Meet the Illustrators- Waterstones Piccadilly

Friday evening was spent wonderfully listening to the marvellous Alex T Smith, Nick Sharratt and Chris Haughton. They spoke about their influences and techniques. It's just so enjoyable hearing how an illustrators gets their influences and inspirations from.
 There was quite a twitter crowd too which was lovely! Elli Woollard, lovely to meet her talented daughter too, Amberin Huq, Ariane Hofmann-Maniyar, Annaliese Stoney, Emma Carlisle, Emma Block and Karl Newson!

Emma Carlisle and Amberin 

And Emma Block and Ariane

The Booksniffer Christmoose Party!!

I had an absolutely magic time Saturday evening! I was overjoyed to have been invited to join many wonderful successful writers and illustrators for a bit of xmas festivities!
 I met my twitter faves, Alex T Smith, Steven Lenton, lovely to see Colin West in a splendid jumper and Benji Davies again and I scooped The Storm Whale in the secret santa! Sarah McIntyre (who was dressed immaculately! And she mentions me and my faves Amberin, Grace and James on her blog here!) and imparted some brilliant advice, as did Chris Mould. Emma Chichester-Clark and Plum Dog, (amazing to meet Plum Dog!!) Sarah Horne, Holly Surplice as she left, Kirsten Hall from Bright, Book Sniffers pup appy Amy, Sarah Yewman, Mike Byrne, Charlie Adler, and Emma Dodd which was great as I met her at Hay Festival earlier this year and anyone else I've forgotten!
 Just so wonderful to put faces to twitter avatars and have a good old giggle! :D

Pinched from Kirsten Hall! Here I am with James Davies, Grace Sandford and Amberin Huq

There are lots of jolly pics from Emma O'Donovan here! :) 

And here's part of my secret santa I put together, didn't catch the lovely lady who got it, but hope she likes him!

New books! Toucan Brothers and Claude!

The Toucan Brothers by Tor Freeman is absolutely hilarious!! I love her drawings, so much to see on each page, and Claude is wonderful, I adore Alex T.Smiths characters as you know!  

Inspiration

Saw this awesome poster at South Wimbledon, and found out they were by illustrator Paul Thurlby http://www.paulthurlby.com/ 

So lovely!!

I also had a delivery of Alex T Smith's latest picture book Primrose, and an older one Home and my fave picture books to date, The Worst Princess and Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp, fabulously illustrated by Sarah Ogilvie. Pooey however, much more taken with the cardboard they came in.