Meet Sheena Dempsey

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

I think it’s time you met the brilliant illustrator behind Dave Pigeon. I met Sheena on a rainy day at Faber HQ. As I sat on the couch in the reception area, eyeballing absolutely everyone who was buzzed through the door, in walked an Irish leggy beaut, slightly drenched, with a look in her eye that said ‘we-clearly-watch-the-same-You-Tube-videos-of-brutish-cats’. I can’t …

One pigeon step for Dave, one giant leap for me (seriously struggling with these bird titles, all suggestions welcome)

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

If you can believe it, Dave Pigeon is now at the copyedit stage.  We did it!     I have to be honest the last six months haven’t been plain sailing. Back in January, following on from my editor’s notes, I felt quite lost with the book. I produced a draft I hated. I felt trapped between what I thought …

Dave Pigeon: one year on

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

I’m knee-deep in a second round of edits for Dave Pigeon and here’s where I’m at:     Since the last time I’d heard from my editor there had been a lot of thinking. A LOT. Everything I had changed from the original version I wanted to undo whilst still keeping the new plot I had developed, all the while …

Watch the birdie

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

Yesterday my editor sent me a sample of work from a potential illustrator for Dave Pigeon. This is beyond exciting. Dave Pigeon will be an illustrated book and it’s so important the right illustrator is chosen because the pictures do as much telling of the story as the words. It got me thinking about the importance of illustrations and illustrators …

Happy World Book Day 2015

Swapna HaddowScrapbook

After a furious three hours of sewing we have one Roly Poly Bird (from ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake) to celebrate World Book Day. Thanks to a brilliant template and a lot of old t-shirts.     You can find some brilliant costume and fundraising ideas from Book Aid International who work hard to get books …

Up with the lark

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

I’m up early this morning and freaking myself out. A few days ago I sent off the first redraft of Dave Pigeon to my editor and it just occurred to me that a few days ago I sent off the first redraft of Dave Pigeon to my editor. Yikes! So what to do in the mean time as my nails …

The idea egg hatches

Swapna HaddowRoosting With Dave, Scrapbook

I’m not sure if you’d heard but next year my book ‘Dave Pigeon’ will be out. That’s right! My book! Out! Next year! Every time I say that I’m filled with what I can only describe as Christmas Day excitement, followed quite soon after by a sucker punch of dread as I question whether I can really do this. This …

Being happy

Swapna HaddowScrapbook

December is on the horizon and the husband is hunting for the camera, as we ready ourselves for the annual Christmas card photograph.  The son is trying to coax Gary, his hamster, from out under the couch so I’ve retreated to my writing den to take a moment to look back on this year. In June I entered the Greenhouse …