[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-i-am-an-e-mail-monkey":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"A few things today. First: I'm terribly behind in my e-mails again. I once heard Neil Gaiman say \u003Ca href=\"http://youtu.be/ikAb-NYkseI\">in a graduation speech\u003C/a> that he had turned from being a writer into a professional e-mailer. While his book sales are probably slightly higher than mine, I know what he means. Too much time on e-mail turns me into a bald, bug-eyed, foetal drooling thing. Just like this:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/manic_emailer_zps4ea221d6-a244df3142.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSo if you haven't heard from me and really should have, \u003Ci>PLEASE\u003C/i> give me a prod with another e-mail, and I'll do my best to get back to you! Second, something WAY more fun: the fabulous \u003Cb>David O'Connell\u003C/b> is leading a \u003Ca href=\"http://scribblehound.com/big-draw-bath/\">Comics Masterclass at the Bath lit fest\u003C/a>! Highlight of the festival (other than my \u003Ca rhef=\"http://bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature/event/seawigs-and-sea-monkeys/\">Seawigs event with Philip Reeve\u003C/a> later that day, of course.) Don't miss it! In fact, you could come to BOTH our events (his is at noon, ours is at 5:30) and it would be the BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for more under the cut!-->\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dave_bath_festival_zpsc228d05a-d14c883dcd.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nLast but not least: A huge congratulations to my excellent friend Candy Gourlay on the launch of her new novel with David Fickling Books, \u003Ci>\u003Cb>SHINE\u003C/b>\u003C/i>. It's been a long time in the works and she's rewritten it several times from scratch, but it's FINALLY HERE. Yippee! Yesterday I went to the party for it at Archway Library, then we went on to Candy's house, where she had a beautiful feast set out, with fairy lights in the garden (and a giant trampoline, hurrah!). Candy is one of my all-time favourite people and I can't wait to read this book, as I adored her first book, \u003Ci>Tall Story\u003C/i>. \u003Ci>Shine\u003C/i> is set in a place where it always rains, inspired by a Ray Bradbury's story, which I also love, called \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Summer_in_a_Day\">All Summer in a Day\u003C/a>\u003C/i>. (I grew up in Seattle, so I understand endless rain.) To find out more about \u003Ci>Shine\u003C/i>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.candygourlay.com/\">head on over to Candy's website\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/candygourlay_books_zps35fff43f-1bf5a13cc7.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCandy with Head of Random House Children's Books, \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippa_Dickinson\">Philippa Dickinson\u003C/a> and Candy's editor, \u003Ca href=\"http://bellapearson.com/about-me.html\">Bella Pearson\u003C/a>. At Candy's house: \u003Ca href=\"http://www.anitaloughrey.com/\">Anita Loughrey\u003C/a>, Candy and RHCB editor \u003Ca href=\"http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/matilda-johnson/69/980/2aa\">Matilda Johnson\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/candygourlay_shineparty_zps10e7cad4-04373c1236.jpg\">","2013-09-24T14:53:00.000Z","i-am-an-e-mail-monkey",[],"i am an e-mail monkey",1776628725623]