The perfect "Decoy" this week!

Back in March, I received an invitation to present to all the KS2 children at Decoy Primary in Newton Abbot... and what a fantastic event it turned out to be this week! All the teaching staff and over 280 students enjoyed my showcase presentation, which resulted in a popular book signing event to follow.

One pupil came up with an idea for Bradley Baker's fifth adventure story... so I asked him to draw me a picture, which impressed me very much. Here's what he presented to me during the book signing event in the school library;

 

I returned to Chudleigh C of E Community School at the end of the week and spent the whole day with the year 5 students. We continued to work on the school's book publication project and I'll be returning in two weeks time to complete the workshops... pics to follow!

 

More events to tell you about next week, when I will be visiting a school in Ivybridge and two more primary schools in Plymouth. A very busy week ahead!!!

 

Catch up soon and best wishes, DLJ :)

Plymouth and back again!

This has to have been the most diverse week of the year so far... it was definitely a "round-robin" journey! Starting with the Children's University Graduation at Plymouth on Monday... a tour of schools in Exeter midweek... a very interesting meeting with the CEO at the Families for Children HQ in Buckfastleigh on Wednesday... and finishing with a superb visit back to Plymouth on Friday with a showcase presentation at Prince Rock Primary!!! Wowzers!!!

 

 

 I resumed my role as Chancellor for the Children's University Torbay to present certificates to 48 young students. It was a great pleasure to meet Professor Iain Stewart (Devon Chancellor - CU) and we shared the stage at the Torbay & Devon graduation award ceremony at Plymouth University.

 

 

Some more brilliant new relationships were forged during the evening at Plymouth University. My books were on display and were very well received. This resulted in an invitation to feature the Bradley Baker adventure stories as part of a BA Hons module at St Mark & St John University Plymouth next year... looking forward to working with the students in 2014.

 

On Tuesday I visited Pinhoe Primary School in Exeter where the children enjoyed my showcase presentation and book signing session. I arrived to a rapturous welcome, with banners and even a cake baked to celebrate my author visit. A big thank you to Brigid Tarrell the school's fantastic librarian for organising a brilliant event. I will be returning to Pinhoe after the summer break to work with some of the students during a series of creative workshops... so really looking forward to another great reception!

 



A visit to the head office of Families for Children on Wednesday was a great success. I met with the CEO Caroline Davis and we discussed how I could support this fantastic voluntary adoption agency. FFC help to find loving families for kids up and down the UK, who need a home which will provide them with the love and care they need. We discussed the possibility of an adoption storyline featuring in the next Bradley Baker book... so watch this space folks!!!

 

 

Thursday and Friday proved to be two great days back in Plymouth, with visits to Prince Rock Community School. Cheryl Brake Deputy Headteacher arranged everything and she was pleasantly surprised to witness so many children having their books signed following my author presentation.

I had another special delivery on Friday too... an envelope arrived with a lovely handmade thank you card inside. Here's a picture of the card, which was sent by the teaching staff and children from Wilcombe school in Tiverton following my recent visit;

So yes... a somewhat diverse week that started in Plymouth and finished in Plymouth... and there's lots more happening next week but that's all for now!

Catch up with you all again soon.
Best wishes, DLJ :)

Yorkshire to Devon in one week... phewwww!!!

Well it's been a couple of weeks since my last blog... the main reason being is that SAT's sort of gave me a bit of a breather from my primary school visits, so I took some valuable time to concentrate on writing the fourth Bradley Baker adventure story... the Gullfather of New York.

 

The plotlines are progressing well and the book is on schedule to be released later this year. However, the school visits didn't stop for too long... I was busy again this week with five more author presentations at both ends of the country, when I travelled to Rotherham and Plymouth!

