Blog
8 February 2007
Did you admire the snow today? It made me think of the chapter in Diamond where Cat and her friends play snowballs. My children's school field was riot this morning when I dropped them off with the whole school (and some parents/teachers) taking part. Very inappropriately I'm writing about Cat in a hot country in the summer so it took some imagination to get into the mood for that.
Posted by Julia Golding on 08 February 2007
31 January 2007
I had a great visit on Monday to Bute House School in Hammersmith - thanks girls for your warm welcome and willingness to join in. I really enjoy doing these kind of visits as it reminds me that the fun of writing is so easy to share - definitely the best profession for me. Last week I attended the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize (won this year by Tom Becker for his novel, Darkside). I won it in 2006 when it was still known as the Ottakar's Prize. Very thoughtfully the publishers provided a freebee of a big slab of dark chocolate - a stroke of brilliance by the marketing team.
Posted by Julia Golding on 31 January 2007
20 January 2007
Cat 5 had to be put aside to do a major edit of Chimera. Part four of the Companions now sorted out for the moment I can get back to the 18th century. Sometimes I feel as if my head is spinning keeping so many story lines in my mind!
Posted by Julia Golding on 20 January 2007
10 January 2007
I've been reading up on Georgian naval life and am more convinced than ever that it was a horrendous life. It is amazing that boys as young as 11 or 12 were sent away to sea and were expected to do their part like the men, even down to taking part in the battles. I have of course sent Cat in to this particular hell - so watch out for Cat 4 in August.
Posted by Julia Golding on 10 January 2007
3 January 2007
Happy New Year to all my readers. Festivities over and I'm looking forward to getting back to work. I've been having Cat thoughts recently so will be starting there. With Cat, I need to hear her voice in my head then the story usually starts to flow - it's a bit like tuning into a radio station, getting the feel for her again when I've been off doing other stuff. Once in the Cat groove, my family will probably notice for a few weeks that I get ruder and bolder - her bad influence on me, I'm afraid.
Posted by Julia Golding on 03 January 2007
21 December 2006
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers. Thanks to you, it's been a diamond year for me, particularly with Cat scooping a couple of prizes. The best part about that is finding other people out there that share my enthusiasm for her. She really is fun to write so I hope she is also good fun to read. Do check out the new photos of the eco-tree on this website. 2007 starts with a flurry of books from me: two more Cats, the last two parts of the Companions Quartet and a couple of new books as well to keep you guessing what I'll turn my hand to next.
Posted by Julia Golding on 21 December 2006
13 December 2006
STOP PRESS - Diamond won the Nestle Children's Book Award Gold Medal in the age category 9 to 11. Thanks to all the children who voted for it and for the wonderful class projects. I saw a small sample and was very impressed by you ingenuity from model theatres to plays to newspapers. A wonderful end of the year for Cat.
Posted by Julia Golding on 13 December 2006
11 December 2006
The Eco-tree is now on display in Oxford City Library so if you are close enough please go and have a look. We had so many leaves we had to make some of them into presents. Some highlights - the lovely hand-drawn leaves from Bermuda and the pledges, including one from a two-year old that she would get out of nappies to save the environment. I think it might have been wishful thinking by the parent... I'll post a photo soon for those of you too far away to see it for yourself.
Posted by Julia Golding on 11 December 2006
1 December 2006
Really great news for Cat that Diamond has been shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. The result will be known in January so fingers crossed. I spent today with the children of St Barnabas Primary School making the eco-Christmas tree to go on display in Oxford Central library. Thanks to all of you who sent in leaves, including my readers in Bermuda!
Posted by Julia Golding on 01 December 2006
27 November 2006
As part of national tree week, I spent yesterday in the Harcourt Arboretum (a park given over to tree specimens) running a competition and gathering leaves for the eco-tree. It was fun but very cold after three hours, but thanks to everyone who came up to say hello.
Posted by Julia Golding on 27 November 2006
20 November 2006
I hate computer junk mail. I've just found my comment page for Gorgon swamped by rubbish - I wish I had the power of the Gorgon to turn the sender to stone. Perhaps there is a new mythical creature we could invent just for the computer age. I suppose we already have gremlins and viruses (though not mythical) sometimes take on creaturely identities causing havoc on the net. There must be a story in this somewhere...
