Extravaganza

I spent Saturday at the UKMG - which is UK Middle Grade - Extravaganza. What happened was, they rounded up 34 children's authors and innumerable readers and librarians in Nottingham library. All the authors had a chance to talk about their work, there were Q and A sessions, and books were on sale. There was such a buzz, such a constant, excited, eager buzz about kids and books that we all left exhausted and high as kites. Readers asked great questions about the hows and whats of writing. It was only afterwards that I realised we should have had a panel of 8-13 year olds, so the authors could ask questions about what they read and what they love.

There is everything out there for children to read. History, adventure, sci-fi, humour, wolves and wishes, mountains and monsters. Thirty-four authors, and all completely different.

I chatted to a delightful eight-year-old who had a notebook on her knee and had been writing something during the session. Yes, she was writing a story and she kindly let me read it. THAT CHILD IS AFTER MY JOB. SERIOUSLY GOOD WRITING. One day I'll be telling everyone that I knew her before she was famous.

She'd arrived by train and saw a street name on the way to the library that set her imagination going. She became a child living in that street and I won't tell you any more because it was her story, not mine. But all you potential writers out there, that's how it's done.

Thank you to all the organisers of such a huge event, everyone who came, and Nottingham libraries. And next year, - whoopee! - it'll be in Newcastle.