Sarah talks about her work Barroux, some of the incredible new translation projects kicking off in London and her highlights from the London Literature Festival taking place this weekend. 

Click to have a listen!

The Wren is a series of comics that follow the adventures of Jack McCormack, a superhero of a boy, who lives in Dubh-lynn, an alternative, superpower-filled version of the fair city. It’s got action, humour, villains and capes. What more do you need? More on the series can be found on its website, over here.

The Last Minute, by Eleanor Updale, does exactly what it says on the tin: it retraces the last 60 seconds before a massive explosion destroys the centre of a little English town, allowing the reader a fascinating glimpse into the lives of a huge cast of characters. The writing is phenomenal, expertly interweaving backstory and suspense, conveying so much in snippets of dialogue (nothing takes more than one second to utter). For more on this impressive achievement, check out Robert Dunbar's review here.

Made on Earth (What we wear. Where it comes from. Where it goes.) by German journalist Wolfgang Korn is the unexpectedly riveting account of the creation, life and destinity of... a red fleece jacket. From the off-shore oil platform in Dubai to the textile factory in Bangladesh, the shop in Hamburg, the second-hand market stall in West Africa, the simple piece of garment manages to connect an incredible amount of people from all over the world. This is the story of globablisation in one neat, meaningful and very accessible tale.

It's not yet half 9 so coffee first I think. And cake! 

Sarah Crossan

So... sadly Sarah is a Spurs fan. (Via osmosis from her brothers and Dad) She was encouraged into athletics, drama and music but wanted to be reading - and from 9/10 started reading voraciously including Flowers in the Attic, RL Stine, Judy Blume. At age 13 Sarah read The Pigman (Paul Zindel) and Romeo & Juliet - her first real experience of being moved by reading (in Shakespeare the poetry and language, the rhythm and energy of the language).

Teaching was where Sarah found she wanted to be a writer - she was aware that children were thinking of other things when they were reading, and tried to find ways to engage them.

Sarah shows a chart on her decision making - starting in the morning (when she writes) and makes her best decisions. Originally 3 copies of Weight of Water were printed on blurb as Kasienka's Coventry - it gave her a sense of completion, rather than to self-publish. "It felt mystical somehow, when I read back I asked myself did I write that? It felt like someone else was talking through me."

Sarah tried to move WoW into prose but found it didn't work. The voice and the format came first. Rachel Simmons' Odd Girl Out was an influence on Weight of Water - really informed much of what Sarah wrote in WoW.

Sarah's notebooks (projected onto a MASSIVE screen) give a great insight into how Weight of Water... and we are treated to being able to read the text on the pages very clearly. Hearing Sarah talking about writing the poems of Weight of Water and the technical side of meter and rhythm - without focusing on precision or being very technical - but at the same time she is so precise.

Breath came in the wake of Weight of Water - a palette cleanser after writing a verse novel. Following convention and tropes - in both writing and in publication - ensuring that the book looked (and read) like a dystopian fiction title. The process was very different - some more structure (plot was more important) and lessons learned from finishing WoW. There was research - ensuring the science is plausible.

There's lots to look forward to - Sarah's Resist is out later this year and she is working on a new MG novel - and a new Young Adult novel (possibly verse-fiction) - and an Adult novel. 

Mags Walsh

It is with great sadness, pride and some tears that Mags Walsh announced she is moving on from CBI after 9 years - it has been a pleasure to work with Mags on so many initiatives. A powerhouse of creative and imaginative programming and directorship - and someone who is both a friend and an incredible boss and colleague. Mags is one of the most respected people in the Irish arts, literature, education, advocacy and youth arts sectors - that is no mean feat!

Elaina O'Neill, Sheena Wilkinson and Deirdre Sullivan

On censorship - both writers write as much and as freely as they would, touching on any topic that they would like to include. Sheena, in editing, changes the language to suit the market (gatekeepers) where Deirdre has had to make fewer changes (removing one reference of abortion to appease potential gatekeepers etc.).

Both authors discuss their new projects - and the difficulty of approaching projects and voice which are not their comfort zones.

Sheena: I really feel sorry for Adult writers - who don't have the same network of support and sense of community. (Interesting to hear that Sheena would be reluctant to work in collaboration, a very different sense of community).

Colmán O'Raghallaigh

Colmán was reconginised last year for his outstanding contribution to children's books in Ireland. After 18 years he is retiring from publishing - closing the doors on Clo Maigh Eo later this year.

Clo Maigh Eo was started not as a commercial publisher, but an ideological one.

