Blog
24 November 09
Attended regional final of the Kids' Lit Quiz yesterday - amazed by the general knowledge of all the teams. The winning school - Wheatley Park - beat both author teams! Now looking forward to the UK final on Friday.
Posted by Julia Golding on 24 November 2009
13 November 2009
Wolf Cry has made it on to the Carnegie long list. I'm really pleased it has been selected as I know it is probably my most ambitious book so far, unusual in having a heroic/tragic flavour.
Posted by Julia Golding on 13 November 2009
26 October 2009
For those of you who want to see what our puppy looks like - here he is at 7 weeks.
Posted by Julia Golding on 26 October 2009
16 October 2009
My big news is that aside from finishing first draft of new Companions book and starting something else, WE HAVE A GORGEOUS PUPPY. Only 7 weeks old and in to nibbling bare toes, he is called Caspar. Great addition to the household. Think of me typing away with a small canine on my lap...
Oh yes, I've also posted a Dragonfly competition. Closing date 1 December.
Posted by Julia Golding on 16 October 2009
5 October 2009
Just signed up to the 10:10 campaign which aims to reduce your personal carbon footprint by ten percent in 2010 - a great idea. Let's show the politicians by taking the initiative. Practical steps - for me that is turning the heating down and putting on a jumper, more cycling (and recycling :) ), use the microwave rather than the oven where this means less energy used, reviewing our house for bad carbon guzzlers (I suspect my fridge of this particular sin!). Hmm, still I live a very carbon intensive life compared to most of the world but better these small steps I suppose than doing nothing at all. I don't fly unless there is no alternative - and even these I try to ration.
If you are interested in this stuff (and I hope you are), take a look at the website www.1010uk.org. Maybe you/your family/your school would like to take up the challenge. And please do ask me how I get on so I don't slide back in to bad habits!
Posted by Julia Golding on 05 October 2009
4 October 2009
If you can't get enough Companions, you can follow Connie post Chimera on Twitter (she's the one listed as living on Dartmoor). I'll be dropping hints about how her relationship with Col is progressing.
Cat's Muddle is closing soon so do have a go at the anagrams if you want to win a sign copy of one of her books.
I'm just coming to the end of my new Companions novel - very first draft but great fun! I've got a great companion for George...
Posted by Julia Golding on 04 October 2009
24 September 2009
Some of you have found your way to the new fan page for the Companion's area - it's your chance to send in any short piece of writing or illustration to share with others. If there is a demand for a Cat one (or any other of my books) do let me know, and I'll set it up.
Cat fans will like to know that the latest competition is coming to an end on Twitter. Frank has set Cat three clues to solve so far, last one will be over the weekend. The instructions of what to do are on the Cat's Muddle page. She'll also be giving hints as to how to solve the puzzle.
I'm working on the new Companions at the moment and having huge fun. Hero in impossible situation and I've now got to work out how to save him...
Posted by Julia Golding on 24 September 2009
15 September 09
Just thought I'd share a little of what I was up to over the holidays. This is your author on Old Yellow, my trusty steed, in the Rockies.
Posted by Julia Golding on 15 September 2009
10 September 09
Just finished reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and have to admit to hating it - an over extended joke that stole lots of Austen then spoiled it. So my recommendation: don't bother with it. There is a glut of books like this at the moment all inspired as a strange spin-off from the vampire fad but doubtless it'll pass soon. What's next I wonder? We've had wizards, lots of pirates and dragons, books about children with terminal illness (that was last year), so the next fashion will be for.... (fill in the blank!)
Posted by Julia Golding on 10 September 2009
4 September 2009
I've just started a new competition for Cat which involves Twitter so those of you who like the Tweeting world might find it fun. It's called Cat's Muddle and I'll, or should I say, Cat will be leaving clues over the next four weeks. You'll be able to search for them on Twitter so don't worry if you miss one. You'll also find there some things which did not make it in to Cat O'Nine Tails concerning life at Boxton and Cat's attempts to behave.
Related links
Posted by Julia Golding on 04 September 2009
24 August 2009
You may have guessed that I've been on a long holiday in the US going from West to East. It's an amazing country! If you want the best vacation ever, start saving for a week at the Tumbling River Ranch, Colorado. Your author has done things well out of her comfort zone (white water rafting, all-day rides and rodeos) and I'm sure many experiences are going to crop up in later books in some form or other.
