CONTACT ME

I'd like to clear up something which has recently come to my attention. The details of fees and VAT on this page refer to school visits only.

I most certainly do NOT charge people to write to me, nor do I expect a fee to read letters and emails. What a bizarre idea! I love getting letters and emails and I'd like to assure everyone reading this that if I get them, I do indeed read them. I tend to get so many that I can't reply to them all but I do love to receive them, so please keep them coming!

School And Library Visits

Yes, I do school and library visits but I tend to get very booked up. October (Black History Month) and March (school book weeks) tend to get booked up first. I don't do school visits in December, January, February or July.

Apart from that, I'm all yours!

Please contact me for fee details. I charge by the half day. You may only want me to do one session but by the time I've got to you and got home again, at least half a day has passed. My fee is exclusive of any travel expenses. VAT is charged on top of the fee.
My author sessions are for Years 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 only. I do not do school assemblies. My creative writing workshops are aimed at years 5, 6 and 7 only.

I do two types of session

- Creative Writing Workshops
- Writer's sessions

Creative Writing Workshops:

Workshops are given to a maximum of one class at a time. They do not work otherwise. I try to make these as much fun as possible for all involved. I do NOT teach children how and when to use adverbs and adjectives. I DO give them exercises to get their imaginations going and flowing, to stimulate their curiosity and to show them that ideas can start with an object or even half a sentence. We do diary and empathy exercises using either extracts from my books or an extract from one of the Pig Heart Boy episodes. (I bring the video tape with me.) Sometimes, I give the students a paragraph which I then get them to carry on for me. We use different objects as a starting point to explore storylines and characters. We may also write different types of poetry along a number of themes. Sessions are totally interactive and I try to get as many children as possible to read out what they've written throughout the session.

Writer's Sessions

I talk about being a writer - how I got started, why I write what I write, the writing process, where I get my ideas from, etc. I read excerpts from various books to illustrate the points I make and then I throw it open to questions - my favourite part of the session. I try to make my sessions as interactive as possible so it's not just me spouting on for an hour. I'm quite happy to talk to around 200 children/young adults in these sessions.

Please contact me at the email address below if you'd like to arrange a school/library visit.

School And Library Visits

A WRITER’S HORROR STORY (OR HOW NOT TO DO IT)

I arrive at the station.
There’s no one to meet me.
Phone the name I’ve been given.
That person’s on holiday.
I’m put on hold, for what seems like forever

When at last someone speaks, they give me directions.
‘Turn left, left, right, left, then right, right, then south!
It’s a good hour’s walk but the view is amazing.’
So I pick up my bag, full of books, sheets and objects.
It weighs half a ton and I’m already tired.

Stumble and fumble my way to the library.
I’m late and I’m knackered.
Why didn’t they meet me?
‘The kids are all here. Go straight in and meet them.’
‘Can I go to the toilet?’

‘But the kids are all restless. And there’re no adults with them -
they’ve gone for a coffee.’
‘How many children?’
‘Two hundred and eighty.’
‘But a workshop's for thirty. I explained when you phoned me.’

‘Well, they’re here now. You’ll wow them. You’ve no need to worry.’
‘I'll just do a session. How old are the children?’
‘From three months to sixteen.’
‘But my talks are for the nine plus – as I said in my letter.’
‘But now you’ll reach everyone. That’s so much the better!’

‘Have the children read any of my books?’
‘I don’t think they have – no.’
‘So they don’t even know me?’
‘I’m sure they’ll still love it.’
‘Will my books be on sale at all, after the session?’

‘Our children won’t buy them, if they’re not Harry Potter.
So we didn’t get any – I’m sure you don’t mind.’
But I do, yes I do. I DO mind, you will find.
‘I sent in my invoice, I hope that you got it.’
‘Ah… Er… there’s a problem. I’m afraid we forgot it.

Wait for eight months and we’ll happily pay.
Let’s not talk about money. Let’s just have a good day!’
‘If you don’t mind me asking, why was I invited?’
‘We had surplus budget. And it was use it or lose it.
And Jacqueline Wilson was busy.’

‘Can I at least have some water?’
‘You didn’t bring your own?’
A sigh and a wish that I’d stayed in my home.
‘We love your Ms Wiz books. We think you’re all right!
But I must say Ms Blacker, we thought you were white!!’

(This is a true story! - with apologies to Terence Blacker, the TRUE author of the fantastic Ms Wiz books)

By Malorie Blackman

If you're going to treat me like in the poem above, please don't bother to contact me. I'm too old to go through that kind of nonsense any more.

If you'd like to write to me about any of my books or contact me to arrange a school, festival or library visit, please use the following:-

childrenspublicity@randomhouse.co.uk

or my snail mail address is:

Malorie Blackman
c/o Children's Publicity Department
Random House Children's Books
61-63 Uxbridge Road
London
W5 5SA

For enquiries about books, translations, film and/or television rights please contact my agent:

Hilary Delamere
The Agency (UK) Ltd
24, Pottery Lane
Holland Park
London
W11 4LZ

Telephone: 020 7727 1346
hdelamere@theagency.co.uk