 

 

Four schools within the Clifton Partnership played host to my showcase events; on Monday I presented to the year 7 students at Clifton Community School... then onto St Ann's Junior; then on Tuesday to Herringthorpe Juniors and finally St Mary's RC Primary. A long drive back to Devon on Thursday and a wonderful visit to Dunstone Primary near Plymouth. WOW... what a hectic week but well worth the effort, as I accumulated thousands of new BB fans!!! and boy did they love the books with huge queues for signed copies at all five schools :)

Here are some of the letters from children at Dunstone Primary, thanking me for visiting their school;

I'm really looking forward to returning to Cockington School in Torquay in July to complete their book publication project. Sixty children in year 4 have been taking part in my creative workshops and the half term break this week will afford me an opportunity to work on the book in readiness for my next visit.

I'm also excited about my visit to Buckfastleigh too... I'll be meeting with the lovely peeps at Families For Children and talking about how I can help to advocate the charities great work within the region.
Check out this link to find out more information about adopting a child in the Devon and Cornwall area... http://www.familiesforchildren.org.uk/

Catch up again next week and thanks for popping by folks!
Best wishes DLJ

First visit to Plymouth a great success...

This week I attended a primary school in Plymouth and what a reception I received from over 250 enthusiastic KS2 pupils eager to learn all about my Bradley Baker adventures and my life as an author. My visit to Salisbury Road proved to be a great start to a tour of Plymouth schools, which will eventually take me across the city to meet thousands of students. I returned to Salisbury Road the following day to yet another rapturous welcome with hundreds of new Bradley fans queuing to buy their books and have them signed.

It was great to read about my recent visit to Cockwood Primary near Dawlish on the schools website... here's an extract and some pics; "The children enjoyed a wonderful session working with the author David Lawrence-Jones. David wowed the children with his tales and demonstrated how to write an exciting story."

 

I was then lucky enough to be given the honour of opening the new library. The school also celebrated the success of two of their children who have both read 1 million words on the accelerated reader programme. Big thank you to the head teacher Lorraine Curry, all the parents, governors and the Mayoress Pauline Bloomfield for attending this super event.

 

Midweek I returned to Galmpton Primary School in Brixham to help them complete the publication of a school book of short stories. The children in year 6 wrote about disasters, including monsters, creatures and even ninjas... here's a copy of the front cover, which is now available to buy online;

 

Next week sees the start of SATs for KS2 so I'm taking a short break from school visits to concentrate of writing a few words for the fourth Bradley adventure; The Gullfather of New York. The short break will also enable me to catch up on some planning for events over the next few months with two weekly tours already secured in Rotherham plus a week in Swindon and four weeks in Plymouth. I've also been invited to present in Kent after the summer break so looking forward to a busy schedule during the next academic year already.

 

I'll be picking up the baton again and visiting Queensway Primary in Torquay next Friday for a showcase presentation then I will return as guest of honour to the school's summer fete on Saturday... so I'll catch up with you all after and let you know how successful the events are!!! :) DLJ 

 

 

Another week in Devon...

Another week entertaining KS2 students in Devon and it was nice to be nearer to home, whilst visiting three more primary schools in the area. Monday got off to a great start at Starcross and a big thank you to Tim Rolinson for organising the showcase and book signing event. My second author visit of the week was to St Joseph's in Newton Abbot, where Katie Rose prepared the students for another showcase extravaganza. The third school event of the week was held at Wilcombe Primary in Tiverton and a massive thank you to Alice Reeves and the children for making my visit a great success.

The week also produced a couple of welcome surprises too, with invites to attend two very special events as guest of honour and guest speaker. The first engagement will be held at Plymouth University later this month, where I will execute my duties as Vice Chancellor of the Children's University by awarding certificates to the Torbay graduates. Then in July I will attend a special lunch at Tower House School in Paignton to celebrate speech day... it will be great to return to the school as guest of honour following my recent author visit.

I'll be heading into Plymouth for the first time next week to start my tour of local schools and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at Salisbury Road Primary. Also I'll be able to complete yet another school book publication project when I visit Galmpton Primary in Brixham... more details of both visits next week.

