(Note to the bakers, sorry, if these don't look all that much like you, it's because I was trying very hard not to stare too hard. Even though you probably thought I was being a bit creepy anyway.)
And very exciting news! The marvelous writer and illustrator Philip Reeve just interviewed me for his blog! My studio mate Lauren and I both think Philip's the bee's knees, so the title's very fitting. Read the interview here!
The Solitary Bee and a photo I took of Philip at the Carnegie Greenaway award reception
It's a bit more personal than some of my other interviews. I think that's because I've been thinking so much about my dad recently, with his retirement last week and those thoughts tied in very intriguingly with what I was reading in Philip's books, Fever Crumb and A Web of Air. I have four more Mortal Engines books to look forward to (I've read the two prequels), but on my way back from Greenwich this morning, the shop had sold out. Lauren would lend hers to me but they're stuck in her storage unit, Alex Milway and Faz Choudhury both say they have copies they'll lend me (they're fans, too) but I have to figure out how to get them. Book 1, I'm going to HUNT YOU DOWN!
Philip's also posted a lovely sketch he made of the field across from his house on Dartmoor, and a a scan from a doodle I made on a letter to him! (Ok, my drawing's a bit rough, I didn't think you'd see it. Here's the fancier drawing from the top of the letter.)
Last year, I made a resolution to write more letters, not just type e-mails, and mostly all that came of it was this letter to David Lasky. (Which David e-mailed me recently to say has been put on a comics class reading list for Rutgers University, whoa!) But I love writing and getting letters, I'd be happy just doing that all day.
I'm off to Hampshire tomorrow to hang out with my lovely friend Layn Marlow. We're going to try to figure out how to dazzle everyone at our joint presention to the Federation of Children's Book Groups in Oxford on Nov 6th (details on my events page). We're up with the writers Philip Pullman and Mary Hoffman... but I bet they don't have as many pictures as we do, right?