[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-edinburgh-book-festival-2011":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"I thought I'd try to sum up the exciting whirlwind that was \u003Ca href=\"http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/\">Edinburgh Book Festival\u003C/a> in one picture. I started drawing this on the train ride home but was so overwhelmed, I fell sound asleep somewhere near Berwick-on-Tweed and work up twenty minutes outside of Kings Cross Station. So I inked it at breakfast this morning. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edinfest11_sketch-c4047de690.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nThe highlights of the festival were getting to hang out with the fab people from my publishing houses, having morning coffee with Australian writer/illustrator/animator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.shauntan.net/\">Shaun Tan\u003C/a>, getting to meet writer/composer/performer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.kjartan.co.uk/\">Kjartan Poskitt\u003C/a>, whom you might know as the writer of the Murderous Maths series and who is such a good laugh. Here we are in front of the Authors' Yurt:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_kjartan_sarah-3d5ff68134.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nGo out and get his book \u003Ca href=\"http://www.egmont.co.uk/product.asp?prodid=2614&catid=\">\u003Ci>Agatha Parrot and the Floating Head\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, the narrator is a fabulously cheeky girl (based very much on his own experiences with his four cheeky daughters) and the illustrations by \u003Ca href=\"http://www.synergyart.co.uk/david1.htm\">David Tazzyman\u003C/a> are just as funny. If you like Andy Stanton's Mr Gum books (also illustrated by David) and Lauren Child's Clarice Bean books (and even if you don't!), you'll love Agatha Parrot.\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Lots more photos under the cut!-->\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/signed_agatha_parrot-4efc519a1c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI first heard about Kjartan from \u003Cb>Philip Reeve\u003C/b>, who used to illustrate Murderous Maths before \u003Ca href=\"http://dinlos.blogspot.com/\">Rob Davis\u003C/a> (my \u003Ca href=\"http://www.blankslatebooks.co.uk/our-books/nelson/\">Nelson comics anthology\u003C/a> editor) took over. (Philip and his family visited us last week and you can read about it over on \u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-i-did-on-my-summer-holidays.html\">Philip's blog here\u003C/a>.) \\r\n\\r\nThe people-watching in the yurt is top-notch. Here's Kjartan with writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.vivianfrench.com\">Vivian French\u003C/a>. (Oops, I'm not supposed to take photos in the yurt.):\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_kjartan_viv-621694b9d4.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI did snap a few shots, though... here are sine yummy haggis, neeps and tatties at the buffet. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_haggis-d59e80fe33.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIf you don't like haggis, there's always the cupcake option.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_cake-41ad992ac4.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nFab ladies! My agent \u003Cb>Jodie Marsh\u003C/b> and Scholastic publicist \u003Cb>Catherine Alport\u003C/b>:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_jodie_cath_sar-bca0bf72f3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's \u003Cb>Elaine McQuade\u003C/b>, who used to be the big boss at Scholastic and made me feel incredibly looked after by taking me for lunch right at the beginning of my work with them. She left Scholastic and I was sad, but then she popped back up at Oxford University Press and she's head of my publicity there Hurrah! Elaine rocks. And I'm getting into this big hat thing.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_elaine_sarah-4a0f818791.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are two of my marvellous Schools Programme workshop assistants, \u003Cb>Heather\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Catriona\u003C/b> (who, rather bizarrely, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.davidficklingbooks.co.uk/blog/index.php/2011/07/29/sarah-mcintyres-china-travel-comic/\">had been in China\u003C/a> at exactly the same time as I had, a few weeks ago). I had to be careful not to inflate that die late at night in my hotel room for fear of what the people in the next room might think. And I did get a few odd looks while carrying it from my hotel to the festival. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_hannah_catriona-19b692f546.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe kids and I made up new adventure board games (like the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/titus.php\">game I made for \u003Ci>When Titus Took the Train\u003C/i>\u003C/a>).\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_hannah_catriona2-74c8a1ba71.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOn the second day of events, the kids helped me invent a character to star in our board game. This one wears a gas mask, holds a terrified pet pig and has broccoli hair.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_draw-0b37b2d8b5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI had a lovely dinner with the Scholastic gang, including Kjartan, writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/contacts/chae-strathie\">Chae Strathie\u003C/a>, Horrible Science illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.tonydesaulles.co.uk\">Tony De Saulles\u003C/a> and novelist \u003Ca href=\"http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/book_fiona-foden.htm\">Fiona Foden\u003C/a> (author of \u003Ci>Life, Death and Gold Leather Trousers\u003C/i>). Here are Chae, Tony and Tony's wife in the Speigeltent.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_speigeltent-da015dd074.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAt dinner, I got Tony to draw me a picture, then we discussed effective ways to show people vomiting, which is always good meal-time conversation.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_tony_desaulles-34d412e972.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI also got to see a bit of stand-up comedy, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/best-of-boyd-metcalfe\">Boyd & Metcalfe\u003C/a> at the Royal Mile Tavern. I know \u003Cb>Nathanial Metcalfe\u003C/b> from \u003Ca href=\"http://www.goshlondon.com/\">Gosh! Comics\u003C/a> shop, where he works, and he and \u003Cb>Chris Boyd\u003C/b> put on a great show together. Do pop over and see them if you're in Edinburgh!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_nat_metcalfe2-ffb5a59440.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nChris and Nat, looking very calm and collected before their performance:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_boyd_metcalfe-a23e276592.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI met up to see the comedy with \u003Cb>Joe Gordon\u003C/b>, who runs the \u003Ca href=\"http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/\">Forbidden Planet International\u003C/a> comics shop and the amazing comics blog of the same name. Great to hang out with a local, and thanks for a fab evening, Joe, Chris and Nat!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_joe_sarah-8813293631.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThis picture came out kind of blurry, but here's the remarkable \u003Cb>Nikki Gamble\u003C/b> of Write Away website database and the \u003Ca href=\"http://www.justimaginestorycentre.co.uk/\">Just Imagine story centre\u003C/a> in Essex, who not only is a lovely friend, but has pretty much been my most helpful contact in children's books. She knows everyone!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_nikki_sarah-eebe5eb727.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's the fabulous stairwell I came down for two mornings to breakfast. I love staying in hotels.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/edin11_bonham-64d0f10e14.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nA big thank you to \u003Cb>Janet Smyth\u003C/b>, the new Children & Education Programme Director, my fabulous assistants and everyone who worked very hard to make this festival so brilliant!","2011-08-25T16:58:00.000Z","edinburgh-book-festival-2011",[],"edinburgh book festival 2011!",1776628720597]