Julia Golding

rhiannon parker-nicholls wrote on 11 February 2013:

Dear my friend cat Thank you for your advice. I have cadets tomorrow and so will do as you sugest. Thank you. Your friend rhiannon parker-nicholls xxxxx

rhiannon parker-nicholls wrote on 10 February 2013:

Dear my friend cat. In november i started a group called the air cadets. They are a group who are like the army but for children and to learn not kill! I love air cadets but we had a boy who had taken some time off while i have been in cadets and has come back. Sadly he is picking on me. I am home educated and a girl so he picks on me for that but the main thing is that everyone got enrolled on the tuesday but i couldnt attend as my carrage had broken down 75 miles away so i am the only one not enrolled! I dont want to beat him up so i wont ask for boxing tips as we have a strict no bullying policy but he is bullying me. What can i do? Love rhiannon

Dear Rhiannon How unfortunate - carriage accidents are sadly common. You have two options - one is to confront the boy with his behaviour and tell him to stop making a fool of himself with his ill disciplined attitude (cadets are presumably supposed to follow some kind of rules?). The second is to ask a superior officer to intervene. I would make sure you have your friends around you as well - that is what I do. Cat

naomi wrote on 07 February 2013:

hi cat its me again i have some good news im coming to visit london we will be staying in covent garden we might even visit drury lane anymore racomandations you can give me of what can i do

Go to the theatre of course!

Penelope wrote on 05 February 2013:

Good day, Miss Catherine Royal, How old are you in Cat's Cradle? Penelope

It is discussed as I'm not sure with any great accuracy.

Yasmine wrote on 05 February 2013:

Hi Cat, I have read your first 3 adventures and am reading the 4th. I am so exited, I really want to read the 5th one. And the 6th. What is the place you liked going to most out of; Paris, America, Jamaica and Scotland? Yasmine

I did enjoy Paris even though it is very dangerous at the moment.

... wrote on 03 February 2013:

Cat-- any tips for naggy parents! They constantly nag me to tidy my room do my homework it never stops! Sometimes a girls gotta chill ya know!!

Negotiate!

Allyson wrote on 31 January 2013:

Hello Cat, I have a friend named Gillian at school, and we used to be really close. But now since the school year started we were put in different classes, with different lunch breaks. She goes home early and comes late so I don't have a lot of time to talk to her, and when I do it's always with other friends around. The problem is that I feel like I'm ignoring her when we talk, because my other friends don't pay her a lot of attention. I try to bring her in, but it doesn't work, and I feel like a failure as her friend. It's painful to hear her say, "I'm just going to go now" and be the only one bothering to say goodbye. Any help?

Dear Allyson, I wonder if, reading between the lines, Gillian is feeling unhappy too, perhaps about the friendship but maybe the move to another routine. Why not try to see her out of school and discuss it with her? I'm sure she'd appreciate the fact that you are thinking about it. Cat

Bella wrote on 29 January 2013:

Hello Cat, Are you friends with Amelia, the girl who portrays you on the cover of the new books? Thanks, Bella

I haven't seen any covers - you had best ask Dr Golding. Cat

Kia wrote on 25 January 2013:

Cat any advice for a young aspiring actress like you (considering what Dr Golding has told you of our time era)? Kia

Work hard, study your part, but also love other things so that if acting does not pay enough to put a roof over your head you have alternatives.

Eugie wrote on 25 January 2013:

Dear Cat, have you been on any adventures recently...and just haven't had the chance to write them down yet? Thanks :D Eugie

That's right.

Stacey wrote on 25 January 2013:

Dear Cat, I find it incredibly hard to forgive people. I try so hard to forgive everyone for the bad things they do but I just can't! What do you think I could do to fix this? Love Stacey. x

Do you know the saying: look at the beam in your own eye before worrying about the speck in your brother's? it's from the Bible and means that we all need forgiveness. If you think you are perfect, you are probably impossible to live with!

Lauren wrote on 25 January 2013:

Dear cat, I'm wondering who'll you will end up with I kinda hope that it will somehow be syd. I just finished cats cradle, but I don't know what else to do? My hobby is reading and you are my favorite to read. Will you write another?

I hope so. I don't think I feel ready for the final wedding bells chapter though just yet. Cat

Bell wrote on 22 January 2013:

Cat, are you currently working on anymore books? I hope you can get more published it would be horrible to leave the saga there! Bell

I hope to tell you more about my adventures one day!

