Cathy Cassidy

Islay Book Festival

I went to the beautiful Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland, for their fabby Book Festival… I met some brilliant kids, had a great time and even managed to write a chunk of Angel cake while I was there… sigh!

CATSTRAND FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL!!!

A fab Friendship Festival in my own home village… the Catstrand event was lots of fun! I met lots of cool readers… and everyone joined in with the badge and bookmark making, quizzes, friendship bracelets and much, much more. We even had gingersnap cookies and cupcakes! Thanks to all the lovely staff at GCAT, to Caitlin, Anisia & Lindsay for helping, and a special thanks to Tess Syed-Tollan and Emma Hay (pictured) for their brilliant write-up on the event which appeared in several of the local papers!

EDINBURGH BOOK FEST 08

I had a great time at the 2008 Edinburgh Book Festival… I talked to a sell-out venue with the rain pouring down outside, and I loved every minute! I met some amazing readers, old and new, signed lots of books and answered lots of questions. It was great to meet you all… and a special happy birthday wish to Beth and her friends from North Berwick!!!

WELL-WISHER FRIENDSHIP FEST, DEVIZES

I had a great time at the Well-Wisher bookshop in Devizes… we did a cool mini friendship fest and signed lots of books! Thanks to the fab staff and to everyone who came along… a special thank-you for the COOLEST EVER window display, including trilby hat and saxophone!!!!

The Ultimate Friendship Festival!

What an amazing day! 400 people were treated to an amazing day of makeovers, chocolate tasting from Rococo, craft activities with Art Angels, Artful Splodgers and Fizzpotzz, knitting workshops, journalism workshops with Mizz, friendship quizzes with ChildLine, music from amazing band Ivyrise and lots more.

GLASGOW BORDERS FRIENDSHIP FEST....

I had a BRILLIANT time at Glasgow Borders on Sat 28th June 08… my first ever event for Gingersnaps!!! The staff were cool and everyone really loved the Friendship Festival activities… hiya to everyone I met there, and many thanks to the staff for the help (& the Chai lattes!!!). A special mention to the winner of the fabulous sock-monkey prize… hope he’s settling in!!!!

DUMFRIES WATERSTONES SIGNING....

The last event in my Gingersnaps tour… and the rain just about held off! There were booksmarks to make, bracelets to plait, gingersnap cookies to ice and eat… yum! Hiya to old friends and new, and a special thanks to Caitlin & Rachel for helping out…

GINGERSNAPS TOUR....

I had a cool and crazy week on the Gingersnaps Tour… it was very, very wet but a LOT of fun! I went to all kinds of fab schools, bookshops and libraries, met some inspiring kids, held some excellent Friendship Festivals and had a LOT of fun. And yes, the camper van leaked and we had to put up an umbrella INSIDE it…. help!!!!
Thanks to all the amazing readers I met at venues along the way… and to the staff, teachers & Puffins who made it all possible!!!!

TALES ON MOON LANE...

I loved this cool, quirky bookshop and had a great time here… I also met some amazing readers, who really enjoyed the Friendship Festival activities!!! Good luck to the budding writers I met and a HUGE thank you to the two fab friends who appeared with me the next morning on BBC Breakfast news!!!! Eek!!!

Dundee/Borders Friendship Fest

I had a FAB time at the Borders Dundee Friendship Fest, and met some great readers… including Emily & Brooke!!!! Hiya to everyone who came along… and thanks to the brilliant Borders staff!!!

COVENTRY INSPIRATION BOOK AWARDS

I was thrilled to visit Coventry recently for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards… Sundae Girl had been voted winner in its category, yay!!! Thank you to all the kids who voted for it! The ceremony was fab, I got to meet Michelle Paver, author of Wolf Brother, another winning title, and also the winners of short story comp for the people of Coventry… I had written an opening paragraph, and entrants had to complete the story! Well done to all the winners and runners up, and everyone who entered… the entries were amazing. A special shout out to the kids from Finham Park and Ernesford Grange secondary schools too, which I visited while I was there… and a big thank you to Joy Court, tireless organiser, & to all in my old home-city of Coventry!!!!

HOLYWOOD SCHOOL VISIT

I had a great afternoon recently visiting Holywood Primary near Dumfries… I met not just the kids from Holywood but from two neighbouring primaries who had come in specially! The kids were great… and lots of books were signed! A special thank-you to Chloe, who sent these pics…

CAMBRIDGE WORD FESTIVAL

I was at the fab Cambridge Word Festival recently and met some great readers, including Jade (pictured!). Thanks to everyone who came along!!!

Carnegie Children's Book Festival, Fife....