Posted by Julia Golding on 20 November 2006
14 November 2006
Decided to put off getting my teeth into Cat 5 by redrafting The Chimera's Curse, last of the Companions Quartet. It needs doing first and I've just been given a new lease of life on this series by hearing that Sirens had made the Carnegie long list - good news. Fingers crossed it makes the cut.
Posted by Julia Golding on 14 November 2006
8th November 2006
Just been up to the Seven Stories Centre in Newcastle. If you live near enough to visit it and like children's literature, it is a great place to go. At the moment, they have an exhibition on about Robert Westall and the Albergs (brilliant writers and illustrators of books, including one of our family favorites 'Each Peach, Pear, Plum' and the Jolly Postman). I visited Darlington en route (there's a great Waterstones in the centre with a book club for young people). Now back to work trying to get Cat 5 off the starting line.
Posted by Julia Golding on 08 November 2006
30 October 2006
I've been having a lot of fun with Cat 4 today. It is very strange as a writer to be working a year ahead of your readers so I can't give away what happens (though it is tempting). I am doing the first round of changes in response to my editor's comments. Leah (my editor) is always so enthusiastic, her letters help spur me on to improve on the first draft. Not many changes needed, fortunately; just a bit of tightening up of plot here and there. After spending so much time working on your own, a fresh pair of eyes really helps.
Posted by Julia Golding on 30 October 2006
19 October 2006
Just back from a trip to Bristol (hello Downend School and Colston Girls!). I enjoyed meeting you all, particularly the gorgons, sirens and companions among you. Now I've been travelling for a few days, I really shouldn't put off getting back to work. I have a number of things queuing up, including some more fun time with Cat on her fourth and fifth adventures. Cat fans might like to know that she is really spreading her wings next year...
Posted by Julia Golding on 19 October 2006
13 October 2006
I was asked to do a Top Ten by the Guardian Books website. If you are interested in what I said, you might like to follow the link below.
Posted by Julia Golding on 13 October 2006
5 October 2006
I've had the wonderful news that Diamond has been shortlisted for the Nestle Children's Book Prize (what used to be known as the Smarties Prize). Cat is in the last three in her category up against 'Ingo' (a book my daughter really likes) and 'The Pig who saved the world' which sounds intriguing. Cat is very proud and pleased to have made it this far (and of course secretly hopes she'll take gold but I've told her not to hold her breath). The prize is judged by children so that's the real deal for me as an author. Look out for any more news on this in December.
Posted by Julia Golding on 05 October 2006
3 October 2006
I've had a busy week. First a trip back to my old school (Davenant) and the great pleasure of meeting three teachers who all taught me when I was there. If there were any changes over that time, they seemed for the better(and Doreen Cooper, you really do not look a day older. I suspect some Picture of Dorian Grey secret!). I enjoyed swapping stories with Year 8 students about badly behaved teachers from the 1980s (none of the three still there, I assure you). Then on to Brentwood with the children at Holly Bush school - thank you for your welcome. Yesterday I was in St Christina's school, West London, and had a lovely time with the girls of key stage 2. I was only sorry it was so brief! I've answered your questions on my contact page, so do take a look.
Posted by Julia Golding on 03 October 2006
25 September
I've just had fun this morning getting a new publicity photo taken against the backdrop of my local park(this was after a number of children had told me I don't look like my old one!). I decided it should be less studio and more open air in keeping with my Quartet. Mind you, I felt a complete idiot trying not to have a fixed grin; the first photo was definitely the best before I got too self-conscious. I'll post it up soon so you can see what I really look like these days...
Posted by Julia Golding on 25 September 2006
19 September 2006
Titles, titles, titles - it's a tricky business. I've just steamed through a story and got to the end of the first draft and still not found the right name. At the moment it's named after the main character but that's not going to do in the long run (my own children tell me that title sucks - it's great being a parent). So I now have a long list of possibles but it's as bad as choosing a name for a baby but with a lot more information to go on (i.e. I actually know how it turns out!). Oh well, I suppose I don't really need to decide yet. Let's get to the end of the second draft.
Posted by Julia Golding on 19 September 2006