Book update and a Christmas treat

So I haven't talked about it TOO much on here, but most of you know that in November I had my first YA book published by the wonderful Hot Key Books- The Isobel Journal. I thought that it might be nice if I shared a little more about what I've been doing since its publishing and get some links together of some videos, interviews, resources etc for those who are interested, so that is what I will be putting into this post :-)

But I'll start off with a treat for those of you who already know about the book:
I started making a playlist of songs to go with the book a while ago, but never really got round to actually uploading it to 8tracks. The idea was that I would choose some songs which flowed with the themes of the book- starting off with "About Me" (or at least, the fictionalised Isobel) through the love, heartbreak, and optimism of teenage girlhood. The book is full of references to music that I like so I have tried to include those mentioned too. What I'd like is if people could read along, and the music could act somewhat as a soundtrack. Or, just listen to it because you like cool music.
Here it is, finally uploaded as a Christmas treat - sorry about the awful "artwork"!

 

I also illustrated the tracklisting for you- I wish I had my scanner at home but since I took it to uni, I'll just upload this photo for now... I hope it's readable! I think if you click it you can view it bigger.

New drawing + things

Hey Internet, heres a little drawing I did yesterday that I particularly liked. I wanted to post it but I thought I should probably write something to go with it but I didn't really know what. So here are just Some Things I've Been Doing... The last week I've been off uni and back at home, which has been really nice- as you saw from the last post I was starting to really miss it. It was surreal, I'd only been away for 6 weeks but it felt like it had been forever. Then I went to stay at my friends for Halloween and we saw Frankenstein (the Nation Theatre production) at the cinema, and on Friday night I saw a Q&A on Regent Street with Simon Amstell (my hero) and it was ace, I asked him a question and it'll be on the podcast of the event hopefully!!! Will post about that then with a link if I remember. Now I just really need to do my work which is due in on Monday!!! eeeeek. I am slightly doing this blog post just to avoid doing an essay on T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" (stupid poem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 

Anyway here you go, a drawing of a girl looking at herself in the mirror in her pants and thinking about how cool it is being a girl, probably. See ya x

  

A little tiny bit of a catch up

SO hello!!! It has been a little while since I last did a blog because obviously I came to university and it's been busybusybusy. Today I handed in my first 2 assignments and that felt good. I have been doing a lot of things, more than I can really write about. I just wanted to let everyone know I was O.K. Brighton is a very great and cool place to be and I feel like I have only explored like 0.05% of all the exciting things to do, but I guess I have 3 years to enjoy it. I have been doing some book related things, including going to Laura Dockrill's WOT event where I met Mel Geidroyc (omg GBBO fangirl SQUEAL), Caitlin Moran, and obviously Laura Dockrill which felt like a super honour because I have loved her for aaaages and I have all of her books and everything. She is honestly the most genuine and kind person who is very supportive of me. So much that she also took part in a little video interview with me for book promotion which I will post up here soon when it is done being edited by the very nice Sanne and Cait from Hot Key.
I have tried to be a bit cultural and I have seen a stand up show with Adam Buxton at the Brighton Comedy Festival, Kernel Panic, and it was so so so good and then I MET HIM!!! Which was the dream. Sorry this is just becoming a name drop post but whatever. Then last week I saw a great and emotional show called Credible Likeable Superstar Rolemodel at the Soho Theatre in London with the girls from Hot Key. It was a very moving show about the rolemodels children get in 2013. I nearly cried a lot worrying about my 5 year old sister. Bryony Kimmings (who wrote the show) performed the show with her 9 year old niece and talked about their project Catherine Bennett- an imaginary pop star who tries to be a credible likeable superstar role model. It is very very good- google her! I saw a play on Saturday at Battersea Arts Centre called Gym Party which was o.k (6/10) and on Wednesday I'm going to see the lovely Lanterns On The Lake do some songs. Soon I will get to go home again and give hugs to everyone at home which will be really great because whilst I am having a fun time - I promise, parents!!!!! - 5 weeks of not being at home is starting to make me a little bit homesick. Which is of course a totally normal way to feel. I had a nice bit of post from my dad today with a nice record from a charity shop with a nice cover which made me smile.
Tomorrow is the vegetable market and I am going to get lots of yummy stuff- I am eating well don't worry Responsible Adults... It turns out I am quite enjoying cooking these days even if I burn literally everything to the bottom of my pans. I am really into spinach and chick peas and sweet potatoes. I am also enjoying school, English is good and interesting and I'm absolutely loving Philosophy- I'm so happy with it since I knew nothing about it before I came here. It's sometimes like hard maths but I like that it's all about feelings and gut instincts not like science or something. I do keep falling asleep in my lectures which is embarrassing/bad but I think I might take up coffee.
Anyway I guess that's all I feel like writing right now... Here are a couple of drawings I've been doing, one is about homesickness (don't WORRY I'm FINE!) (and yes i KNOW I FORGOT TO FINISH THE PATTERN ITS BUGGING ME TOO) and one is just the view from my window at night (where I saw a badger the other day).

Russian Animal Jigsaw

Picked this jisgaw up from the St Rocco's charity shop in Warrington a few days ago for 25p, it was too cute not to! can't find any information about it because I can't read the box but maybe someone else will give me some insight. These images came inside as a guide for the jigsaw which is made of small blocks each with different images on the sides. Unfortunately the actual blocks arent in as lovely condition as these. I would like to turn these into something but I don't know what.

Photo diary

 

 one rainy afternoon adventure, june

Dallam 12/02/12

slept over at ashleys in dallam with abi/sammie/emily/jean/hollie, went to get the bus with sammie in the morning and on a detour to find ourselves a creme egg for breakfast, we stumbled across some really cool empty buildings next to the corner shop. since i had my camera on me, it felt rude not to take some photos (and then mess around with them until they hurt your eyes)