World Book Day and Blue Peter catch up

It's EXACTLY two weeks since World Book Day and wining the Blue Peter Book Award.My feet have only just touched the ground!
From Monday 4th March to the 8th I did loads of MARVELLOUS book events as part of World Book Week as well. It was a full on and pretty crazy. 

7th March was World Book Day and was part of The FANTASTIC (if slightly daunting)"The Biggest Book Show On Earth". It went out live from the the Queen Elizabeth Hall London South bank and Kids all over the country and world tuned in to watch it. The authors and illustrators (that's us) were each given a topic to talk about for FIVE minutes. Mine was "How To Capture Your ideas And Plan Your Writing (not easy to do in 5mins).
AND IF you went over your 5 mins, Tony Robinson had been told to hover behind you. At least he didn't have a HOOK.
NERVOUS ME?... (I so was.) I very happy to have been part of the day. AND Tom Gates WBD book has been a BESTSELLER which is exciting.

You can watch the whole show (or bits of it) again here. There's loads of other great stuff on their website too.

Here are some pics from world Book Week and the show too.

Sara from the Steyning Book
 Shop with her lovely grandson.

Fantastic drawings from the event.

NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER!
Tom Gates World Book Day.

Met Rachel Bright who started
the show and was really lovely.
You'll see her work everywhere! 

Fellow Brightonian Author
Guy Parker Rees who did
some live drawing,
getting miked up.

Calm before the storm.

Very popular author
Cathy Cassidy and Rachel.

Shirley Hughes who was
calm and very un-flustered
drew Alfie,  from her books.

Guy- Rachel_Cathy and me.

Lauren Child was there to talk about
her fantastic Ruby Redfort books.

 Francesca Simon who writes
Horrid Henry.

Tony Robinson who was chairing
and talking about
his book and Francesca.

All lined up.

Nervous hand wafting for the official photo.

Kirsten who's the Director of World Book Day's wearing very sparkly shoes.

I made a charm bracelet
and did my nails for
the occasion.

In that red folder was my corrections
for Tom Gates Book Five -
I did some work on
the train up to Manchester.

My BLUE PETER TOM GATES DOODLE
for them.

Straight after the show, I rushed to catch a train up to BBC Manchester for the announcement of the Blue Peter Book Award (another live broadcast). Tony De Saule and Nick Arnold (who wasn't there) won for Horrible Science and I won for Genius Ideas(mostly). 

To say I was pleased and overwhelmed was an understatement. I was going to get a BLUE PETER BADGE!

WHOO HOOO.

It was really interesting watching how 

full on live TV is. All very stressful.But me and Tony stood where we were supposed to and the presenters were very friendly. The make up artist was so nice - I want her to do my make up all the time. Here's a flavor of the day. THANK YOU to Blue Peter and all who read and voted for Tom Gates. YEAH!

Jill - from Scholastic and winner  Tony.

Me in Media City Manchester BBC.

Getting make up tips from make up artist. 

I didn't write down their names - but both
make up artists were really lovely
to chat to and kept me nice and calm!

I should have gone in...

Making bath bombs for mothers day.

Lights... camera...

 

I had to stand behind the screen
for the whole of the MAKE section of
the show.

Doing a SWAP on live telly.

I kept finding bits of flitter everywhere.

Here we are with the children who appeared
live and were SO cool about everything.

Helen and Barney show off my picture.

I GOT A BADGE and a very fancy trophy. 

TA DAH!

 WHAT A DAY... then I went straight to Manchester Airport and flew to down to Southampton. 
I got FRISKED at the airport because I forgot I was wearing my badge. Next day - Friday 8th March - was The Southampton Book Award... 

to be continued.