No Time for Writer's Block, or Bench Pressing 30 Kilos
by Sophie Lee: A funny thing seems to be happening as my children grow older. Instead of becoming more productive, as I’d expected, I’ve established a pattern of getting less done than ever. I sometimes feel as though I myself have fallen down a well and am in need of a potion to restore order to the surrounding chaos. In 2006 I was handed an amazing opportunity. When I say ‘handed’ I mean, I’d fought for it to happen, but it felt like a gift nevertheless. I landed my first ever book deal, that is to say, an offer to expand a short story into a full-length novel. Read full article
Edie Amelia and the Monkey Shoe Mystery
While checking that her party outfit for her ninth birthday is in order, Edie Amelia Sparks discovers that one of her most treasured possessions - a red monkey shoe with a crimson tassel on the toe - is missing. With the help of her unusual dog Mr Pants, and her arch nemesis/best friend Cheesy Chompster, Edie Amelia sets out to solve the mystery of the missing shoe. A fantastically imaginative story from the well-known actor turned author and columnist, Sophie Lee. Read full article
Edie Amelia and the Runcible River Fever
A mysterious illness with very strange symptoms is spreading through Runcible, throwing the townsfolk into a panic. Edie Amelia Sparks, nine-year-old detective extraordinaire, sets out to investigate. Together with her new best friend Cheesy Chompster and Mr Pants, her French bulldog, Edie begins the hunt for a cure. The adventurers encounter some rather unusual things along the way, including: a flan-eating dog people in colourful jumpsuits a dastardly theft a motorised pram some very distressed alpacas and a solution that's right before their eyes Read full article
Sorry, Your Son Won't Be Travelling With Us Today
What follows is a lesson on adhering to the warnings found in the small print of your travel documents. We had a family holiday to Bali booked a year in advance, you see, and it was our dangling carrot, guiding us through end-of-year malaise, the mishmash of bubbling mince on the stove top, the rush to beat the traffic for music lessons, the tedium of swim squad and the daily ironing of uniforms. Ever get to that point of the school term where you feel as though you’re limping towards a finish line? Read full article
