Daniel Dockery

I think this is an incredibly kind way to look at the market Dom. But I think I try to find stories, worlds or genre that are underserved.

Like going into a cave that no-one else goes into. Sure there'll be fewer people, (book sales don't lie), but what you might find in there might be wonderful.

Amazing!

Well I'm a day behind and two stories to write. So I'm going to pound a keyboard with these hamburger puppets.

Hello! Does it have to be art art, or can it be more like, short stories art... as in just short stories? Or as in 30 short stories from the prompts that all merge together in the underworld finale?

I know it says draws, but I draw like my hands are mitten puppets of hamburgers...

Let me be clear, Julia makes good books.

But an undeniable amount of these sales is also down to the way her books are literally given their own separate shelves and signage in EVERY high street bookstore in the country.

These kind of numbers are bound to happen in that kinda set up.

Allan Ahlberg, celebrated children's author, dies aged 87 He wrote more than 150 books, including The Jolly Postman and Each Peach Pear Plum.

Gosh this is so sad. I absolutely adored Allan Ahlberg's work as both a kid, then as an adult working in a book shop and revisiting them with kids. Each, Peach, Pear, Plum remains the absolute best, and every word, every page, is emblazoned in my mind. Thank you Allan.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

It’s my hope (I’ve written a draft) but as with so many things it’s slightly beyond my control. But I’m keeping it all crossed that more people are going to jump on Wendington’s adventures.

Also if you want a copy of Book 1, despite your ridiculously busy reading schedule, I’ll happily send one.

Thank you much for such a lovely review Jacqui, and just for spending some of your exceptionally valuable time in her world. I’m hugely grateful.

The reviews are in. Well one is. Review one of book two. And it’s a belter. Book of the month from @lovereadinguk.bsky.social I’m ever so grateful to them.

Find their review here.

www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9781916...

There are other, better hidden ones - yourself included - but just wondered if it would be something either you, or another avid reader at Yogs Towers might enjoy.

There's a few references I managed to slup into book 2 past all copy editors....

And obviously I've ptu a lot of work into them. They're young adventure novels - Think The Mummy but if a teenage Rachel Weisz ahd been the hero of the story not Brendan Fraser. But they're also adventures for kids and maybe not now, but in a few years it might be right for your son. Also....

@bedgar.bsky.social Hi Ben. I realise this may be a long shot, but is there a PO Box or Address I can send two books that I've written to you. (They're not vanity self published media - They're in Waterstoens and WH Smiths and everything) I ask because, the second comes out in a few weeks - May 1st

Wendington’s first tale - The Missing Tree - came out two years ago.

To celebrate we’re starting a four week countdown to the release of her second book - The Lost Legacy - out May 1st

Find her in all the normal places or at your local indie - www.booksellers.org.uk/bookshopsear...

#LostLegacy

Hard agree. The Onix rebirth butterfly scene alongside KB’s in the same episode - stunning.

As the age old Yuletide battle draws to a close, I proudly announce that I am the last one still wearing their Christmas cracker hat in the household.

This makes me the year long monarch of Chrimblemas. I will serve as a benevolent ruler to those that respect the paper coronet.

Death to the rest

Don't finish it quickly just to be done, finish it quickly to make the story better I'd say.

Neat and tidy wrapping. LIke my nan used to say. When she worked at the deli. Making birthday burritos.

But congrats on the work ethic!

I can't explain how hard it is to switch genre and perspective when writing something new.

It's a fun challenge at times, but often in grand idea. In the nitty gritty sentence structure and word choice, it's a constant polka on a tightrope. And the fall is just your own ridiculous expectations.

Everyone muttering under their breath - I'm not sure about that. It'll never last.

This show which was three kids in a room shouting to their mate in a blank room next door with a giant helmet on was inspirational.

Sure we have VR now and we could recreate all this for the home and over the internet - and we should - but where will we get the smell of a British industrial estate

There were only two shows I wanted to be one when I was a kid. One was Telly Addicts because... well a TV quiz show?

The other was Knightmare - which debuted 30 years ago on Monday just gone.

I hope to get joy back. I'll work to get joy back. Because hope on its own is not enough. It's never enough.

You can't just have a torch. You have to do the work to power it up. To escape the darkness.

So escape the darkness I will. One word at a time.

But I do think that both joy and fear grow if you feed them. And too long fear has fed itself and because I've not written, the joy escaped.

The lack of joy is not the presence of fear. The fear is just the lac of joy. Like darkness and light. Darkness only exists on its own. The same for fear

It never used to be the case. It used to be fearless because I wrote for myself. Or I wrote for my dad. And now I've infected with doubt and loss and that's taken the joy away just a little bit.

I'm sure it's temporary. Maybe it's that joy is harder to find in the world as you grow.

They say it's safer to shout your secrets into an empty room. So just before bluesky fills up, I'll shout into what is currently emptish.

I fear writing at times now. This is not to say I don't or can't. But I am now posessed with fear when I sit down, rather than joy or excitement.

Here we go gang. Brave new frontiers, dashing, mysterious and exciting characters and the ongoing quest for immortality.

And that's just social media.

So, I'll leave you with this.

This.