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Tommy on Tour

There was once a time when all an author had to do was write. We sat down at a typewriter or computer and banged our fingers against the keys, transferring words, chapters, characters and even entire worlds from our imaginations into those of our readers. Then, once the book was out, we moved onto the next project and repeated the entire process.


Nowadays, there's more to do when the typing ends: there are websites to update, school workshops to plan and, most pressing of all, a promotional mini-tour to undertake. That's what I've been doing for the last six weeks or so – hitting the road to spread the word about my new series of comedy horror books, Scream Street. I ran entertaining events in bookshops, caused chaos in classrooms and even livened up a literary festival – all in the cause of getting kids to read. Here's a quick look at how it went...


Bordering on Brilliant
As much as authors try to champion small, independent booksellers, there is still a place for the big chains in getting people to read - and I'm delighted that one of those chains, Borders, really got behind Scream Street and allowed me to come into a number of their stores to run riot with up to three school classes a day! I set up stall first at Borders branches in the north east (Teesside, Gateshead and Wallsend) and the following week in the north west (Speke and Ellesmere Port) to split visiting classes into teams of werewolves and vampires for a series of anarchic activities and gruesome games.


The result was bedlam on a massive scale – but bedlam with lots of smiling faces and plenty of interest in Scream Street! Borders has become 'my store', and I'm planning to go back to my nearest branches for even more fiendish fun soon. An incredible PS to these events was that, as a result of my visits, I made it into Borders' list of top 40 bestselling authors! As a way of saying thank you, I wrote a unique Scream Street short story for the Borders website called Bone To Be Wild, which you can read here.


Creepy Crypt
I was also lucky enough to run a Petrifying Party at St John's church in London, all in aid of St John Ambulance. I ran some gory games in the garden, read from the Scream Street books in the dimly lit creepy crypt and signed books for everyone who came along. Spooky Stuff!


SS at SS
I visited Seven Stories twice during my tour – once to talk to teachers at the Gateshead Raising Achievement conference about inspiring boys to read, and on Halloween itself to officially launch Scream Street! I had a great time there, holding a creative writing workshop, running my werewolf and vampire activities and reading not only from the Scream Street books, but also from a unique story I'd written for Seven Stories called Ghostwriter.


Lively in Liverpool
To end my tour, I ran some creative writing workshops for school groups as part of the Shipping Lines Liverpool Literary Festival. Working first in the incredible Bluecoat Centre and later at the central library, I taught pupils how to come up with a spooky setting for their stories, create creepy characters and invent a perilous plot! What's more, I got to spend a highly enjoyable evening in the company of fellow Walker author, Mal Peet and his wife, Elspeth. Great fun!


Back to the Grindstone
Now I'm back at my desk, writing again (much to the relief of my editor, Emma!) As I said at the start of this post, it used to be that was the only thing we authors had to do. I'm SO happy that's not the case anymore! Bring on the next tour...


Tommy Donbavand

PS - my thanks to everyone at Walker Books for organising the Scream Street mini-tour, especially my bodyguards, Jo and Rekha!

 

  • 21/11/2008
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