When Mr B and I went to New York for the Book Expo America back in June, we hoped to meet some interesting people and sort out the publishing of Stonewylde in the USA. It was a very successful trip, but one of the highlights was meeting Jacqueline Wilson outside the Javits Centre.
It was one of those chance encounters. We were standing outside in the hot sunshine, and I saw the unmistakeable form of Ms Wilson going down the steps to a waiting car, flanked by her “minders”. I was star-struck, having always been a great fan of hers. My youngest son William first introduced me to her books when he was about seven or eight, as he’d just read “Double Act” and loved it. It was one of the first longer books he’d read, and soon I started reading it to my class of nine year olds (this is in the days when I was a primary school teacher in Weymouth) Over the next few years, I read many of Jacqueline Wilson’s books aloud to my class, and my favourite was probably Bad Girls. I read it three years in succession to different classes, and never did manage to reach the end without crying.
Anyway, Ms Wilson was disappearing down the steps towards the car, and I was squawking with excitement at seeing her.
“I wish she’d read Stonewylde,” I said.
“Well go and give her a copy then!” said Mr B, pulling one out of our bag.
“Oh no, I couldn’t!”
But I did, online pharmacy phentermine uk running down the steps with my heart hammering. By this time she’d got into the car which was indicating to pull away. I pounded on the window and one of the minders glared at me. But the wonderful Ms Wilson told the driver to stop and opened the door. She was so sweet and not annoyed at all about being accosted in such a pushy manner.
“I’ve always loved your books,” I said, “and would be honoured if you’d read mine.”
“How lovely. I’d be delighted.”
I forgot all about it after our return from the USA as it’s been pretty frantic getting the American edition of Magus of Stonewylde ready for print, and also working on the final draft for Solstice at Stonewylde. But a couple of weeks ago a postcard arrived from the lady herself! She said she really enjoyed the book, and wished me all the best of luck with it. She also said that weirdly, two of the characters in her new book “Kiss” are called …. Sylvie and Miranda!! What a co-incidence!
You can imagine how delighted I was to hear from her.
Mr B is slightly on the mend now, and finally able to update the website. And today we’re putting up the image of the third book!! Let me know what you think of this new cover. I’m delighted with it, and very grateful to my brilliant designer, Rob Walster of Big Blu Design in Bristol. I think it’s pretty scary, but then so is the book. Be warned!
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