Colmán Good reading material is essential for new readers - and to preserve and invogorate the language. Eclectic material is vital to ensuring that Irish language readers are kept interested - less than 1% of Irish children will ever read a book in Irish outside of school.

Some of Colmán's reasons for leaving publishing include the decline of demand for novels for young people, decline in general sales, distrubtion issues, a media apathy to the books published, reluctance by book shops to stock books. He notes that we have more Irish language publishers for a minority language than the majority language, English. Books are being bought into Ireland and translated by major UK publishers competing with Irish publishers. And the digitisation of books - what is the demand of Irish language books in a digital era?

Colmán finishes with "I wish well to all involved in Irish publishing, both in Irish and in English, it is a difficult future." But it is just the beginning of the debate I think. 

Jon Klassen

Good Afternoon.

In animatiopn you train to be a cog - you adapt to getting the job done - in working on Coraline Jon plugged into a different type of project. On Kung Fu Panda - in Dreamworks the technical team were sharp and he learned a lot but creatively it was less friendly.

Okay... so Jon Klassen was too good I barely took notes, but I did take lots of pics (check out the picture post). 

And that is it - the CBI Conference 2013 is all over for another year. I'm feeling energised, exhausted, enthusiastic and something else beginning with e... But very much looking forward to next year! (And so much more in between) 

The day starts with Sarah Ardizzone - a guest of Inis Magazine, as part of the Nations Through Narrative to mark the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, supported by the Arts Council. Sarah will feature in the Inis Mag Podcast on Wednesday (talking about the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre and the incredible translation projects she and Barroux are working on there.)

Right... time to meet some friendly faces and introduce Sarah - update once I'm off stage! *bag of nerves* 

Back! I'll add pics later (or catch them on twitter under #cbiconf)

Sarah Ardizzone

This is Sarah's first visit to Ireland - her family are originally from Ireland - she uses this to segue into how much books change when they cross territories - titles, covers, illustrations (There are 67 different editions of Harry Potter.)  The average amount read by a child in Thailand was 7 lines per year... until Harry Potter. By the end of the HP series that average was up to 5 books per child p/annum. Love it or loath it Harry Potter changed children's publishing. 

In anglo-translation is less than 5% compared to many other territories across Europe over 40%. Sarah notes that it is "easier to sell a French car to Japan than a French book to English reading world."

Some great metaphors for translation: It is like playing the piano with four hands (sometimes more) - yours and the authors.

Translating slang is hard work - it's always moving but the aurality and the freshness is always fascinating. It's literary but authentic. Sarah works with Live Magazine - a magazine for young people in Britain who have a rolling slang glossary, including: Shizzle... Booooooooo (said with some panache), Toot Toot heavy, Brap. Bling? It's lost it's value - it's not a compliment anymore... not when you hear on the Terry Wogan show.

Next speaker is the inimitable Hervé Tullet! 

Hello. Hello! Helloooo. HELLO! (Says Hervé) 

Herve is reading some of his picturebooks - demonstrating how he initiates dialogue with children... and leading the room of delegates in making some brilliantly weird noises.

"My work is to find ideas to go from one place to another..." (You should know this look far more impressive when delivered by a Frenchman, complete with a full, engrossing accent while holding a  picturebook to demonstrate his point)

"In all my books I leave a blank space for you to fill"

Herve reading his new unpublished work - Help! This book needs a title - trust me, you're going to love it!

Now... LUNCH!

Robert Dunbar interviews John Boyne

John's new book is out in late October (Stay Where you are and then Leave!) - thanks to Robert for letting slip that news!!

John never imagined he'd write for young people - it wasn't until the first draft of Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - and in the wake of Boy he didn't know about the world of kids books. Interesting to hear that John writes one project at a time - an adult novel, then a kids... etc.

John approached Oliver to illustrate his books, they met when their books were released around the same time... he got him drunk first before he asked. (Kidding, mostly) They plan to continue work together on future books with lots of ideas - including a new edition of Boy in the Striped Pyjamas illustrated by Oliver for its 10 year anniversary.

Can you be taught Creative Writing?

The year I spent at the UEA Creative Writing MA was the most creative and exciting time - I would recommend it to everyone to take that time. (A thumbs up, says Robert, for Creative Writing courses)

On Criticism: You remember the nasty things more than the positive - of all of the reviews I remember most the phrase "A novel of blush making vulgarity" from the Times (UK) more than any other. It can be difficult [negative press] but it is hurtful - there are times when it is quite personal - sometimes it is not focused on the book.
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas changed my life - financially, yes - but more that my work was being read. There were four books that preceded it but Striped gave me an audience - and the chance to focus completely on writing.

