Karen McCombie

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A twinklier, pinklier bit of 'Marshmallow Magic'

I often get asked which is my favourite of the books I've written, and I often change my mind, 'cause I tend to love whichever book I've just finished. But I do have a (marshmallow) soft spot for 'Marshmallow Magic And The Wild Rose Rouge', so I was pretty thrilled when my publishers decided to do a shiny new twinklier, um, pinklier cover for it. Yay!

And by the way, it's my favourite for two reasons:

1) because it's set in a lovely small town in Scotland called Ballater, where I spent lots of school holidays (though I changed the name to Balgownie in the book), and...

2) I think it's got one of the best twists I've come up with (don't tell if you know!!)

Mucho love from me to all of yoooo...

Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 20 October 2008 20:45 by Karen

I'm back, I'm tired and I'm happy!

Oooh, what a fantastic time I had in Ireland! I did a whirlwind visit to a whole bunch of libraries in the west of the country (thanks to all the lovely librarians who looked after me, especially Patricia!), and wittered on about my books to hundreds of girls (and boys!) over the course of the week (thanks to you guys for making me feel so welcome – and for laughing at my jokes!!).
But it's back home (London) for now, and time to get my head down into the next book that I'm writing (another in the 'Sadie Rocks' series).
Will post some photos from Ireland in the 'Where I've Been' gallery soon...
Karen McCombie :c)
PS Sorry this Blog is so full of brackets, for some reason. I am obviously in a (very) bracketty frame of mind...

posted @ 20 October 2008 14:58 by Karen

Ireland, here I come!!

Oooh, I'm so excited. I was at yoga tonight (my new craze), trying to lie still, relax, and empty my head of all thoughts, and then PING!!!, something would, er, ping into my head like "Eeek! I'm going to Ireland on Sunday!" and "Must get some Euros!!" and "Help, I'll have to buy some Frizz-ese to take!".
Because yes indeedy, I'm off on a book tour that includes counties Limerick, Clare, Galway and Mayo.
A big, squashy hello to the girls who've got in touch already to say I'm coming to their local libraries! Looking forward to meeting you!! (I'll be the one at the front with talking in a Scottish accent...)
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 09 October 2008 21:45 by Karen

Blinded by pinkness!

Only just recovering from being blinded by pinkness at the Queen of Teen Awards on Monday (check out photos on www/queenofteen.co.uk –beware, you may need sunglasses to protect your eyeballs from the glare!!).
It was a very groovy do, in a vast white (and pink) marquee on the lawns of a stately home, with masses of pink cake-type food on display, none of which I got to eat, because I was too busy signing books and chatting to a gazillion girls who'd come along to the event. If you peek at the pictures, you'll see that I was useless and wore lilac (close enough, isn't it?).
Met stacks of lovely people, like Finlay, who won the competition to come with me to the Awards in a fancy-schmancy pink limo (hi Finlay! hi as well to Emily and Barry!). Also managed in the manic whirl of pink to meet up for the first time with lots of lovely authors – though I didn't get a chance to say hello to the ultra-mega-famous Ms Jacqueline Wilson herself... but I did sit three seats away from her!
Anyway, the ultimate Queen of Teen was Louise Rennison, whose cheeky speech is still making me snigger when I think about it now...
Yay for a great (pink) day!
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 02 October 2008 18:11 by Karen

New friends and old friends...

With the Queen of Teen awards coming up next week, I was feeling nervous (I am a loud-mouth shy girl at heart), and decided I needed a nearby buddy to go with. So I got in touch with author (and fellow Queen of Teen nominee) Cathy Hopkins, who only lives about twenty minutes from my house. I couldn't believe we've never bumped into each other before, but it was lovely to hang out and yak with her (and very lovely to meet her clan of fluffalicious cats too).
Then after making a new friend, I got to thinking about old friends. When I was at the Edinburgh Book Festival a couple of weeks ago, i went out with Susan, who was my bestest buddy when I was about fourteen. We went out for a meal, and it was amazing – I kept looking at her and thinking, OK, so you look a bit older in some ways, but you are SO still you at fourteen!! It was bizarre. And now it's made me determined to look out a ton of old photos that include Snoo (my pet name for her) and post them soon.
Big love!!
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 22 September 2008 20:57 by Karen

I'm back home in London...

