[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-isle-of-wight-story-festival-2020":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"I'd never been to the Isle of Wight, so I was thrilled when my husband Stuart and I got to cross the Solent for their \u003Ca href=\"https://www.iwstoryfestival.com/\">Story Festival\u003C/a>! This little chappie was so excited, he got his mum to help him make a matching Grumpycorn jumper for his flying unicorn, Rainbow Flair. How cool is that!\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/885900_original-b244302780.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Photo tweeted by \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/LauraLoo0405\">@LauraLoo0405\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nIt's surprisingly easy to get to the \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Wight\">Isle of Wight\u003C/a> from where we live in London, just a train to Southampton...\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/886427_original-316bb34150.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n...and then a hop across on one of these Red Funnel ferries to Cowes. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/886079_original-6bee5db072.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\nAs soon as we got to Newport, that Stuart Pyle felt at home right away:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/886926_original-e949eef566.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd we had a little late-afternoon wander over to \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisbrooke_Castle\">Carisbrooke Castle\u003C/a> where, even when it's closed, you can walk all the way around its impressive walls. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/886555_original-cc6a54d80d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nMy first \u003Cb>Grumpycorn\u003C/b> event was to a packed-out audience, and I was thrilled how well everyone did at drawing their own Grumpycorn-inspired book covers. I hope they go away and turn their pictures into stories! (If you'd like some more Grumpycorn drawing tutorials, I have a bunch of them \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/grumpycorn/\">here on my website\u003C/a>.) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/885337_original-4adb73ee3d.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/885724_original-54955b0821.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's a Pizzacorn cover by Rainbow Flair's best buddy:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/887415_original-91da235086.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI also got to pop in and see writer-illustrator-designer \u003Ca href=\"http://nicksharratt.com/\">Nick Sharratt\u003C/a> doing his \u003Cb>You Choose in Space\u003C/b> event. I'm a big fan of the highly interactive You Choose series by Nick and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.pippagoodhart.co.uk/\">Pippa Goodhart\u003C/a>; they're great if you want to want to get a child talking with you because it lets them decide every aspect of what they'd take along on an adventure, almost like shopping through a story catalogue. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/888839_original-40d666c5fc.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of my favourite things was seeing how this young boy took in everything he'd seen and created his own mashup Unicorn book: 'You choose in space... a unicorn!' He even went on to add more story by the time I left. Great work! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/891094_original-47a0bc8641.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd other authors came along to our events! Here's local children's book writer and illustrator \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PetaRainford\">Peta Rainford\u003C/a>: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/890545_original-0246823c95.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nPeta had done her own mask-making workshop the day before, using paper plates, which came out very well:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/890871_original-f752737231.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of the things I loved about the festival was the chance to mix with the other guests and festival team after-hours. Here's Nick Sharratt at dinner, looking strikingly good against the wallpaper at the lovely place we were staying, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.oneholyrood.co.uk/\">One Holyrood Hotel\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/889116_original-50947619a8.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's festival Patron \u003Ca href=\"http://www.nicholasallan.co.uk/\">Nicholas Allan\u003C/a> (creator of \u003Cb>The Queen's Knickers\u003C/b>) with fellow children's book writer and illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.korkypaul.com/\">Korky Paul\u003C/a>, well known for his \u003Cb>Winnie the Witch\u003C/b> books.\\r\n \\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/889577_original-fba8e2f76e.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nGreat catching up with Korky and also meeting his artist wife, \u003Ca href=\"https://www.susanmoxley.com/\">Susan Moxley\u003C/a>. Check out her prints, paintings and more on her website, she's done amazing work. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/889855_original-c7147d9d9f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nNicholas Allan has been using Procreate on his iPad a lot recently, so Korky had a go at it. (He says he still prefers mucking about with real paint.)  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/889862_original-a019a512dc.