[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-random-christmas-party":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Last week I went to the Random House Children's Book Christmas Party, and it's always an exciting shock to see so many amazing creators gathered in one place. (\u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/152659.html\">The first year I went, I got a bit overwhelmed.\u003C/a>) I only remembered my camera about five minutes before we all headed off to the pub, but I managed a few random snaps. Well, this one wasn't random; I really wanted to get a photo of fab comics buddy \u003Ca href=\"http://www.neillcameron.com/\">Neill Cameron\u003C/a> (creator of \u003Ca href=\"http://www.mobot-high.com\">\u003Ci>Mo-Bot High\u003C/i>\u003C/a>) and our superhero \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posy_Simmonds\">Posy Simmonds\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/rhcbparty10_5-f3397b5b33.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Neill Cameron & Posy Simmonds\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nPosy said she'd read my \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/vernlettuce-book.php\">\u003Ci>Vern and Lettuce\u003C/i>\u003C/a> and enjoyed it very much, which sent me running around with an idiotic grin on my face for the next hour. \\r\n\u003Ci>Edit: Hey, I just found out Posy's speaking at the next \u003Cb>Laydeez Do Comics\u003C/b> event, just off Brick Lane in London on Mon, 13 Dec! \u003Ca href=\"http://www.laydeezdocomics.com\">Details here.\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\\r\n\u003C!--more More pics under the cut!-->\\r\nHere's Neill with the other one of my all-time favourite writers, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.candygourlay.com\">Candy Gourlay\u003C/a>, who also happens to write the most amazing stories. You've read her totally gripping \u003Ca href=\"http://www.candygourlay.com/\">\u003Ci>Tall Story\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, right? Pick up a copy of \u003Ci>Tall Story\u003C/i>, \u003Ci>Mo-Bot High\u003C/i>, and it's Christmas sorted. (Aren't I helpful?)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/rhcbparty10_1-f081e5f729.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Neill Cameron & Candy Gourlay\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nAnd you always know it's going to be a good party when you see the extraordinary \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Grey\">Mini Grey\u003C/a> across the room (\u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/343549.html\">see some recent photos of her showing off some original artwork here\u003C/a>), and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.stevecolebooks.co.uk\">Steve Cole\u003C/a>, who almost instantly has me snorting my drinks up my nose and generally behaving innappropriately (and provoking such drawings as the \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/330104.html\">Stevasaurus Cole\u003C/a>).\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/rhcbparty10_4-c2fbac3e5e.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Mini Grey, Steve Cole & Neill Cameron\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nBesides the creators, it's lovely to see so many people who make things happen in the children's book world, including \u003Ca href=\"http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/contactus/\">Joy Court\u003C/a>, the \u003Ca href=\"http://bookwitch.wordpress.com\">Bookwitch\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://www.carouselguide.co.uk/\">\u003Ci>Carousel\u003C/i>\u003C/a> magazine editors \u003Cb>Jenny and David Blanch\u003C/b>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/rhcbparty10_3-031ad7e775.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Jenny & David Blanch from Carousel magazine\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nI wish I'd pulled out my camera earlier, I could have papped a few more of these people, but \u003Ca href=\"http://bookwitch.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/the-random-christmas-party/\">go to the Bookwitch's excellent blog to read the most comprehensive review of the evening\u003C/a>. (Hello, Bookwitch!)\\r\n\\r\nCandy Gourlay and I got a bit overwhelmed by the noise levels and made our escape to dinner, where we revived enough to visit the \u003Ca href=\"http://britishscbwi.org\">SCBWI\u003C/a> social at the Royal Festival Hall. Which was practically like going home to family, because not only were lots of SCBWI mates there, but \u003Ca href=\"http://www.stitchldn.com\">Stitch London\u003C/a> was meeting about a hundred yards away, so my \u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.wordpress.com\">studio\u003C/a> mate \u003Cb>Gary Northfield\u003C/b> popped over to show some lovely new comics he'd bought at \u003Ca href=\"http://goshlondon.blogspot.com\">Gosh! Comics\u003C/a> and I was able to get the bus back through the snow with Gary and our other fab \u003Ca href=\"http://thefleecestation.wordpress.com\">studio mate\u003C/a>, Stitch London organiser \u003Cb>Lauren O'Farrell\u003C/b>.\\r\n\\r\nThanks to the Stitch London gathering, I finally got to meet my newspaper editor from the days when \u003Ci>Vern and Lettuce\u003C/i> ran in The Guardian! Here's the marvelous \u003Ca href=\"http://makeanddowithperri.wordpress.com\">Perri Lewis\u003C/a>, who is a true expert on all things crafty. Get Perri and Lauren in a room and expect creative fireworks and explosions of yarn and felt.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/perrilewis-7c86f6621c.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ci>Perri Lewis & Sarah McIntyre\u003C/i>\u003C/font>","2010-12-05T12:04:00.000Z","random-christmas-party",[],"random christmas party",1776628719277]