Other Designs for Trócaire Cards

Trócaire Christmas Cards

I was delighted to be asked to design and illustrate the Trocaire Christmas Cards this year.
The cards are available in the Trocaire stores in Maynooth, Co. Kildare, 12 Cathedral Street, Dublin 1,
9 Cook Street, Cork and 50 King Street, Belfast.
Paddy in Skerries Bookstore will also be stocking them too!
If you would like to order the cards for your company please contact Trócaire directly on 1850 408 408

Whirly Wind Book Signing

Yesterday myself and PJ Lynch went on a whirly wind tour to all the Dubray Book stores in Dublin. Conor our rep drove us around Dublin in style. Thanks Conor! First stop off was Bray at ten in the morning, then we went to Stillorgan, Rathmines, Dundrum, Dunlaoighaire, Grafton Street and a few more places inbetween! The windows looked really fabulous, the staff had done a great job decorating them. I loved the addition of a magic shoe in Dubray Rathmines. It was lovely to meet all the book staff and have a chat. And to have a look at all the other pictures books out this year. I have made up a long wish list that I am going to leave lying around!

Window Display

Here is a photo of the Dubray Window in Bray, it's the book of the month along with PJ Lynch's The Gift of the Magi.
Sorry I've been so quiet I have been keeping the head down trying to rough up my new book for Walker Books, trying to figure the ins and outs of photoshop!

Book of the Month

Cinderella and PJ Lynch's Gift of the Magi are the Dubray Books of the month for November. Myself and PJ will be signing copies next Thursday in all the Dubray stores.

Change

I spent the day with Conor my rep driving around all the Easons signing copies of Cinderella. It’s half price in all Eason Stores for one week only.
Here is a copy of the Argosy Christmas Catalogue, it was commissioned for Argosy who sell wholesale into Independent bookstores. I always try to support the independents. We have a lovely little bookstore in our Town Skerries Bookstore, run by Paddy. It's a great little shop and he is a great supporter of my books.
I also think that books are the best Christmas present and I am making my list up now so if you know me expect a book. So fantastic to curl up in front of the fire and read or sit your little one on your knee for a cosy read.
I know its credit crunch time but I still think that books are good value, for a night in just add cup of hot chocolate and warm fire!

Last night I stayed up 'til two in the morning watching the coverage of US elections but my peepers had to go asleep in the end. When we woke up this morning we all raced down to turn on the news. I was so happy and delighted that Obama is new president...what a monumental moment in time. The coverage was incredibly moving, it really was a young peoples vote for change and hopefully Obama will change the world for the better, to a happier world :-)

Winter Sun

All of a sudden it is real wintry, the light has changed to a grey white colour. I am much more relaxed this week after a mad October of visits and workshops, so it's great that I have some time back. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love reading and meeting kids they are after all why I write books. I always am blown away by the enthusiasm and the ease of the kids when I do a drawing workshop.
So I am getting back into my routine cup of tea, check messages and then sit down at desk to come up with ideas for my new book. I am also going to start doing some new work that I may exhibit in a little gallery in Skerries where I live for their Christmas show.

Easons are doing half price promotion on Cinderella for this week only, it's fantastic offer so if you haven't got a copy yet....

Skerries News

There is an article in Skerries News about my news. My kids think this is hilarious! This image of the windmill is from just behind our house photographed by Gwen Kelly. It was for an article in the Evening Herald. I can see this beautiful windmill from my desk when I am working.