However, today I have read a whole book.  It’s been on the pile for a while and it might fit into three categories.  The Boy From France by Hilary Freeman is probably aimed at girls from a mature ten to about thirteen so I might well include it in my next lot of reviews for The Scotsman.  It counts as a teenage novel that (i) I like and (ii) might be popular!

It’s set in contemporary London (Camden, to be exact) and is superficially a romance between a local girl and her school exchange guest – the boy from France.  As a romance, however, it’s pretty slight and, were it no more, wouldn’t merit a mention.  Refreshingly, the heroine Vix lives with both her parents, who’re married to each other and have been since before she was born.  (Sometimes reading fiction for young people you’d think that no-one lived in such a family these days!).  They love each other and she loves both of them.  But her Mum has MS, rapidly progressing and Vix’s life is different because of that.

Hilary Freeman handles Vix well.  We see her conflicted feelings, the subtle, but real, pressure on her, her relationships with her parents and her two best friends and the knowledge bubbling under that someday soon something will have to give.  And it is Xavier, the boy from France, who is the catalyst.

The Boy From France isn’t a long book and it isn’t deeply meaningful.  It is, however, well-written, easy to read and enjoyable.  Vix, her family and friends are well defined individuals who interact believably.  And the book has just enough substance to make it thought-provoking for young girls, regardless of their circumstances.

I must say as a starting point that the covers on the “Camden Town Tales” books are stunning! They are very attractive and very quirky-perfect for girls! The covers on a book are important because for someone like me, I like a book that is interesting and suits the type of person that I am. The covers provide a creative and quirky vibe. Everything that Camden really and truly is.

Stuck On Me has yet another great story line, where a reader can really understand and relate to the characters. The storys are based on three teenage girls who live in Camden. There are Rosie, Sky and Vix, however this story focuses on a story line about Sky. Sky develops an obsession about her nose, she is literally becomes paranoid about it. She finds herself searching for a plastic surgeon who would fix her nose to a size that she was happy with. Her friends try to convince her that nose is absolutely normal and that she not worry about it. However Sky does not believe them.

It is a great story that talks about issues that a teenager may experience. I personally think this is a great way to let a teenager who may have had similar experiences see that they are not alone, but also helps to tell them that they should be proud of who they are and for every feature that they are blessed with. Apart from that, the story also shows the power of friendship and how special a true friend really is. Reading this book shows you to treasure the little things in life like a good friend who will help you through a hard time in life.

Another great thing about this book is that it is set in one of my favorite places, Camden. It’s hard not to love Camden, so when a book is based there it makes it even more worth reading. I love reading it and thinking ‘I’ve been there!’. Being set in Camden helps me to imagine the scene with detail. Reading about Camden makes me feel cheerful and is great to think about the vibrancy of markets-it’s just amazing!

Hilary Freeman is a great author, i love her style of writing and how it appeals to someone like myself and someone of my age group. Hilary is very good at thinking in the mind of a teenager; how they think, how they react to things etc. It’s excellent to read a book that you can relate to, the characters become a friend to me. That’s something that I would look for in a book, when you feel like you know the characters well and when you feel the emotions that the characters feel at the appropriate times-that is talent! I hope that one day I too will be able to do that!

To find out more about Hilary’s books check the links below

http://www.hilaryfreeman.co.uk

http://www.camdentowntales.co.uk

How did I get the book?

Genre: Contemporary

First Impression: Ohh I like that idea.

Synopsis: Robyn is a compulsive shoplifter – with a difference. Everything she steals, she donates to charity shops – then blogs about it. She doesn’t need to steal, but shoplifting gives her a buzz like no other. Soon everybody’s talking about the mystery blogger. At last Robyn has the fame she craves – but only one person knows who she really is, and he’s sworn to secrecy … Will Robyn risk revealing her true identity – and can she stop shoplifting before she gets caught?

200words (or less) review: Lifted starts with Robyn’s first blog entry, telling us about how she steals a pair of tights from a clothes shop, which she subsequently donates to a charity shop because she feels guilty. The narration shifts between Robyn’s blog entries and a third person narrative following Ruby (aka Robyn) and Noah, her across-the-road-geeky neighbour.

The blog entries in Lifted are great, Robyn is instantly likable in the first few pages and you understand why she did it (for the most part). Personally I would have preferred more blog entries as Ruby outside her Robyn persona wasn’t as endearing as the girl you get to know in the blog.

