….er, um,  for some reason I have been putting this off.   Okay then, I confess, I am a blog virgin. This is my first ever blog. Not really something I should be boasting about these days I suppose. And not really of interest to anyone else but me.   But then   I loudly promised everyone at the very well attended (including the Philippine Ambassador no less) launch  that my first blog would be about Candy’s book Tall Story.  And not wanting to let his excellency and everyone else down here  it is.  And a bit late.   I think the danger for a publisher is that you want to say ‘Read It, just read it, it’s wonderful’ about every single  new book you publish.   And that really isn’t very interesting is it? Here’s what springs to mind about Candy:   Of all the writers I have ever edited and published only one other writer has ever inserted herself into her prose in quite the same way Candy does.  And that is Jacqueline Wilson. I am not saying they write the same way. Not at all. They don’t.   But both of them,  just like with Brighton rock , have their own personality and tone of voice echoing all the way through,   in every sentence, every phrase and every lick and curl of their prose.  They both write inimitably, with passion and humour and intelligence.  And when you are lucky enough to  meet them in person you can see exactly why they write the way they do.  I think this quality is particularly important in a children’s book.  Candy’s story just flows into the reader, like a jug of story being tipped into the head.  And its a very good story.  And I am very proud and pleased to be publishing it.

Now go and read it dammit.