I’m a collector of children’s books. My particular interest is girls’ books from the mid twentieth century, but I also have a more general collection of books from about 1850 to now. I love reading books, meeting their authors and sharing them with others.
I freelance as a children’s book specialist, blogging, reviewing, writing articles, working with authors to promote their books and doing bits and pieces for BBC Scotland. I'm a regular at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, chairing panela and interviewing authors.
How to carve out a job as a writer.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/29/jane-young-author-by-valerie-baxter/
After yesterday's foray into flight, there we are again but this time in the forces.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/28/sarah-joins-the-wraf-by-shirley-darbyshire/
A career novel that really takes off!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/27/air-hostess-ann-by-pamela-hawken/
This could have been me!
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/26/janet-carr-journalist-by-josephine-kamm/
Medicine for beginners.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2020/05/25/margaret-becomes-a-doctor-by-joan-llewelyn-owens/
An introduction to this series about career novels.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2009/07/07/helen-dore-boylston/
David Roberts' art is always fascinating but the subject matter of this book is what sold it to me initially.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/08/30/suffragette-the-battle-for-equality-by-david-roberts/
Paul Dowswell, the First World War and Barrington Stoke: three excellent reasons to read this novel.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2017/05/17/wave-by-paul-dowswell/
Mal Peet wrote too few novels in his too short life and I loved them all. This panegyric comes from 2008 and I stand by every word of it.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2008/10/17/exposure-by-mal-peet/
Here are three more recent books that would make it on to my desert island.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2009/03/30/more-desert-island-books/
This was a book of the year for me when it was published. I had a promotional postcard which asked the question: How can you live in one world when your heart is in another? That is what the novel considers.
This episode is also available as a blog post: http://picturesandconversations.co.uk/2018/10/28/the-light-between-worlds-by-laura-weymouth/
My children's book collection started many years ago and three authors featured strongly in it. The familiarity of these books makes them special to me.