Both Ruby and Noah develop well throughout the story, Noah in particular grows a lot from the first introduction. I felt that Ruby’s parents weren’t as rounded as they could have been, particularly as they have such a huge impact on her actions.

Lifted is well written with a good premise and believable characters.

Recommend it?

Yes.

As you well know, Keren David won the Lancashire Book of the Year award, and yesterday we travelled to Preston to see her receive her prize and to hear her speech. It was a good one, and it features UMIST and non-iron fabric for the Royal family and several generations’ worth of romance in her family. And the banana.

With space at a premium I can’t tell you the whole story, but rest assured that coincidence is not dead and it really is a small world. And had Keren’s mother not been the type to share bananas, we might not have had When I Was Joe to read and enjoy and to reward with huge cheques (physical size, mostly) and art.

This was a good year, with nine out of ten shortlistees  present; C J Skuse, Chris Higgins, Hilary Freeman, Jane Eagland, Jim Carrington, Joseph Delaney, Keris Stainton, Sam Mills and Keren. And as ever, Adèle Geras, overseeing the young members of the jury. Unfortunately, I have only read Keren’s and Keris’ books. Fortunately, those excellent child readers have read every single book on the longlist, and some of them have read and re-read their favourites on the shortlist several times.

When the witch and her photographer arrived, Adèle was busy drinking coffee but took us round to meet everyone. To my horror some people had heard of me, which makes you wonder what they had heard. It was lovely to meet super-publicist Nicky for the first time, and now she will be not simply a name at the end of my email line.

The place was heaving. The place being the plush home of Preston’s councillors. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel important, and those men wandering round with fancy necklaces add to the style. Pleased to see the efficient Sue and Elaine of the SilverDell Bookshop providing books for sale, at this oldest of book awards.

More than one speaker reminisced about 1987, when the award started, and whereas I can remember much further back than that, I suppose it was quite long ago. Especially if you weren’t born. Super-librarian Jake had dressed to impress, and he certainly did. It’s not just a jacket; it’s a whole suit. Note his ‘cheeky’ 25!

As always, the children spoke about everything to do with the award and the reading, and I’m glad the boys realised that some books might be pink, but the reading of them ‘has to be done’.

The authors, too, had to speak, and they pointed out how important it is to have reviews by children, and not just by us boring adults. Awards like these can also save authors’ careers, for which we have to be grateful.

Adèle spoke, and she mentioned her predecessor Hazel Townson, who died this year, and who had supervised the readers for 21 years. And finally it was Keren’s turn, and as I’ve mentioned, she spoke of bananas. If I’d been her, I’d have died of nerves by that time, so it’s to her credit that she was both alive and completely lucid. She was pleased to hear the other shortlisted books praised so often, since that made her win even more valuable. It also seems that Keren had always wanted to marry someone from Lancashire. (No need to propose. She’s already married.)

The cheque Keren received was beautiful, and so was the work of art by Hayley Welsh, which came in the shape of a defaced book. But it was beautifully done, and seeing as it even had a picture of me, I wholeheartedly approve.

Keren wasn’t the only one to receive prizes, with the children each getting a signed copy of When I Was Joe. And despite her dislike for attention, the hardworking librarian Jean, who is retiring was also on the receiving end of speeches and flowers and a hug from Keren. She admitted to always being bossy. Well, how else do you get something like this award to happen? So, thank you Jean for telling so many dignitaries how and when and where to sit, stand, do, or whatever. They need that kind of thing.

It’s funny how after my last and only presence at these awards two years ago, how many friendly faces I recognised, and who recognised me back. It was like coming home. Julie was another hardworking ‘face’, so it must have been the power of the Js. Jake. Jean. Julie.

And I talked quite a bit to author Jane (Eagland), so she was another J for the day. Also Joseph and Jim and C J. There was a signing afterwards, and even more afterwards there was that lovely lunch they do so well in Preston.

Then it was time for us to catch trains home in all directions. Luckily Preston offers through trains to my back garden, so there was no need for any broomsticks at all.

Of all the admirable books yesterday, the one that was praised the most, besides When I Was Joe, was Blackout by Sam Mills. I might have to try and read it.

It gets even better, though. The blog will include competitions, giveaways, event announcements and lots of sneaky peak information regarding your favourite authors! How awesome is that?!

