Being a new author, I am still looking for publication credits. I prefer to write for younger children, and am currently working on my second book, which features a ‘Big Red London Bus’, which became old and was parked in a garage with other old unwanted buses, and neglected. My story, told from the perspective of the bus, tells how he was chosen to become a Playbus for the children. The bus tells what is happening to him, including being loaded onto a huge truck and being taken to New York USA, where work started on converting him. It conveys his excitement at all the events and how he will look when he is finished. My bus also remembers the others left behind in the UK, and wishes they too could become as happy as he is.When the work is done and he is very smart, with a big smile, the driver and playleader are introduced, and they give him a name, which he is really happy about. The stories then tell where they went, and the children (by name) who visit the bus to play. The book has ten short stories and each story builds on the one before. The book is fully illustrated. I am enjoying this work – real escapism, hours are lost!!!

I have 3 adult sons and ten grandchildren, and started to write for children, when my sons were small, and then for grandchildren, and wider family. Until recently, I never attempted to publish any of my work, but with encouragement from family, friends and neighbours, I submitted my current book, titled William the Fairground Car, and this was published in New York, in December 2008.

I am currently spending about 3 to 4 hours a day on promotion and researching the markets. I know my book is good to read, but I am trying to ensure people who may be interested know about it. This does reduce the time I have for writing at the moment, but I always spend some time writing, because it is so relaxing, I am in a children’s world, with no ‘day to day’ problems to deal with.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?

I spend about an hour each evening reading children’s books, as they are both fun to read and I learn how other authors go about their work. I am currently reading ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’, as there were so many positive reviews, I wanted to read it. They were right – it is good.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?

The best advice I could give any would-be-writers, is to only write in the genre you enjoy. When you are enjoying your work, it becomes a task you want to do, not a chore.

My favourite online resource must be your site. You give us new authors a chance to be noticed, as well as reviewing and reccomending both new and established books. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sally smiles and says ‘thanks for the vote of confidence’.

My current book, titled William the Fairground Car, is a series of ten short stories, again each story building on the one before. It is fully illustrated. William is the main character on his Merry-go-Round and he has seven other carriages as his friends. They can talk to each other, in a way no-one else can hear. The stories cover all the excitement the children experience when visiting the fairground, including fun rides on William’s merry-go-round, and visits by elephants, clowns and ponies from the nearby circus. The stories are told from the perspective of William the Car, and he tells how much fun he is having with all the children.It makes nice bedtime stories, and reading for the younger reader.My publishers website is: http://eloquentbooks.com/WilliamtheFairgroundCar.htmlMy blog (new) is http://myjourneytopublication.blogspot.com/