Monday 14 November 2011

Out Of The Depths

Yes, at last! Tyler Lawless is here!The first book in the series, Out Of The Depths doesn't officially come out until next week, but today we had a pre publication launch at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. 400 fantastic pupils from schools all over Glasgow, and almost all of my family were there too. It made it a really special day for me. I've used so many in the family in my books I'm surprised any of them are still talking to me. There's Katie, my daughter,who began it all.  She got bullied at school,went through an awful time...but it was such a great story it was a shame to waste it, so I wrote Run Zan Run, the book that began my whole career in writing for young people! I mean, it's not that I'm not an understanding mum, but I have said to Katie that I know it was the worst thing that ever happened to her....but it was the best thing that ever happened to me She said, ' Mother, you are a sick woman!'
    Sarah, my other daughter, she was there today too. She got herself a job in Glasgow when she was just twenty one. I thought her boss was a thoughtful, wonderful man. Then his body was found in a shallow grave with a bullet in his head. Turned out he was such a villain, they didn't know if the Chinese Triads had murdered him or the iRA, or the Clumbian Drug Lords, or one of the Glasgow gangsters were responsible for killing him. The number of suspects could have filled a bus. ( Not much of a judge of character, am I?) However, you have to admit, how could I not use a story like that! And the book that came from that? Bad Company. Can I help it if all these exciting things happen to my children?
    But they forgave me, and they all came today. And as if having my family there, including my gorgeous grandchildren, as if that wasn't enough, the real Tyler Lawless came too. She was as excited as I was to be there, a beautiful, bright girl and for her sake too I want the Tyler Lawless series to be a big success.
It has been a perfect day!