[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-sparkly-night-with-scholastic-uk":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"Scholastic UK used to be my one publisher who never threw a party, but this year they blew apart that assumption by throwing a big glittering bash on the top of Centre Point in central London.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_invite_zpsaf9eff30-e58d181476.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's my lovely picture book editor, \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PauliinaPopcorn\">Pauliina Malinen Teodoro\u003C/a> (who worked with me on the tail end of \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/superkid/\">\u003Ci>Superkid\u003C/i>\u003C/a>, \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/theres-a-shark-in-the-bath/\">\u003Ci>There's a Shark in the Bath\u003C/i>\u003C/a> and a secret new book I wrote and illustrated, coming out in the spring. Pauliina's from Finland, so English isn't even her first language, which is pretty impressive. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_pauliina_zps900bead1-93a3be367b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for more photos under the cut!-->\\r\nAnd here's the amazing \u003Cb>Sheila Vaughan\u003C/b>, who sort of runs the whole place at Scholastic and is always the first person I see when I get in. She's seen everyone come through the door and has loads of good stories to tell.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_sheila_zpse7f5ceac-9dccbd9cbe.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCheck out the view! I'd never been up \u003Ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Point\">Centre Point\u003C/a> before, so it was super exciting.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_view_zpsd1f7fee1-acad1bb71a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI felt slightly embarrassed when I got home and saw my photos because there are loads of amazing people I didn't get around to snapping, but I shot way too many photos of a certain few hooligans. \\r\n\\r\nHere are \u003Ci>The Grunts\u003C/i>' \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/PhilipArdagh\">Philip Ardagh\u003C/a> and \u003Ci>The Gruffalo\u003C/i>'s \u003Ca href=\"http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/authors_a-scheffler_biog.htm\">Axel Scheffler\u003C/a> getting cosy in the photo booth:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_booth_zpsbdd5708c-8a7328e72c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_axelphilip4_zps1fe2ce61-da67064437.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt's \u003Ci>Horrible Histories'\u003C/i> \u003Ca href=\"http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/authors_m-brown_biog.htm\">Martin Brown\u003C/a> and \u003Ci>Tom Gates'\u003C/i> glittering \u003Ca href=\"http://www.lizpichon.co.uk/\">Liz Pichon\u003C/a>! I somehow adopted and came home with a white feather boa that evening.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_martinliz_zps0cd8e082-715a8724d8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI hear Liz was one of the main reasons we got a party this year, she kept saying 'WHY DON'T WE HAVE A PARTY??' We love Liz. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_sarahliz_zpsdb750582-0dd9184e4d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.worldofadam.com/\">Adam Stower\u003C/a>, who has the biggest grin in publishing.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_lizadam_zps96558494-08644e4922.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nExcellent picture book duo, illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.lauraellenanderson.co.uk/\">Laura Ellen Anderson\u003C/a> and writer \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/cerrieburnell\">Cerrie Burnell\u003C/a>. (Laura also writes and draws \u003Ci>Evil Emperor Penguin\u003C/i> for The Phoenix and Cerrie presents on CBeebies.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_lauracerrie_zpsef5ae548-d72deab35a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nMetaWars master \u003Ca href=\"http://jeffnorton.com/\">Jeff Norton\u003C/a>. (And yes, I am wearing a record and a disco ball on my head. It's fairly quick to assemble if you fancy a go at it.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_jeffsarah_zpsfff51755-218142e9a1.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere are \u003Cb>Jane Willis\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Julian Dickson\u003C/b>, who are looking after me at United Agents while Jodie Hodges is away on maternity leave:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_janejulian_zps6ef5d418-7683ff2941.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd fantastic \u003Ca href=\"http://www.marklowery.co.uk/\">Mark Lowery\u003C/a>! His \u003Ci>Socks are Not Enough\u003C/i> and \u003Ci>Pants are Everything\u003C/i> books had me laughing out loud.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_marksarah_zps46b9892c-7fc4448f24.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nShiny in silver, writer \u003Ca href=\"http://www.abielongstaff.com/\">Abie Longstaff\u003C/a>! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_sarahabi_zpsd5e45fc6-cfe63c20a8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI had to cut myself out of this photo with illustrator \u003Ca href=\"http://www.guyparkerrees.com/\">Guy Parker-Rees\u003C/a> because I was doing this thing with gaping my mouth in all the photos at the end of the evening and it's very annoying to look at them in succession. Guy, however, is not annoying AT ALL.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_sarahguy_zps1a5c45da-7cee725446.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI finally, FINALLY met writer and reviewer \u003Ca href=\"http://philipwomack.blogspot.co.uk/\">Philip Womack\u003C/a>. People were always saying to me, 'Surely you know Philip Womack, he goes to all the parties', etc, but we'd NEVER met. And I'd started to create strange mythologies in my head about him, so it was about time we put things straight.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_womacksarah_zpsdac23a40-e001a3aeb0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's \u003Cb>Tereze Brikmane\u003C/b>, who's taken over George Hanratty's job managing \u003Ca href=\"http://talesonmoonlane.co.uk/\">Tales on Moon Lane\u003C/a> bookshop in Herne Hill.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_toml_zpsbf61347a-ef5594202c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd the excellent \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/DragonsDentist\">John McLay\u003C/a>, who runs the Bath lit fest. I keep wondering why he's 'DragonDentist' on Twitter and then I always forget to ask.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_johnmclay_zpsf07e8406-516e0829b2.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_axelphilip1_zps99229382-50cf39256d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOur new CEO \u003Cb>Catherine Bell\u003C/b> gave a speech and there was much jollity. And Scholastic even packed us a little snack for the train ride home. Thanks so much, Scholastic! (You can follow them on Twitter: \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/scholasticuk\">@scholasticuk\u003C/a>) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/scholasticparty14_cookie_zps8f226370-b4d2ea8965.jpg\">","2014-11-13T10:21:00.000Z","sparkly-night-with-scholastic-uk",[],"sparkly night with scholastic uk",1776628726982]