Diary - June 2006:

Hello,

It has been so long since we last updated the diary - and many apologies for that - but when you hear how busy we've been, I'm sure you'll understand!

In February we did a string of events to do with World Book Day. We did school talks up at the Guardian, we went on CBBC's X-Change and did a live weblink with Blue Peter viewers - who had some fantastic questions all about the Edge. And we went to a WBD party, where Tony Blair gave a speech.

For World Book Day itself, we wrote an extra short book from the Edge series, called the Stone Pilot, all about Maugin the termagant trog. I trust that you all managed to get a copy of it with your WBD vouchers. But if you didn't, don't worry, the Stone Pilot and Cloud Wolf, together with two new stories, will be published in 2007.

Then in March, we went off to the United States on tour. It was extremely tiring, but a lot of fun. We started the tour in Boston, then went south to New York. There was a heatwave while we were in Washington, and blizzards shortly afterwards in Milwaukee. We met film directors and producers in Los Angeles who are interested in turning Fergus Crane into a film. Fingers crossed for that! Then we went to San Francisco and Seattle, and ended the tour in Vancouver, Canada.

In April, back in the UK, we went on another tour, this time to promote the third of our Far-Flung Adventures: Hugo Pepper. We went to London, Sheffield, Lincoln, Spalding and Cambridge. A big hello to all the boys and girls we met in all those places for making us so welcome. And we've just got back from the Book Festival in Hay-on-Wye, which was loads of fun - though a bit muddy!

I bet you're wondering how we ever manage to get any work on the books done, with all this travelling around. It's not easy, I can tell you! But the good news is that Book 9 of the Edge - Clash of the Sky Galleons - is now complete. The text has been typeset and the last of the illustrations were finished last week.

What with the bloodthirsty Edge wraiths, the treacherous forest landfish, and a huge aerial sky-battle - not to mention the return of the murderous Turbot Smeal (remember him?), we think you're going to love this latest Edge Chronicle! So in September, remember to look out for Clash of the Sky Galleons in the shops.

Keep reading!