Juliet wrote on 19 January 2013:

Dear Cat (if you are still answering these)school ended a while back now, there was this guy who I liked and then two days before school ended he asked me out! I said yes and we've been together ever since. But he's off to a all boy's high school, so we won't see each over as much as we did and I'm worryed he might fall for someone else, how do I keep him intrested? From Juliet

He likes you as you are now. If you try to hard, he might think you are becoming someone else with him and that is unsettling. I would try to enjoy his company and that in itself will help make your relationship stronger as it will be happy and fun.

Paula wrote on 16 January 2013:

Hey Cat, Many years ago I had a really good friend, named Sarah ******. We were really close when we were young, we went to school together and did everything together. One day, though, she didn't come to school, and never came again. The teachers all said she was sick, but she didn't return for months and I don't know what happened to her. I recently started thinking about her again and wondered whatever happened to her. What do you think?

I took out the name for privacy. Have you asked your parents? My guess is they would know or could find out if that was appropriate. Cat

Jennifer wrote on 13 January 2013:

Hello Cat! I have been having trouble at school because of some bullying. I have started a new school and there is one word to sum it all up - racism. I am Asian and the others find it funny to throw things and for some reason they like to especially throw apples, call me names and once they have been been teasing me by pushing me and one of me friends to a wall and pretend to beat me up but they don't. You are tough and know a lot about these things so what should I do? I ignore them and it is kind of hard because by the end of the day I have bits of apple all over me.

This is outrageous! If I were near enough, I would come round to your school (with Syd as back up) and put these people in their place, I can tell you! As I can't be there, my advice is to tell your teacher or another member of staff who deals with idiot pupils. You should certainly not have to put up with such disrespect at the place you spend most of your day. Courage, my friend! yours in outrage and sympathy Cat

Katara wrote on 07 January 2013:

Cat-- Im sorry I know you hate this but I'm having boy trouble! There's this guy I like, but he's two years older and really popular and I guess you could say I'm a little nerd. We talk a bit though and sometimes he calls me beautiful. I guess what I'd like to happen is for me to pursue it if you know what I mean.... ask him whether he wants to meet up for a meal or movie or something, but I'm really worried he's just messing with me! He's surrounded by much prettier, more popular girls. Last week I asked him whether he wanted to go get a pizza and he said sure but then told me to ask one of my friends to come along too! I'm worried he might find me to desperate but neither do I want to shut him out! Boys are so confusing! Whats going on Cat? Does he like me? What should I do? Thank you x

Dear Katara, I think your message contains the answer. This young man likes you but probably not (as yet) as a lady he wishes to court. He would not have passed up the opportunity to have "pizza" (I understand from my Italian friends this is a flat bread dish) alone if he was on the same page as you. My guess is that this was a kind way of letting you know this. But I am encouraged that he likes you and much can change if you can become friends. If he is surrounded by admirers, a girl who does not crowd him will be a pleasant change. Enjoy the friendship; do not waste a good friend worrying about making another sign of your interest. His is the next move if one is made in the future. Cat

Vix wrote on 06 January 2013:

Hi Cat, hope you had a good holiday. We all did in my house, but one thing made me really really ill. Some friends came round, house visiting, and stayed for quite some time. One of them, though, was SUCH A MESSY EATER it made me feel ill. I kept looking away. It made me feel like a spider was crawling all over me and I thought I might actually pass out. They're coming back again, help, what can I do??

If you aren't in the position of a mother of governess to correct bad manners, then you should avoid sitting near them.

Vince wrote on 04 January 2013:

Hello Cat, I have a friend (boy) who everyone thinks looks like a girl. Do I tell him? Vince.

No. He probably knows. Why don't you ask him how he feels about it if the right occasion arises? Maybe it is not a problem for him if he is very confident. Cat

Catherine wrote on 04 January 2013:

Hello namesake! My name's Catherine too. I really love your books, Cat, so glad that you could publish them after all Tweedle did. Could you please describe what some of the building's look like in London? Just normal ones, houses - posh and poor? You see, i am writing a story too, set in a similar time to where you are (Well, a little later) but, as its the holiday I cant go to the library in my school and the one near me is too far away and it's quite hard to find out about ordinary houses and shops without books. Please help Cat!!! From, Catherine

There are many old buildings in London so we have a wide variety. The poorest live in abandoned buildings like the ones I describe in Cat Among the Pigeons and Diamond of Drury Lane - once fine houses falling into disrepair.