The amazing cast of authors who are writing on this blog, are:

Sophia Bennett, Anna Carey, Cathy Cassidy, Linda Chapman, Lisa Clark, Anne-Marie Conway, Jo Cotterill, Judi Curtin, Susie Day, Fiona Dunbar, Hilary Freeman, Maggi Gibson, Griselda Gifford, Cathy Hopkins, Liz Kessler, Karen King, Joan Lennon, Kate Maryon, Karen McCombie, Wendy Meddour, Diane Messidoro, Sue Mongredien, Tamsyn Murray, Joanna Nadin, Luisa Plaja, Leila Rasheed, Keris Stainton, Julie Sykes, Rosalie Warren, Sarah Webb and Kay Woodward!

There is plenty that I know, have heard of and love, but there is a few that I haven’t heard of before, and I can’t wait to find out more about them

Click here to check out Girls Heart Books!

Fiction Express allows readers to control plotlines in real time.

Fiction Express releases weekly high quality fiction targeted at tweens and teens. At the end of each chapter, readers are given options to vote on, and this determines what happens next!

Episodes are released every Friday at 3.30pm, and have until 10am on the following Monday to cast their vote.

This must be really challenging for the authors, but offers really exciting ideas. The authors will write the next chapter in real time, according to the most popular option voted for!

There are four titles being launched first:

• Diary of a Mall Girl by Luisa Plaja
• The Soterion Mission by Stewart Ross
• Soul Shadows by Alex Woolf 
• The Last Symbol by Rebecca Morton

Each e-book will be published in 11 weekly episodes. The first is available for free, and subsequent episodes sell from as little as 59p.

Fiction Express also gives readers the opportunity to submit their own ideas for incorporation into the plot, and there will be competitions for readers to become a part of the story itself!

I am really excited about this, it is such a different method of reading a book.

The next chapters for all the books are being published in just five hours! 

I will be posting my reviews of the books subsequently – stay tuned!

Lifted

I bought this book for The Girl as it incoporated two areas that she is interested in (because of me) – charity shops and blogging.

I decided to read it to make sure that it wasn’t too grown-up for her as it was in the ‘teen’ section, and she only turned 11 on Monday!

I actually think it was really well written (considering the target audience) and deals with the subject pretty conscientiously (is that spelled right?).

Ruby is 15, her parents are divorced, she’s feeling  a bit unsettled at school and one day she is in a shop and has the urge to steal something.  She then donates her stolen goods to a local charity shop, and gets such a buzz out of it that she decides to blog about it…and the pattern has begun.

It would’ve been very easy for the author to glamourise the feeling of celebrity that her blog gains, and all the time I was reading, I was thinking “Is this going to plant a seed of an idea in The Girl’s head and make her consider doing this herself?”, but I am pleased to say that it didn’t.

Great teen (or tween) girl’s book, with very subtle messaging.

I have heard no end of juicy gossip ever since! It almost makes up for being left behind… Here are my top morsels:

1. Imagine five chattering female humans in the quiet carriage on the train – all high spirits and lots of NOISE – and imagine they got asked to be a little quieter…
2. There were Not as Pink as You Think drinks, organised by our very own Elaine. The non-alcoholic pink mojitos were a huge hit because of their gorgeousness in both taste and beauty, and soon everyone was queuing to lap these up…
3. Jane, Tamsyn and Hilary each talked beautifully about their writing and also managed to give great plugs for their books – something I can see myself doing one day, when I publish my memoirs.
4. Chris Brown from the SLA Journal said some charming closing words about Piccadilly Press – if you’re reading Chris, I can tell you that it was very much appreciated.
5. As the librarians went off to dinner, the five ladies had – from what I hear – a rather boisterous picnic on their train home with, yes, you’ve guessed it, lots of NOISE. They probably provided an evening’s entertainment for all the other train-goers!

Tamsyn Murray, Hilary Freeman, Jane Prowse, Julia, Trisha Adams, Brenda Gardner

Jane Prowse

Hilary Freeman

Tamsyn Murray

My opinion is that it all sounds like they had rather too much fun! But don’t worry too much about me staying at home, wallowing in my aloneness – I met up with fellow abandoned felines, Buffy and Mitten, Jane Prowse’s author-ly cats. We devised a wonderful plan – this weekend I’m donning my journalism hat and am going to interview them about Jane Prowse and the many ways in which they actually do all the work.

