I had a lovely week of events. Big ‘hi’s’ to all of the interested readers I met in : Loreto Beaufort, Teresians, Easons O’Connell Street, Hughes and Hughes Stephens Green, and the libraries in Ashbourne and Dunshaughlin. I was treated like royalty everywhere I went, and was always kept on my toes by the amazing questions Iwas asked. Best question has to be one I was asked in Dunshaughlin – “Do you write the books you want to write, or the ones you think people want to read?”

How profound is that?

Anyway, plan to have a nice rest this weekend, in preparation for the huge “Wildest Dreams’ tour. Hope to see lots of you there.

To celebrate my fabulous tour in October with Sarah Webb and Sophia Bennett  I am offering you the chance to win some fantastic prizes including:

An exclusive Your Wildest Dreams T-shirt

An exclusive Your Wildest Dreams notebook

A pink leather Amy Green luggage tag

Signed copies of Ask Amy Green: Bridesmaid Blitz by Sarah Webb

 Beads, Boys and Bangles by Sophia Bennett

AND Eva’s Journey by me.

All you have to do is this:

Tell me about your wildest dreams in 150 words or less and email it to me by the 31 October 2010. Do you dream of being a singer? A dancer? Winning the X Factor? Working with animals? Writing a book?

It can be fact or fiction, whatever you like!

Start it like this:

My Wildest Dream is to be . . .

When your story is as good as you can make it, e-mail it to me at judicurtin@judicurtin.com or  follow the link on Sarah or Sophia’s sites: www.askamygreen.com  www.threadsthebook.com

We will each pick our three favourite stories and the overall winner will be picked out of a hat from the shortlisted stories.

The overall winner will be announced by 12^th November here on my website and also on Sarah and Sophia’s websites .

The three stories I pick, and the overall winning story will all be featured here.

Good luck – and do come and say hi on our monster tour of Ireland: all details are on my EVENTS page.

And now for the boring stuff that you have to read:

If you are under 13, you must get permission from a parent or guardian to send your story.

By submitting your story you agree to it being used on this website. If you do not agree to this, please do not submit your story. Please do not submit a story written by a friend unless you have their permission first. If you (or your friend if you have their consent to submit their story) are under the age of 13, then you or they must ask a parent/guardian for permission first. Everyone who submits a story will automatically be entered into the prize draw. Entries will only be accepted by email.

Only one entry per e-mail address please.

I’ve just got my first copy of Alice and Megan’s Cookbook, and I have to say I am very, very happy. The publishers have done a great job with the cover, the design and the illustrations, (thanks Woody.)

It should be in the shops by Wednesday October 6th. I wonder who will be the first person to try one of Alice and Megan’s special recipes??

I’m very excited about my big October tour with Sarah Webb and Sophia Bennett. Read all about it below….

Children’s Books Ireland in association with Chicken House, O’Brien Press and Walker Books

Your Wildest Dreams Tour

3 Days, 3 Cities, 3 Amazing Writers

What’s your wildest dream? To be an actor? A professional dancer? To win the X Factor? Or maybe even be a writer?

Sophia Bennett, Judi Curtin and Sarah Webb all dreamed of one day becoming writers. Discover how all their dreams came true and more on this very special tour of Limerick, Cork and Dublin as part of the 2010 Children’s Book Festival.

The Writers’ Manifesto

Sophia, Judi and Sarah are all dedicated to writing about:

Real girls

Real drama and young teen issues

And telling the truth to their readers.

No vampires

No werewolves

No boys that go bump in the night in their books!

Judi, Sarah and Sophia are huge book lovers and want to share that passion, and their belief in the power of story with young Irish readers on their tour. Judi is an ex-teacher, Sarah a children’s book consultant, and all three have fabulous ideas for keeping reluctant young teens reading.

The Tour Dates

Wednesday 13^th October – 10.30 am – Belltable Studio, Limerick

Thursday 14^th October – 10.30 am – Briery Gap Theatre, Macroom, Cork

Friday 15^th October – 11.00 am – Mermaid Theatre, Bray, Co Wicklow

Friday 15^th October –  4.00 pm Monster Signing in Eason, Dun Laoghaire

Saturday 16^th October – 1 pm – BT2 store on Grafton Street, Dublin

Don’t miss it -it’s going to be amazing!

I had a wonderful (busy) weekend.

First it was the Between The Lines Seminar in Tallaght. I spoke to a great audience who seemed to enjoy my talk. (Or else they’re all great actors!) Some people were even taking notes. (Or else writing out their shopping lists!)

Anyway, I enjoyed it.

Then I dashed over to Dun Laoghaire for the Mountains to the Sea monster book lunch. (Thanks for the lift, Steve.) The lunch was great fun. I met loads of lovely readers – far too many to mention you all, but I have to say a special ‘hi’ to Joy who travelled all the way from Limerick.

After lunch, I went to hear the amazing Kate Di Camillo, and after that I got a well-earned rest in my lovely hotel.

Saturday night was time for dinner with lots of other writers – a rare chance to spend some time together.

On Sunday, the fantastic Sarah Webb and I did a reading in the town hall. Like all readings with Sarah, it was great fun.

After the reading I went home, and it’s taken me a day or two to recover.

But it was all totally worth it!