...after the Edinburgh Book Festival and a wee holiday by the beach in Fife (that's in Scotland). Had a lovely time (even though it was practically thermal underwear and duffel coat weather!), and want to sent out a very BIG HELLOOOOOO to everyone who came to see me at the Book Festival. Especially BIG LOVE to everyone who was near the back of the queue at the signing desk. You were SO patient, and I really wish we had a handsome McFly looky-likey waiter wandering around to dish out juice and nice nibbles while you waited!
Anyway, I ran a competition on the day... since I was talking about my new book – 'The Seventeen Secrets Of The Karma Club' – I asked everyone to secretly scribble down their own personal secret! The winner will get a bunch of free stuff sent to them from my publishers Scholastic, and that winner (drum roll please) is KG, who wrote, "About a year ago, me and my best friend decided to run away, for no particular reason. We even made stuff to sell! We packed clothes and planned our route, then realised how silly we'd been..."
Glad you didn't do it for real, KG! This made me laugh 'cause my husband Tom had just told me he'd done the same thing aged 14... he got an hour away then had to phone his dad to come and get him when he got tired and fed up walking!!
So, a prize on the way to KG, and a big yay to everyone else's very fascinating secrets (I have a secret love of tutus too, AT, and I used to wet my pants at primary school as well, EG-P!)
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 02 September 2008 20:02 by Karen

Scotland and superlambananas!!!

OK, the superlambananas thing: if you're from Liverpool, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about! Yep, I spent a couple of days in Liverpool last week and thought it was ACE! Love the accents!! And 'cause it's this year's City of Culture, there were all these amazing statue things everywhere that are part lambs and part, er, bananas (check out www.gosuperlambananas.co.uk). Weird... but good.
And the Scotland thing? Well, I'm off to Edinburgh tomorrow (yay!), and do my book festival talk on Thursday (21st). Then it's off to see the family and friends, plus some time at the beach, which will probably be freezing!!! Hey, who cares....
Big love,
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 19 August 2008 21:28 by Karen

Countdown to the Edinburgh Book Festival!

Yay! It's two weeks to go till I travel to Edinburgh for this year's Book Festival, where I'll be waffling about 'The Seventeen Secrets Of The Karma Club'. So if you're in the Edinburgh area (ish!) and fancy dropping by Charlotte Square to see me at 6.30pm on Thursday 21st August, then that would be very, very splendid indeed!! (For details, check out http://www.edbookfest.co.uk.)
Must go - it's late and my eyes are going a bit swivelly with tiredness...
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 06 August 2008 22:06 by Karen

Queen of Teen thank yous...

...to everyone who's voted for me so far in the Queen of Teen awards.
In particular, thank you BIG TIME to Maja, Jade, Sarah, Faye and Emily!! (Thanks for your inspirational words, especially Faye - much love to you and your continued support.)
And if you haven't voted so far, then check out www.queenofteen.co.uk.
Hey, I'm not so big-headed to think you might vote for me (there are nine other completely unique and fantastic authors to vote for), but I just don't want you to miss your chance to vote for whoever's books you completely, totally lurve the best (oh, AND the chance to come along to the swanky awards in a limo with the author you've voted for).
Anyway, enough of that wiffle. Must go, as it's verrrryyy late, and a fat ginger cat is trying to sit on my computer (no, Gus!).
Karen McCombie :c)
PS Hi to Nicole, who cruised around Crouch End in search of the Clocktower and other scenic sights from 'Ally's World' this weekend!!
PS Hi and thanks to Holly, and her ace fan-site!

posted @ 03 August 2008 23:07 by Karen

Another new book?!?

Oh, yes. The fourth new book of the year, and it's only July!! First came two books in the 'Sadie Rocks' series – 'Happiness And All That Stuff' and 'Deep Joy, Or Something Like It' – then it was my novel 'The Seventeen Secrets Of The Karma Club', and now it's the turn of 'Me And The School (Un)Fair', which is the seventh book in the 'Indie Kidd' series. (See new cover above.)
After all that, I may now have used up all the words in my head and most of my braincells and will need to lie down for a bit...
Karen McCombie :c)

posted @ 20 July 2008 07:48 by Karen

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