I’ll be at the Hampstead & Highgate literary festival on Monday 20th September at 7pm. Looking forward to meeting you if you can make it. Details here.

I’ll be talking at the Buxton Festival on Thursday 22nd July at 3pm – do come if you’re in the area. It says here that I’m going to be talking about the use of humour to broach difficult subjects…

These short vids by UK refugee kids are amazing. Respect to Refugee Council for the project.

Two live events this week, as part of my ongoing and very enjoyable project of visiting public libraries in all parts of the UK. All are very welcome at these events. Do come if you can – so far they’ve proved to be entertaining and good-humoured affairs.

• Bristol (Henleaze Library) – Wednesday 26th May, 6.30 pm – details here.
• Dorchester (Dorchester Library) – Thursday 27th May, 7.30 pm – details here.

I’m spending a couple of days every fortnight visiting as many UK public libraries as I can, to talk about my writing and the work of some other writers whose work I love. I’m looking forward to doing three live events this week:

LEEDS: Wed 12th May, Leeds Library, 12.30pm, tickets free. Details here.

NEWCASTLE: Wed 12th May, Newcastle Library, 6pm, tickets free. Details here.

BERWICK: Thurs 13th May, Berwick Library, 7.30pm, tickets £4. Details here.

All welcome. Please come if you’re in the area. I try to make the events interesting and fun.

Over the next few months I’ll be spending two days every fortnight doing live events at public libraries around the UK. The events will mostly be free, or with a small contribution to the excellent work that these libraries do in celebrating literature and promoting literacy.

Usually I’ll talk a bit about my work and the work of some of the contemporary writers I like, tell some of the real-life stories behind the novels, do a reading, and then throw the discussion open before signing books. The open discussion is always the best bit from my point of view, so please do come along and join in. Looking forward to meeting you if you can make it.

Events this week:

• Birmingham Central Library – Wednesday 28th April at 6.30pm
• West Bromwich Central Library – Thursday 29th April at 2.00pm
• Cambridge Central Library – Thursday 29th April at 7.30pm

Details coming soon:

Leeds, York, Newcastle, Berwick – May 12th & 13th

Bristol, Winchester, Dorchester – May 26th & 27th

Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Preston – June 16th & 17th

After five intense and very enjoyable weeks on the road, I’m finally headed for Texas.

Please do come along to one of these events if you’re in the area – I promise they will be fun. This tour has been fantastic and the atmosphere at the events has been extraordinary. I am very grateful to American readers for the wonderful welcome they have given me.

Tuesday March 23
HOUSTON, TX

Wednesday March 24
AUSTIN, TX

Thursday March 25
DALLAS, TX – Event sold out.

Friday March 26
DALLAS, TX – Live event with Special Guest, Nigerian Griot BABATUNDE SOLARIN!

Saturday March 27
DALLAS, TX – Creative writing workshop

DALLAS, TX – signing event

Tour photos from Wajiha Said and St Louis Public Library

Two years ago I started writing this weekly column as a celebration of the state of childhood with all its beauty, intrigue, and startling odours. I promised myself I’d stop before my kids were old enough to be embarrassed by it. And so now – as the world’s parents say a billion times a day at the swings in the park – I think it’s a good time to stop and let someone else have a turn. Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know why my wife and I have been so lucky. I have no clue how many cosmic accidents were required to gift us three happy kids – what infinite twists of DNA, what incalculable adaptive extensions of that long chain of life with its origin in the dust of comets’ tails. Read the rest of this entry »

This week our 6-year-old withdrew to his inner sanctum with a black chunky marker pen, declaring that no one was to disturb him as he would be working on a Very Important Project. Read the rest of this entry »