A magical visit to my old Junior School

Last week I had the privilege of being invited in to my old Junior School at Ryhope.  The school has revamped and renovated its library and I was given the honour of opening the new library space. I felt like a rock star! There was a ribbon to cut and everything. It was a very special day. 

Not only that, but all nine classes, of approx. 20 children in each one, came into the library to meet me and to hear how I became an author.  

Now then, I'm still very much finding my feet with talks and what-nots, they're still terrifying to me. So what was I to make of giving not one, but nine seperate talks to children aged from 7 to 11 in one single day? Well, it wasn't easy. I was as nervous giving my last talk as I was giving the first.

But I needn't have worried.

The children were impeccably behaved. Not only that, they asked some fantastic questions, they really did want to know how to become a writer, how to make a story work and what my favourite books were. And at the end of each talk to each class, the children queued up and asked for my autograph. I had to bite back the lump in my throat as I signed each one, I was genuinely touched by their reactions.  Two children even brought in a copy of my book Belle of the Back Streets so that I could sign it for their nanas and one of the teachers brought her book in for me to sign too. It was a very emotional day.

And then at the end of each talk, one or two children hung back to talk to me in private. As their classmates left the room they hurried back to tell me, in a hushed voice, that I had inspired them to write.  That lump in my throat I was telling you about earlier? Yes, I almost ended up blubbing in front of them all.

One very special question I was asked by a young boy was this: "If you write the story of your life would today's visit to our school feature in it? Would we all feature in it?"

Well, I think you can guess the answer to that one. It was one of the most incredible days I've ever had and one I will never, ever forget.

My thanks go to the School Head Mrs Lynn, all the teachers and especially all of the children at Ryhope Juniors for making the day so wonderful.

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Debut novel Belle of the Back Streets

Now out in hardback, audiobook and e-book

Pre-order paperback, released March 7 2019 

Kindle e-book just £1.99 

Website: glendayoungbooks.com