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If you could be any Jacqueline Wilson character who would you be?
It was lovely to meet so many of you in Newcastle and Edinburgh in August! I’m now back at my desk, putting the finishing touches to my new novel Lily Alone – and then I’m all set to start a brand new story about Hetty Feather. I ought to start learning a tiny bit of Japanese too, because I’m going to Tokyo this month to take part in a big international writers’ conference. I’m particularly looking forward to meeting my Japanese translator Yumiko Kotake. She bought one of my books about twenty years ago and translated it carefully, then took it to a Japanese publisher and said ‘You have to publish this book, I know Japanese children will love it!’ It’s very exciting to realise that children all over the world are reading my books.
I will give two lectures while I’m in Tokyo and attend various official lunches and dinners, but I hope to have some free time while I’m there too. I want to do a bit of shopping, and also go to lots of art galleries and museums.
One of my all-time favourite museums in this country is the Victoria and Albert museum in London. It’s absolutely crammed full of amazing objects – you could happily wander there all day long. They’re having a special design month in September, and if you visit the week starting Saturday 18th you’ll be able to get a special Jacqueline Wilson map which shows you all my favourite objects in the museum. If you go, do write and tell me about your favourites.
Good luck all of you starting Secondary school this month! I vividly remember my first day. It felt very strange and weird – but I made friends with a girl called Chris that first morning – and we’re still great friends now many many years later!
Love from Jacqueline Wilson
Here’s Jacqueline at Seven Stories in Newcastle (the Centre for the Children’s Book). Jacqueline opened the building 5 years ago and went back this year – on their exact 5th birthday – to help them celebrate! She gave a talk and signed books afterwards. They have this wonderfully colourful armchair for visiting authors to sit in – Jacqueline loved it!
The “prize” for having travelled the furthest to see Jacqueline goes to this young lady. She and her mum had come from FRANCE to see Jacqueline talk, and get her book signed!This fan’s name is Shaniah, aged 10.
Here are two photos of Jacqueline signing books in the tent after her talk at the Edinburgh Festival. The fan on the right had travelled from Ireland just to see Jacqueline!