John read a little from his unpublished - Stay Where you are and Leave. 

On research: John's rule breaking - like Striped, and after - if he feels comfortable in the period, if he knows the period - then he will allow the story to dictate and not worry if he needs to change anything.

Interesting too that John only writes, exclusively, in third person in kids books (and first person, exclusively in adult books). Maintaining a distance from the child narrator is important - has become his signature style for both.

Superheroes Eclipsed - Sarah McIntyre, Alan Nolan and Rory McConville

Sarah, Alan and Rory talk about the different works that have influenced them and what their favourites are now.

Books that influenced Sarah McIntyre - Maurice Sendak, Archie Comics, For Better or For Worse (the Lynn Johnston weekly) and Calvin and Hobbes. Others NOT to miss Dave McKean, Posy Simmonds, Satoshi Kitamura, Viviane Schwarz, David Wiesner.

Alan Nolan - The Beano, The Dandy, Whoopie, Topper, Beezer were all hugely influential. Older, independent hero comics - Hotspur and Crunch (King Cobra was the only early superhero), Warlord, Battle Action, Tintin, Asterix... and the biggest influence 2000AD (Dan Dare and Judge Dredd). Later, older teen reading: Hate and Viz

Mick McMahon and Kevin O'Neil's work are a huge influence - and Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Watchmen - Marshal Law, Ghost World (Daniel Clowes) and Chris Ware.

For Rory (who is a writer rather than an illustrator) - Raymond Briggs' When the Wind Blows, Pokemon and the web gives a huge access to artists. Anthologies are an incredible resource to build up experience.
Some new Irish comics - Half Past Danger, Stray Lines, Ri-Ra, Chew (Layman, Guillory) and The Last Musketeer (Jason)

Coffee now... and then we're back for more! Including that reprobate Alex T Smith.

Alex T Smith

Hearing about how Alex ended up working in illustration - complete with pics of Alex as a kid, wearing some v dodgy shorts. (Will post later!)

Alex's Claude series has been hugely successful - and he's excited to be able to start work on a picturebook of Claude (as a puppy). Great to hear that Alex is influence as much by film and animation as other books. Hearing the great story of his Grandad and how much of an influence was - writing stories for ALex everyday for four years. He pops up ALOT in Alex's work.

One of the biggest influences on Alex's work is Kate Thompson's Eloise series - illustrated by Hilary Knight (honestly, hearing Alex talk about the series with such enthusiasm is brilliant).

Seeing some sneak peeks of Alex's new work - a new Claude - and a new picturebook: Hector and the BIG BAD Knight.

CBI Award Announcement

This years (unsuspecting but hugely deserving) winner Siobhan Parkinson! Former Children's Laureate, editor of Inis and Book Bird, long-time writer, advocate and friend to everyone in children's books.

Where did the inspiration for this quite haunting story come from?

My very own rib-in-a-pot! When my surgeon handed it over, I joked that if all womankind came from Adam’s rib, then I’d better get something pretty special out of mine. As it turns out, I did: a book. Before you start wondering (especially if you know how The Bone Dragon ends), it’s not an autobiography. My rib gave me the idea: Evie and the Dragon gave me the book.

The novel has great psychological tension as well as a fairytale atmosphere. What were some of the challenges in combining the fantasy and thriller genres?

Oddly enough, the combination made the writing easier. There’s a lot in the book that is grim and dark: it needs the lightness, the fantasy of the Dragon-dreams to make it bearable. Ultimately, I wanted the book to be hopeful and empowering: for that to come across, the theme of wish-fulfillment was absolutely critical. To balance out all the things in Evie’s life that are impossibly hard, there needed to be other things that were perhaps slightly too easy to make sure it didn’t end up being hideously depressing. The biggest challenge was actually whether people who resolutely Do Not Read Fantasy would be put off by the title and the idea of the Dragon-dreams. Hopefully word of mouth will help with this.

Evie is an enthralling yet damaged protagonist. Did you have to organise the pacing of information and plot in certain ways to help create and sustain this intriguing but unreliable narrator?

Even quite close to submission I was still switching around the scene order to make sure there weren’t too many Dragon-dreams in a row, or too many Ms Winters scenes… The trickiest bit was giving the book momentum when it isn’t clear until very close to the end what the main plot is really about. One of the things I like most about the book is that it’s completely linear, but that only becomes clear looking back. Trying to make sure readers want to read on when they don’t see where the book could possibly be going was the most difficult aspect of writing The Bone Dragon, but it taught me a lot about pacing that is already standing me in good stead.