Bye for now and thanks for joining my weekly BlogSpot. DLJ

Back in Devon for another eventful week...

The recent visit to Gloucester was superb but it was great to be back home in Devon to enjoy another eventful week visiting more schools.

Monday got off to a great start with my first author visit of the week to Bishopsteignton Primary near Teignmouth. I sensed an air of excitement as soon as I arrived in reception with posters advertising the event pinned to every wall and window... and my intuition proved correct when I passed a crowd of waving children, as I made my way through the dining hall. Enthused whispers of "it's the author" could be heard from pupils, as they huddled together in anticipation of what my visit would hold. The showcase that followed was superb and I can't thank Emma Humphrey enough for organising such a well run event... the children sat for over an hour totally hooked on every word and action!!!

Tuesday's return to Bishopsteignton proved very popular with the students. A terrific book signing event was held in the school library with lots of well-thought questions about being an author fired at me from every angle. Fantastic stuff!!!

A change to my usual school format on Wednesday with a visit to a secondary academy in Newton Abbot. The literacy coordinator at Coombeshead organised a theatre-style presentation for me to lecture a select group of year 7 students. Harriet Turner also invited some feeder school pupils to attend the event with Canada Hill and Haytor View being represented. The occasion was a great success with a return visit on Thursday to speak further to the whole of year 7.  It was also great to secure yet another school event during my visit to Coombeshead with one of the primary schools requesting an author visit too. I'll be sure to tell you all about my impending visit to Haytor View when I showcase my Bradley Baker adventures.

My third event of the week was spent at a wonderful independent school in Paignton. Tower House Juniors enjoyed my author showcase and Bradley Baker secured another legion of fans. During the signing event on the following day, the headteacher informed me that the children were asked to share their experience during morning assembly. Apparently they were all able to explain the presentation... scene by scene! A great testament to their concentration during the event and also a great assurance that my showcase is certainly hitting the right notes!!!

Another exciting event happened this week... my TV interview in Gloucester was aired on Friday and I'm really pleased with the broadcast and the crew at Cotswold TV.
Here's a link so you can watch the video... hope you enjoy it :)
http://www.furryfeet.tv/cotswolds/venue_video.php?footprint=851

Finally... I received the first rough sketch for the recently commissioned Bradley Baker character figurines. The five limited edition sculptures and sketches will be available in the summer but here's a quick glance at the first character "Bradley Baker"...

 

That's all for now folks... catch up again this time next week.

All the best

 DLJ

A week of brilliant events in the Cotswolds

With another hectic schedule of school visits in Devon planned for the week ahead... I still haven't quite recovered from last week's venture into Gloucester. I have to take this opportunity to thank Debbie Silvester from Abbeymead Primary School for organising three fantastic events... this is the stage set ready for one of my presentations and what a show it turned out to be with an audience of over 300 enthusiastic children in attendance!

As well as Debbie's own school, I also visited and presented to teachers and pupils at Heron and Coopers Edge with all three primary schools providing a fantastic reception. Here are just a few of the great pictures taken by Sue Smith during the showcase event at Heron, which hosted an audience of over 400 excited students...

As well as the Gloucester schools showcase events, I also enjoyed a half day of workshops working with pupils from years 3 and 4 at Abbeymead. All the children displayed a keen willingness to improve their literacy skills and it was really fabulous to work with such a positive group of polite students.

On a slightly different note, there were a couple of new arrivals this week. Two of my Bradley Baker characters joined the showcase cast in the form of life-size cut-outs to enhance my presentations. Here's a picture taken with Grog to demonstrate just how impressive they are;

Finally, I am pleased to announce that five Bradley Baker character sculptures and related sketches have just been commissioned. I'll be posting more updates soon about these limited edition collectibles but for now here is a little taster of what's in store. This is the first draft sketch in plasticine of the Bradley sculpture by the talented artist Abie Greyvenstein.

Look forward to catching up with you all again next week... best wishes for now. DLJ