THE GHOST OF TOAST

The talented illustrator Alexandra Ball drew a great picture that seems made for the Yeti Taxi poem from The Bear and the Bear {and other half-baked, unholy tales}. What do you think? Love her artwork, and she gave me a lovely plug on her Facebook page. …………………………………………………………… I GUESS IT’S NOT NORMALI guess it’s not normal to get a piggyback to schoolEspecially round the shoulders of a yetiI tell you, it’s a great way to travel thoughBecause it means your uniform doesn’t get sweatySince the morning the idea dropped into my headHe’s turned up for pick-up at eightAnd unlike catching the bus or the run in mum’s carBy yeti, I never arrive lateHe doesn’t need toast, nor coffee, nor teaTo break through any hangovers or suchHe’s already down the street and round the cornerBefore he’s even ‘let out the clutch’So, why not be willing to be taken somewhere?Better still if you’re not sure what’s in storeCos, if you open yourself up to the unexpectedIt might just arrive at your door{A warning: yetis can be quite persistent.}

The talented illustrator Alexandra Ball drew a great picture that seems made for the Yeti Taxi poem from The Bear and the Bear {and other half-baked, unholy tales}. What do you think?

Love her artwork, and she gave me a lovely plug on her Facebook page.

……………………………………………………………

I GUESS IT’S NOT NORMAL

I guess it’s not normal to get a piggyback to school
Especially round the shoulders of a yeti
I tell you, it’s a great way to travel though
Because it means your uniform doesn’t get sweaty

Since the morning the idea dropped into my head
He’s turned up for pick-up at eight
And unlike catching the bus or the run in mum’s car
By yeti, I never arrive late

He doesn’t need toast, nor coffee, nor tea
To break through any hangovers or such
He’s already down the street and round the corner
Before he’s even ‘let out the clutch’

So, why not be willing to be taken somewhere?
Better still if you’re not sure what’s in store
Cos, if you open yourself up to the unexpected
It might just arrive at your door

{A warning: yetis can be quite persistent.}

THE PHILOSOPHY OF DOGS

Non intelligunt. Et comedite.

If I don’t understand it, I’ll eat it.

LA PARANOIA DE PABLO (THE PINATA)

Being on the run would make you nervous, right?
Well, it always made Pablo the Pinata uptight

Life was no party, that one thing’s for sure
He gave any festivities the widest detour
Still, Pablo was all heart - a real vibrant soul
When it came to gifts, my friend was crammed full

You just cannot hide when you’re red, pink and yellow
I guess things were predestined for this poor fellow
Even shades, a turned-up collar or gear made for spies
Would never have kept him under adequate disguise

‘Course, hiding in that tree wasn’t the best of ideas
And it brought about the very worst of his fears
Four boys, two girls - and some with sticks
Were on the scene in less than a tick

So, with streamers and candy it was ‘Adios, old Pablo!’
But, if you’re on the way out, what a way to go!

Please remember it can take time with unusual species
But try getting to know them before smashing them to pieces.

{From ‘The Bear and the Beer - and other half-baked, unholy tales’}

GREAT SPORTING RIVALRIES #3

After losing an angry Wimbledon singles final 6-3, 3-6, 7-6, 6-7, 4-6, tennis world number one John McEnroe sends a Terminator back to 1952, programmed to exterminate Sarah Connors, the pregnant mother of his victor Jimmy Connors.

Meanwhile, the future Jimmy Connors sends back his own Terminator (a BjornBorg-1000) to protect his younger self.

{From ‘The Bear and the Beer - and other half-baked, unholy tales’}

EX SUPERHERO HOUSEMATE

He said “I just can’t deal with the sleepless nights”, when my superhero housemate hung up his cape. So I guess I’ll see him less in those bright yellow tights, and more at the gym keeping in shape.

Shame. He was good at being a superhero.

{From ‘The bear and the beer - and other half-baked, unholy tales’}

Learn about conflict… brought to you by Robin Williams, the two-headed monster and the letter ‘c’.

OCCUPY LOVE

THE BEAR AND THE BEER

OK, so I’ve managed to self-publish a book. It’s a nonsense rhyme project that started at the beginning of 2011. It’s called ‘The bear and the beer {and other half-baked, unholy tales}’.

It’s posted here if you’d like a read?

NEW BOOKS Something new and lovely came through our door yesterday and today: Corey Godbey’s The Hidden People (see website) and Becky Cloonan’s Wolves (see website).

NEW BOOKS

Something new and lovely came through our door yesterday and today: Corey Godbey’s The Hidden People (see website) and Becky Cloonan’s Wolves (see website).

SIGNED OLIVER JEFFERS Now have two books signed by writer/illustrator Oliver Jeffers, after his talk at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival. My two favourites, no less.

SIGNED OLIVER JEFFERS

Now have two books signed by writer/illustrator Oliver Jeffers, after his talk at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival. My two favourites, no less.

SOME OLD-ISH CHARACTERS

A WALK WITH TREESTAGG

A WALK WITH TREESTAGG

THE TALENT SHOW

THE TALENT SHOW

JEFFERS AND CAMPBELL

I’ve been to two talks by illustrators in the last couple of weeks: ‘A coversation with Oliver Jeffers’ (www.oliverjeffers.com) and ‘A workshop with Scott C’ (http://scott-c.blogspot.com).

Here’s Oliver Jeffers signing books afterwards… and my signed and doodled book. His new title, ‘The Heart & The Bottle’, is beautiful. Here it is on Amazon.co.uk.