Ten-Minute Blog Break - 16th June

Logo by Melany Pietersen

While I love the new Blog Break logo, the size and shape of it does mean that I have to write even more in this little introduction space at the top of the article. Unfortunately, that's the bit I find most difficult every week! Is it enough for me just to say that there are some great blog posts to read, under the fold?

It can't have escaped your notice that we have a new Children's Laureate, in the excellent shape of Chris Riddell, and a couple of our bloggers are talking about him this week. First up, Sarah McIntyre gives an in-depth run-down of what his appointment means to the #PicturesMeanBusiness campaign. Katherine Lynas, meanwhile, was lucky enough to meet Chris at the Festival of Illustration in Hartlepool, and got him to pose for a group photo with several other Scoobies!

Have you wondered (or dreamed, even) what it's like to work with an agent? Sally Poyton recently signed with the Shelley Instone Literary Agency, and her blog post busts a few myths about the writer-agent relationship.

Anyone can draw well enough to tell a story - that's the moral of Bridget Strevens-Marzo's post about her role at the Shoutsouth Festival. Along with a host of other SCBWI folk such as Loretta Schauer, Amanda Lillywhite, Sally Kindberg and Sara Grant, Bridget helped children from schools all over South London to write and illustrate their own stories.

What does Sarah Broadley know about picture books? Well, enough it seems to be asked to host a picture book teach-in for the members of South East Scotland.

Finally, fans of Candy Gourlay's sketches will have a field day with the latest post on her personal blog, which gives an illustrated view of her time at the AFCC Retreat in far-flung Indonesia (note that this is a different blog post from the one Candy wrote for Notes From The Slushpile, which covers a different aspect of the same event).

Nick.

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Nick Cross is an Undiscovered Voices winner and has recently received the SCBWI Magazine Merit Award, for his short story The Last Typewriter.

Click here to read Nick's debut blog post for Notes from the Slushpile. His latest children's short story Hacking History can be found in issue 8 of Stew Magazine.