I had lots of fun at the recent Carnegie Children’s Book Festival in Fife… thanks to everyone who came along to the two sessions, especially to everyone who waited so patiently at Duloch Park. You were all fab!

Tea Party at Notre Dame, Glasgow!

I arrived at Notre Dame Girls School in a blizzard and saw a pupil dancing outside in the snow… that was a great start to a brilliant day!

Cool librarian Sarah had laid on cakes, tea, coffee, juice etc for a tea party in the library, which was all decked out in fairy-lights and paper chains!

I signed books, then tea was served and we picnicked as we talked… it was a fab event, so thanks to Sarah and to all the lovely pupils who helped to make it so special!

At the end, I was presented with a beautiful hand-drawn card and an amazing embroidered bookmark, both of which are now prized possessions… thanks everyone!!!

Guildford Waterstones Friendship Fest...

The last date of my Lucky Star paperback tour, the Guildford Friendship Festival was fab… it was great to meet you all and take some time to chat, in between the signing and the FF fun!

Friendship Fest & Signing, Yeovil Waterstones

Hi to everyone who came along to the Yeovil event… especially Sarah, who sent this fab pic! Thanks too to the shop for all their hard work, and for making it so much fun…

St Mary's High School, Newry

I had a fab time at St Mary’s High School in Newry recently… hi to everyone I met there and thanks for all your enthusiasm and support!

The Reading Festival!!!

I go to lots of book festivals, but this one was thought up and organised by Year 7 student Beth… and it was fab! Beth met me at a book signing a year ago and asked if I’d like to be part of her book festival… and I agreed! I came to Chorley to visit her high school, St Michael’s CE, and then did a book talk and opened the cool new library at Duke Street Primary, where Beth’s dad is Head. Then it was time for the Reading Festival… with refreshments inspired by Roald Dahl’s George’s Marvellous Medicine and all the usual Friendship festival fun, there was plenty to do… and prizes for the winners of a writing comp, too! Thanks to everyone who came along, and to Beth especially for all her hard work, imagination and enthusiasm!

St Laurence's Primary School Event

While I was in Chorley, I visited St Laurence’s Primary and met the fab Year 6 class who had been reading my books and had lots of great questions to ask! After signing a mountain of books, we headed outside to take some pictures by the camper van… cool!

Friendship fest at Simply Books, Bramhall

I had a brilliant time at Simply Books in Bramhall on the Lucky Star paperback tour. Readers came along to take part in the friendship Festival – they made friendship bracelets, painted their hands with images from the books, did quizzes, made badges and booksmarks and of course had their books signed, too! We all signed a fab handpainted poster, too, and had some pics taken by the van… Simply Books are simply brilliant!!!!

Marston Meadows Mini-Event!!!

Sometimes the unplanned events are the best… I met up with some old family friends in Warwickshire during my tour, and had the chance to chat and hand out friendship bracelet threads, MBFR comp entry forms and newsletters to old readers as well as new! Thanks Elysha, Ellen, Leah, Hayden, Sian, Zoe & Digsy!!!

SIGNING AT EASONS, CRAIGAVON

Cathy met children from a whole bunch of Craigavon primaries when she went to talk about her books and sign copies at Easons Bookshop, Craigavon, Co Armagh, recently…. everyone had fab questions, and lots of kids came to look at the camper van and be photographed with it afterwards! Keep reading, keep smiling… and follow your dreams!!!!

KidsLit Quiz, Kilsyth Academy

I had fun at the annual KidsLit Quiz at Kilsyth Academy on 27th Nov 2007… congrats to all the teams, who did amazingly well! A highlight foir me was meeting reader Fiona, whose lovely mum whisked her out of school and brought her along to meet me… very cool!

NCBF Gala Day, Sunderland

I had a brilliant day in Sunderland at the fab Northern Children’s Book Festival Gala Day… I met some great people, including the ‘Borrowers’, pictured! Thanks to everyone who came to an event, bought a book or got one signed!

Royal mail Scottish Children's Book Awards

On Thursday 22nd November 2007, Scarlett was announced the winner of the Royal Mail Scottish Children’s Book Awards (older readers) in a fab ceremony in Glasgow. The award was voted for by Scottish teens, which makes it extra special! I had a great time meeting the reviewers/voters afterwards, including the fab kids from Oban High School, pictured!

TWINKLING FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL!!!!!

On a hot & sunny day at Greenwich, we held the Twinkling Friendship Festival, right next to the super-cool Peter Harrison Planetarium! A good time was had by all… I met some fab people and had a great day!

Mini Irish Tour!!!!

