I really intended to just write about books in this blog, but since I recently got distracted by a few carrots, it looks like that lofty notion isn’t working.

Anyway, the time has come to write about ………..X Factor.

I know that some of the ‘rows’ between the judges are faked, and that there’s a lot of manipulation going on, but still I find it compulsive viewing. My family and I are completely hooked.

We all know that John and Edward aren’t great singers, but they are great fun, and they seem like nice boys too. Stacey makes us all laugh, and a certain member of my family has a very soft spot for Lloyd. Still, I wouldn’t like any them to win, because my all-time favourite is JOE.

Let me know who you all support.

I had a lovely visit to the Model School in Limerick on Monday. All the fifth class girls piled into the hall, where there was a beautiful display of my book covers on the notice board. Once again, there were loads of interesting and challenging questions. One girl really made me laugh by suggesting that I might have been expelled from primary school for singing. You’d have to know the context to understand, but trust me, it was very funny!

Big thanks to Emma, and teacher Aine for asking me.

Today I went to The Montessori Education Centre to help to promote the MS Readathon. I had a fantastic time. The group I spoke to was incredible – well-behaved, interested and articulate. I was asked loads of great questions, but none were too hard, which is just as well as the TV cameras were rolling!!!!!!!!

Sorry if you missed it, as it has already been shown on news2day on RTE 2.

Thanks to everyone at the school, to the news2day crew and MS Ireland for inviting me. The Readathon is a great event for a great cause, so if you’re involved, keep on reading, and if you’re not involved, why not?

Have to go now, as it’s time to cook the dinner – no respect for fame in our house!

I alway say that Domino is the only real character in my books. This is true, but the time has come to confess that, in some ways, Megan’s Mum, Sheila is a bit like……………………..me.

I hope my hair isn’t as crazy as Sheila’s, and I’m not loopy about lentils but, like her, I do care a lot about the environment.

One really bad thing is the way we eat food that has travelled half way across the world. (Surely it would suffer from jet-lag like humans do?) I’m far from perfect – I eat lots of oranges, and since when do they grow in Ireland?? I do try to compensate though, by growing a lot of vegetables. The carrots in the picture are an example. They travelled about fifteen metres (from my back garden to my kitchen) before being eaten. I used them to make a carrot cake. Sheila might not approve, but we all need treats sometimes, and it was delicious!!!!

Sarah, Roisin and I with Deirdre and Eileen who work in Limerick City Library

Went along to Sarah speaking in the Granary Library in Limerick on Friday. A lovely group of girls from St Michael’s school came along to listen. As usual, Sarah had everyone falling around laughing with her brutally honest tales of her childhood. (Who else would be brave enough to read from her old school reports??)

After the reading, Sarah, Roisin Meaney and I went for a delicious lunch in the Hunt Museum . (We writers have to stick together.)

For me, Book Festival 2009 is now over. Roll on 2010!!