Wednesday November 5th 2025

Dear Diary,

I had a phenomenal day at Innsworth Junior today. The pupils were such a great audience during my assembly – with many of them responding aloud to my narrator’s aside comments, making it hard for me not to burst into a fit of giggles whilst I was reading the opening chapters of WARNING: May Contain Dragons. My workshops that followed were met with enthusiasm and an eagerness to impress. But with so many certificates being handed out throughout the day, I ended up running right out of my Aspiring Author ones! It was lovely to hear from the teachers that many pupils who wouldn’t normally get stuck into writing activities had really impressed them during these sessions. (And equally lovely to hear from one teacher how much she and her children have enjoyed reading my books!) Deciding who to award my dragon prize to was impossible, due to the sheer number of contenders in the running… so I had to leave that duty to the teachers when I left. (Sorry, teachers!) But along with an incredible work ethic, it’s the warmth and positivity of these pupils that really melts my heart. They always welcome me into their school with open arms and an abundance of enthusiasm. They’re so kind, considerate, and helpful (especially all of the wonderful school parliament members who assisted throughout the day and were a godsend at home time). And they do all they can to make me feel as though I’m a part of their school whenever I’m there… which makes it a real wrench each time I have to leave!