You’ve worked as a script-critic and consultant for many Broadway and West End shows and musicals. Have these experiences influenced your approach to writing fiction?

Definitely. I don’t write to formulae but I always apply them as I work to ensure that I keep questioning why I’m making each choice and whether it’s really the best option. I break all sorts of rules with The Bone Dragon, but explaining my reasoning to myself helped me make it work. Take the climax: this breaks some of the most fundamental writing commandments (though I’d better not say how or it’ll spoil the story), but it does so because that’s what the story demands. In turn, part of what draws me to script work is that I’m a very visual writer. Before I put any words down on paper, I construct a ‘movie’ version of the book in the head. I ‘run’ each scene, calling ‘cut’ when something feels wrong and then stepping in to give the characters new lines, to change an aspect of the setting, and so forth. I run each scene again and again till I can mentally call ‘cut, print that’. As a result, I have a very clear idea of the story as a multi-sensory experience rather than just an experience conjured by words on a page.

What’s your writing process like? Do you have a particular routine?

It’s very important to me to have a whole day to work when I write. I tend to split each fortnight into days doing work for clients and days writing. The most important thing, though, is planning and making my mental ‘movie’ of the book. Generally, by the time I start putting fingers to keyboard I know exactly what’s going to happen from page to page, including all the most important bits of dialogue and description. 

Are there any particular novels by other Young Adult writers that you admire?

So, so many for all sorts of reasons. Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favourite writers, but there are so many others… Recent favourites include Tim Bowler’s wonderful River Boy and Katherine Rundell’s Rooftoppers. I have a huge stack of recent YA books that I’m working my way through, so ask me again in a week.

What writing projects are you working on next?

I feel that I’ve started a conversation with The Bone Dragon that my new book continues. The simplest description is this: Book 2 is to a ghost story what The Bone Dragon is to a fantasy novel with dragons. It’s another psychological thriller, but with a slightly older protagonist.

The second of our two part specially-commissioned podcasts, based on the ed team's trip to the 2013 Bologna Book Fair, as part of our magazine's participation in the Nations Through Narrative project, led by The Arts Council.

This series of articles, events and podcasts marks Ireland's current presidency of the Council of the EU and celebrates the richness of European storytelling, illustration and publishing for young people. We hope you enjoy the following conversations and interviews with leading voices in the European children's literature world.

Click to have a listen!

Lá na hÓige
Dáta/Date: Dé Domhnaigh, 12 Bealtaine 2013/Sunday 12 May 2013

Am/Time: 1.00 i.n.

Aifreann na nAingeal

cumtha ag Colm Ó Foghlú agus á chanadh ag Cór Scoil Oilibhéir/
composed by Colm Ó Foghlú and sung by Cór Scoil Oilibhéir

Ionad/Venue: Teampall Naomh Áine, Sráid Dhásain, Baile Átha Cliath 2/
St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Am/Time: 2.00–4.00 i.n.

siamsaíocht sráide: ceol, rince agus amhránaíocht bunaithe ar dhaoine óga
entertainment: music, dance and song, aimed at young people

Aíonna/Guests: Kíla, Hipnós, Coimicí Rí-Rá agus go leor eile/and much more

Ionad/Venue: Taobh amuigh de Theach an Ard-Mhéara (nó taobh istigh den ionad i gcás báistí)/
Outside the Mansion House (or inside if raining)

Eagraithe ag Foras na Gaeilge, i gcomhar le Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath/
Organised by Foras na Gaeilge, in conjunction with Dublin City Council

How does literature and art from lesser-used languages contribute to the richness of Europe's arts? Are these art forms considered a core or a peripheral resource for society? How are the Irish arts contained in our European identity? The upcoming conference Voces in Artes will explore the case of minority languages and the arts with a particular emphasis on Irish-language art forms.
 

The editorial team discuss this years shortlist and winners - including:

• CBI Children's Book of the Year: Grounded by Sheena Wilkinson
• Eilís Dillon Award for Best Debut: Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan
• Judges Award for Fiction: Dark Warnings by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick 
• Judges Award for Illustration: This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
• Judges Special Merit Award: Hóng by Anna Heussaff 
• and the Children's Choice Award that went to Grounded by Sheena Wilkinson. 

Click to have a listen to our thoughts on the shortlist, the winners and else who we felt could have made it.