So that was Saturday, and on Sunday I was chanting ‘FOOTIE FOOTIE FOOTIE, CATS LOVE FOOTIE!’ Why? Because it was a major Feline Footie match of course!! Ever since reading the Super Soccer Boy series I’ve become a MAJOR footie fan! Although I am still waiting to encounter gruesome enemies like the ones that Harry Gribble has to defeat in Super Soccer Boys and the Snot Monsters, humph. Anyway, here’s a pic of me practising my goal keeping back in the old days when I hadn’t honed my skills

As you have probably guessed from the sepia, this is from ye olde days

And here I am diving for the ball (of wool, naturally) – cats are lucky in that they have four feet, all the better for FOOTIE!

Jggaaaaaahhhghghg!!

WHEW! I’m exhausted! Catch you later peeps x

In the brilliant Owl Bookshop humans gathered to revel and cheer for Hilary Freeman – there were, to my relief, no owls (kindly don’t laugh, but I had been somewhat nervous about this all day, I almost couldn’t eat my lunch).

Here’s a snap of Hilary with the Piccadilly gang.

Elaine, Brenda, Hilary, Vivien, myself and Natasha - quite the 'gang'

The highlight of the evening (after the splendid cupcakes baked by Hilary herself) was an author reading of Lifted – I, naturally, took center stage, as you can see below – whilst all the humans gathered like kittens around a bowl of cream, greedily lapping up the words.

Piccadilly's Brenda smiles on as I perch on the literary lap of Hilary Freeman

Aaah what a night! And now that it’s Friday I can look forward to a long and arduous weekend of FELINE FOOTIE!!! And if you humans are extra lucky I may even report back on this beautiful game next week… much more exciting than that England match on Sunday I’m sure you’ll all agree!

So, we’ve had a busy few weeks, everyone seems to be very excited and not really getting on with very much work at all as they’re all too busy watching Hilary Freeman’s new trailer for Lifted on Youtube. Being the crafty cat that I am, I jotted down the URL in my secret spy notebook and had sneaky peak later when they’d all gone home! (I like to keep it hush hush that I am a computer whiz or else I’m sure Piccadilly would have me running the company rather than running over the desks, so shhhhh). You can have a watch too right here.

Isn’t the trailer great! I can totally relate to her angst, it’s hard being a cat. Sometimes humans even doubt our ability to type! Yes, really! Well, this blog will prove just how dexterous the paw can be. I spent the whole of Wednesday pawing through a copy of Lifted out on the roof garden (lucky me, I know! Oh the advantages of being a publisher’s cat…) but you, my friends, can read the first chapter on our website before its release in July.

Lifted by Hilary Freeman

To be perfectly honest, I’m rather jealous of everyone who got to go along to one of T.M. Alexander’s story workshops. I’ve been following her blog here and it sounds like just my saucer of milk (or ‘Cup of Tea’ in Humanspeak). I have so many stories to tell. But that’s for another time. Hopefully that time will be next year at Hay Festival!

Jghhaaagjjjjjgggghhhh….aaag…ahem…sorry about that. Furball. Nasty things. Oh don’t look at me like that, I’m sure you’ve had a number in your time! Anyway… we’ve all been hip hip hooraying for Sheridan Winn who’s only gone and won the 9-11 years Lincolnshire Young People’s Book Award 2009/2010! Another one for the roof garden I feel. It’s out in the shops now, but you can have a read of the first chapter on her website. Meow.

The Sprite Sisters - The Circle of Power by Sheridan Winn

AND – last but not least – there is the SUPER DUPER EXCITING news of me, Mister Toffee, launching my very own blog! To celebrate I’ve teamed up with my lovely friends at Chicklish and have eight SIGNED copies of Cathy Hopkin’s Cinnamon Girl – This Way to Paradise to give away. All you need to do to enter is email your most whisker-tickling cat jokes to toffeelovesbooks@piccadillypress.co.uk by Monday 21st June. I’ll also post my favourite jokes on my shiny new blog so that everyone can have a good old ‘ROFL’.

Sometimes I can't quite decide whether to cuddle books ...

...or just attack them!

Phew! Exhausting! I definitely need to spend some quality time staring at that fascinating pot plant on my roof garden. Toodle pip!

Hilary Freeman, before (left) and post changes to teeth, nose and chin

Unsure what effects plastic surgery would have on her body, Hilary Freeman tried out a new, painless technique to judge for herself…. Hilary with a brow lift, nose reconstruction, new teeth and chin reshaped. “I’m more happy with my new body from the neck down. The all over contouring has taken me from a size 12 to a size 8 reducing my breasts from an E cup to a C cup.”

Hilary’s body before (left) and after

www.changemyface.com

www.changemyshape.com