I had a fab time in Meath, Louth and Monaghan, meeting kids at Ashbourne, Trim, Dunboyne, Oldcastle, Carrickmacross, Monaghan & Drogheda. Thanks to all the librarians who made it happen! I loved meeting you all, especially a select few extra-keen kids who made it along out of school time…. thanks to Sarah & Tara at Ashbourne, Babs, Sorcha & Rachael, the bright ‘n’ stripy girls at Trim, the two cool girls who came along with their mum at Drogheda, and goth-gals Jennifer & Matty who were also at Drogheda.

Johnston Primary School...

I recently did a school visit to Johnston Primary in SW Scotland… thanks to reader Michaela, who helped to organise it, and to all the great kids I met there!
CCx

Wigtown Book Fest 2007

I had a fab time at the Wigtown Book Fest 2007…. reader Zoe gave me a fabby introduction and I cahtted to old and new readers about Sundae Girl and Lucky Star. Then we went outside to the camper van and had some friendship festival fun in the sunshine! Thanks to Zoe, Heather, Fiona from Box of Frogs and all the cool kids who came along… you were brilliant!!!!

VIP London Competition Winners!!!!!

After a fab day at the Twinkling Friendship Festival in Greenwich on Sat 22 Sept, I met the starry winners of the VIP London Comp… after they’d completed their super-cool tour of London in two flash limos!!! We had dinner, signed books, chatted and then watched a brilliant star show at the planetarium… Cat & Mouse would have approved! It was fantastic to meet you all… real-life stars!
Cathy xxx

Bath Festival of Children's Literature

I had a fab time at Bath Festival of Children’s Literature…. thanks to all the amazing kids I met, and the teachers, librarians and helpers who made it all possible!

The Innocent Village Fete....

We launched Lucky Star with a fab Friendship Festival over two days at the Innocent Village Fete in Regents Park, London… thanks to all the cool kids who came along to join in and get their books signed!

My Best Friend Rocks Awards....

It was SOOOO hard choosing the winners at the recent My Best Friend Rocks Awards, but the finalists came down to London to meet Cathy and be presented with their fab prizes in a gorgeous awards ceremony… Well done to all the finalists, and to the fab and lovely winners!

Edinburgh Book Festival...

I had a fab time at the 2007 Edinburgh Book Festival. The event was sold out, and readers queued for two hours to get their books signed… thanks to everyone who came along. You’re the best!!!!

Hay Book Fest 2007....

I was at the Hay-on-Wye Book Festival recently and met lots of fabby readers…. this pic is of nine-year old Kiera, who brought all her books along to be signed….

Dumfries Sundae Girl Friendship Festival!!!

A great finish to my Sundae Girl tour – thanks to all the fab kids who came along to buy a book and get it signed, and to ice a cake, make a friendship bracelet and get arty with the facepaints in the sun! Thanks especially to those who travelled from as far afield as Biggar & Wigtown, and to my cool emo helpers for making sure it all ran smoothly, especially Cal, Cait, Marc, Lindsay, Anisia & Sam!

Horsenden, Middlesex and Ilford

I have been out and about in Horsenden, Middlesex and Ilford, Essex with my van and the Sundae Girl tour. It’s been great fun, with lots of friendship bracelets, hand painting, cake icing, friendship quizzes, word searches and lots and lots of book signing! Everyone was very excited to see the van appear in their playground and it got a lot of attention with all the children! Have a look at these photos of the tour so far.

Tarland School

I met the fab Tarland crew at their school and had a lovely time signing books! Check out these fab pics.

Borders, Glasgow Fort

I went to a fab event at Borders in Glasgow in March and met lots of readers and signed lots of books. Here’s me with Naomi.

Fife Visits

I was in Fife at the end of September, as part of the Children’s Book festival… I visited four fab schools, including Auchmuty High in Glenrothes, where these fab pics were taken. Thanks to Maggie Gray & all at Fife Libraries, and all the kids, teachers and librarians at the schools involved! Keep reading, keep smiling… and follow your dreams! CCx

Pamper Party - November 06

On November 4th, the winners of the Cathy Cassidy Pamper Party Comp came to Puffin HQ for an afternoon of fun! A glittering pink lift whooshed winners to the party venue.

While the mums chilled out, winners and their friends designed and made t-shirts, had a mini-massage, a cool makeover and made friendship bracelets, as well as getting to meet Cathy and have their books signed. Everyone got to have their pic taken with Cathy, and everyone got a goody-bag to take home. Well done Josie, Jessie, Mila, Dina, Hannah, Jenny, Tasha, Chloe, Georgie and Erin – and their best pals and mums, of course!

Edinburgh Book Festivals

I was at the 2006 Edinburgh Book Festival on Saturday 12th August. Thanks to all the fab readers who travelled to see me and queued patiently, some for two hours, to get books signed! You’re the best!