tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1207821068133505312011-04-21T20:59:20.311+01:00Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.comBlogger111100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-47307906074885539282008-07-01T12:38:00.013+01:002008-07-01T15:09:35.171+01:00

Those of you who know about me, know that Nancy and I are also The Thimble Press, which since 1969 has produced various kinds of publication to do with books for children and young people. Developments in digital publishing - Print on Demand - made it essential that we familiarise ourselves with it, an ideal form of inexpensively producing print for very small publishing houses.Neither of us is

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-57276535626536236592008-06-03T14:12:00.004+01:002008-06-03T14:22:58.218+01:00

There's a scheme afoot among British publishers and the larger booksellers to include an age range on every book for children and young people.This, of course, is a crass marketing ploy. The argument seems to be that adults buying books for the young want to know the age suitability of a book without either having to read it and make the judgement for themselves or asking a professional.Needless

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-32299094975071600412008-05-16T14:30:00.002+01:002008-05-16T16:36:28.328+01:00

Every year the Dutch award prizes for the best books of the previous year for readers of 12 to 16. The prizes are called Kisses. The Golden Kiss goes to the best of the best; Silver Kisses are awarded to the others. Generously, books in translation are included, though they can only receive a Silver Kiss, not the golden, which, quite rightly, is reserved for Dutch books only.This year my novel

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-3322347644898656622008-03-31T11:28:00.002+01:002008-03-31T11:33:20.505+01:00

I haven't posted a blog for a few days because I'm not sure that blogging is for me.Blogs seem to be an uncomfortable confusion (or combination, if you prefer) of writing for the general public and writing to a private person.Most of the blogs I've looked at seem to be by people who are loquacious and enjoy making public day by day the minutest details of their private lives, written with the

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-84154018413371152572008-03-17T12:21:00.003Z2008-03-17T13:45:20.534Z

Mark's comment about my last blog and my father makes me think some more on this topic of craft skill.For me, the most beautiful features of the human body are the hands, the eyes - and the mouth (though I suppose I mean the lips).Mark is right. My father 'thought with his hands'. With his eyes (and after years of experience) he could look at a wall, for example, and tell you it was an eighth of

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-16426330757579176482008-03-15T09:36:00.004Z2008-03-15T10:23:16.205Z

One thing I don't like about this blog of mine is that I can't reply to comments by writing under the comment. Suggestions welcome for a site that is clear and simple but allows replies after comments.So today some housekeeping. First, thanks to everyone who commented. For me, this is the pleasure of the blog. I'd like to reply to some of you.Ted: The pencils I used to use were Berol Turquoise 2B

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-81631917255915936572008-03-12T08:47:00.007Z2008-03-12T15:04:40.463Z

What is your favourite tool for your work?I have two. One of them is paper. The other?When Henry David Thoreau gathered together the things he needed to take with him into the woods, an expedition after which he wrote his masterpiece, Walden (1854), one of the great books of American literature, he made a list of every item. Walden describes what 'a necessary life' and a basic economy of work and

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-10442896972111259042008-03-09T09:25:00.011Z2008-03-09T10:56:18.615Z

Do you keep a notebook? I mean, for stray thoughts, ideas, quotes from books and what other people say, etc? A collection of jigsaw pieces for thought. I use those lovely little Moleskine pocket notebooks, 14 x 9 cms, bound in black, with lined pages.I was looking through my current one today for a quote I couldn't remember, and thought you'd like a sample of a few entries, some my own, some

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-50680510125123433292008-03-07T09:01:00.003Z2008-03-07T09:52:46.659Z

When I visit schools and colleges, I often hear from both teachers and students how difficult they find it to study the novel. How do you tackle it? What do you concentrate on? What do you need to know about the novel as a form? Help is at hand!How Fiction Works is by James Wood, one of the best reviewers and critics around these days. He teaches at Harvard, where he is Professor of the Practice

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-12064136732228035612008-03-05T09:49:00.003Z2008-03-05T10:20:36.895Z

Thanks, Anne, Alex, Chris and Nicholas, for your welcome. I hope the people who read this blog will include as you do, people of all ages and genders. Just as my novels are adult novels for young people and young people's novel for adults.Thanks, Nicholas, for hoping for a new book from me soon. I'm afraid you might have to wait a while. I'm busy writing a book of short stories of different kinds

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-120782106813350531.post-55542219221476826172008-03-04T11:49:00.002Z2008-03-04T15:33:51.968Z

Welcome to my new blog.Will look forward to reading your comments.I'll be posting entries often from tomorrow.Aidan.

Aidan Chambershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04898704093429793297noreply@blogger.com4