I came to writing through reading. I don't know if there's any other way, but that's certainly how it worked for me. So if I come to your school, I'll be talking about reading as well as writing. Reading to me is a huge pleasure - and it's also the pathway to practically everything. A book can take you anywhere - other worlds, other times, other minds! 

My last book was about Alfred the Great - and his daughter Fleda, and a mysterious magic lady called Cerys, and lots of others besides. It's called Warrior King, and there's a recent, and very lovely review of it just here. My next book, Emily's Surprising Voyage, will be published by Walker in August 2010. For newly confident readers, it's set on, and inspired by, Mr Brunel's fantastic ship, the ss Great Britain, which you can actually go and visit in Bristol Harbour. (For more information about the ship, click here.)