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIf you follow my blog, you may have seen \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.livejournal.com/845185.html\">my recent visit\u003C/a> to the Dartmoor home and workspace of \u003Ca href=\"https://www.davidwyattillustration.com/\">David Wyatt\u003C/a>, who illustrates the Podkin One-Ear books. (Here's his tweet from this morning.) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DavidWyattArt/status/1231878377595863040\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/891175_original-5f6e76d0b2.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nBut I'd never met the writer of the books, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/kmlarwood\">Kieran Larwood\u003C/a>, so it was great to put that to rights! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/890261_original-05a9c36000.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's \u003Cb>Jess\u003C/b> from \u003Ca href=\"https://medinapublishing.com/product-category/childrens/\">Medina Books\u003C/a> who stocked and facilitated my two book signings, for Grumpycorn and \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/the-legend-of-kevin/\">The Legend of Kevin\u003C/a>, my second event featuring my books with my co-author \u003Ca href=\"https://philip-reeve.com/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a>. (Here's a link to the second book, \u003Ca href=\"https://jabberworks.co.uk/kevins-great-escape/\">Kevin's Great Escape\u003C/a>, which Medina Books are happy to order for you.) Thanks for all your help, Jess! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/891587_original-ba91fe62d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/891782_original-31174229a0.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nHuge thanks to everyone on the team who made this great Story Festival happen! Here are my two main contact people, local children's book writer-illustrator \u003Ca href=\"https://www.julesmarrinerbooks.com/\">Jules Marriner\u003C/a> and festival head \u003Cb>Elspeth Giddens\u003C/b>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/887604_original-960f306db5.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nWe had a great treat in getting to stay an extra night, so we could spend the following day sightseeing. (And it was Stuart's birthday, a great way to spend it!) We caught a bus to \u003Ca href=\"https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/osborne/\">Osborne House\u003C/a>, one of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's favourite palace residences, where they loved to bring their family to relax and play and garden in the countryside. It's a great day out, it was even better than I was expecting, and I loved the TREES! Check out this \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_suber\">cork oak\u003C/a>, the bark has such ornate detailing to it. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/887873_original-94e3f86515.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nThe grounds are a living museum of trees, they're absolutely gorgeous. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/888119_original-cfc418b42f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd that ornate quality in the cork oak, that was echoed in the intricately carved cielings and decorations of the Durbar Room, inspired by the palaces of India. There were a lot of fine portraits on the walls, many by Austrian painter \u003Ca href=\"https://www.rct.uk/collection/403750/bhai-ram-singh#/referer/739643/739643\">Rudolph Swoboda\u003C/a>, and I expect many of those will inspire future portrait challenges for \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/StudioTeaBreak\">@StudioTeaBreak\u003C/a> on Twitter.  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/888458_original-bf6ee773fc.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nI took about a zillion photos, but I'll finish with this one of the Swiss Cottage on the grounds of the huge estate. This is where Victoria and Albert took their children away from the palace for a more pastoral way of life, where they do their schooling, play with miniature cannons and trenches, and learn how to farm their own garden plots. They even had a thatched shed full little wooden wheelbarrows, each one monogrammed for its own child. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/888767_original-e74bbfdf10.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">\\r\n\\r\nIf you get a chance to visit the Isle of Wight, I'd definitely recommend a visit to Osborne House! We were also hoping to go to the nearby \u003Ca href=\"https://www.visitisleofwight.co.uk/things-to-do/quarr-abbey-p911291\">Quarr Abbey\u003C/a>, but there was so much to see at Osborne that we'll have to leave the abbey for next time. Again, big thanks to the festival team: \u003Cb>Elspeth, Jules, Peta, storyteller \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/telltales09\">Susan Bailey\u003C/a>, Eden, Debbie Webb, Fran, Alex, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/TheSacredIsle\">@TheSacredIsle\u003C/a>, Karen at Holyrood House\u003C/b>, and everyone else who helped and made the visit so much fun! You can follow the festival on Twitter - \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/iwstoryfestival\">@iwstoryfestival\u003C/a> - and on Instagram, also \u003Ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/iwstoryfestival/\">@iwstoryfestival\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/892044_original-8704e01e4f.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\">","2020-02-24T16:19:00.000Z","isle-of-wight-story-festival-2020",[],"isle of wight story festival 2020",1776628730473]