I'm about to launch a series of new competitions and fun things to celebrate the new books coming out in the States. This fall we have Dragonfly (in a striking black jacket hard back), Cat O'Nine Tails (with cat posing Sailor fashion on the cover), and a paperback of Sirens - as they say here - enjoy!
Posted by Julia Golding on 26 August 2009
21 July 2009
I'm off on my travels for most of August but I will be trying to keep the site up to date but forgive any lapses - it means I'm having a proper holiday for once!
Before I go, I want to post a competition for Wolf Cry. Have a think and come up with the best Viking name for yourself - real Viking examples would be Erik Bloodaxe, Svein Forkbeard etc etc. There are plenty of other names of this kind in Wolf Cry too. One entry per person only please. At the beginning of September I will post the best names. The winner gets a signed copy of the book.
See Wolf Cry Competition page to enter.
Posted by Julia Golding on 21 July 2009
7 July 2009
Just received my advance copy of Wolf Cry - such an exciting moment for a writer! It's got a map I'd only seen in proof and a nice detail along the bottom of the page. I quickly re-read the end so now will have to sit down and start from the beginning so I get the same on-page experience as you will. I think it is one of my best books to date - I've really stretched and challenged myself as a writer in this one. I hope you'll enjoy this glimpse of a harsh but amazing world of the Dark Ages.
Posted by Julia Golding on 07 July 2009
6 July 2009
Last chance to put in your entry to Cat's competition so get going with those ideas! Cat will announced the winner at the weekend and I'll post a new Wolf Cry competition at the same time.
Posted by Julia Golding on 06 July 2009
2 July 2009
Hot enough for you? I'm looking forward to Wolf Cry as a cooling read - not least because it is set largely above the Arctic Circle. Think of all that ice and snow.
If you haven't already, take a peek backstage with Cat on a new page. Her dramatic whirlwind romance with Mike 'that scoundrel' has bit the dust (see her Q&A). Cat is enjoying - sorry - languishing in her misery.
Is this the first ever romance between a virtual heroine and a real hero?
Posted by Julia Golding on 02 July 2009
25 June 2009
Hi everyone,
Hope you like the site which is still being built and I'm playing away in the background. I may have 'lost' a couple of your messages in the transfer so forgive me if that is so. I'm trying to find away to get them back (they are posted to the now dormant old site). Don't worry, competition entrants, I have those filed away in a safe place even if you can't see them.
Julia
Posted by Julia Golding on 25 June 2009
1 June 2009
I've decided to do something a bit different - Cat has a competition for you to enter. It'll take a bit of thought but involves summing up a Cat book in twenty words or less. She has an example for you to see what she means. I've also changed the poll. Companions fans might want to know that new series is underway but I'm not saying much at this stage so don't ask!! It'd spoil the story. And if that's not enough, check out the Oxfam snippet of me at the Hay festival - pretty grim picture of me at start of video clip but I'm totally behind the message!
Posted by Julia Golding on 01 June 2009
14 May 2009
Just received the Greek version of the Companions Quartet - i can't even read the covers - how exciting is that! They've taken a different approach to the cover - if I can find some images I'll post them. I didn't see this before publication but I rather like them. Do go check out my book trailer for Wolf Cry on Youtube if you haven't already.
Posted by Julia Golding on 14 May 2009
8 May 2009
Last weekend went to see a joust at Blenheim Palace - good research for the Tudor book I'm writing. They did not have the heavy armour but I was still impressed by the speed and ferocity of the 'knights'. One poor girl (a team member - not someone from the audience) got dragged in a sack behind a horse at great speed, demonstrating the origin of 'giving someone the sack'. There was also a falconry display, which is relevant to the Dragonfly sequel. My poor family - we can't even have a day out without me scribbling notes and thinking up plots!
Posted by Julia Golding on 08 May 2009
14 April 2009
A few things for you - Lizzie won the poll so will take your questions in a month's time, so start sending them in for me to bag up for postage to the 18th century. There's a new fun poll to click on and look to last blog for link to the Wolf Cry trial page and book trailer. My webguy hit problems taking the content from this site across to the new so he wants to know if any of you have trouble accessing the demo page. Let me know on the contact page your reactions so I can pass them on.
Posted by Julia Golding on 14 April 2009