Liquorice, blaas and nuclear burps: a selection of Waterford's finest delicacies

And so there you go, the final sessions of CBF 2013 are behind me and what a lot of crazy chickens I've met this year!

After Clare and Meath, Waterford did not disappoint, as I was treated (fictionally) to a pit of popcorn, a dragon breathing marshmallow, bomb-throwing mustachioed joeys (!), frog avengers, a dragon breathing mustard, amphibians with tongues long enough to reach Mexico, nuclear burps and evil baby geniuses. Oh, and (non-fictionnally) a pack of liquorice, some delish carrot cake, a blaa and a fair drop of sunshine to make it all go down even better.

Best question of the month goes to the four-times reader of Wuthering Heights in Our Lady of Good Counsel in Ferrybank (3rd class): "If you could travel back in time, what would you tell your younger reading self?"
What about you, dear reader?

Talking books in Kells

And so today I headed Meathwards again into the dark rain. Fair play to all of Kells Parochial NS who swam uphill to come and meet me in the library.
As per usual we had a ball with zombie puppies, warrior Jelly Babies from hell, chocolate dragons that die in hot choc volcanoes, musicals about creepers and other beasts, and for the very first time an impressive and spot on sequel called Mad Cap Takes 2. My work here is done!

Dunboyne you rock!

A creative, crazy, radioactive frog-filled morning in Dunboyne library. We had underpants-themed thrillers, toasted hamsters, fencing, unicorns, moustachioed baddies and a lot of fun. What's more we had fan mail and a huge pack of liquorice. You are total stars and yes I will try and fit you all into my next book. :-)

Saffron and Blue

Ennis celebrates the win with a good deal of elegance if you ask me...

Note the subtly matching colour scheme.

I think I've figured out the secret to a good (great?) author's event in Ireland. All you need is for your book's cover to sport the colours of the county you're visiting. If said county happens to have won an All-Ireland final in the very recent past, so much the better, you've your intro ready and an already hyper and delighted audience.
So it was that I travelled far and wide to meet some smart youngsters from Ennis, Kilkee, Kilrush, Shannon and Moveen this week and what a pleasure that was. We got plenty of zombies, some exploding frogs, Super Kettle Man who used his cord as a whip, radioactive snot, vampire princesses, you name it. I suppose Darren Shan's recent visit probably had something to do with that. :)
Word of the week: "sponsor". That's how one clever chap explained the job of publishers: they sponsor books.
Sentence of the week:
Me: "And so, I started working on this book the year some of you guys were born."
One of said guys: "So we were born to read it!"
Publishers out there, if you're ever looking for slogan-writers, PR people or new reps, you now know where to look for them!
Next week, it's off to lovely Meath. Watch this space!