Just back from a couple of foreign trips – Sarah McIntyre and were being International Show-Offs at the Wainfest libraries festival in lovely, windswept County Donegal…

…and at the very wonderful  Tuttestorie children’s literature festival in lovely, sunny Sardinia (you can read Sarah’s blog about that one here).

My next few events are much closer to home, here in the west country. First up is Exeter’s Exetreme Imagination Festival this coming weekend. I’ll be talking about Mortal Engines and the Railhead Trilogy at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Saturday 20th October, and Sarah will be joining me for the Roly Poly Flying Pony Show at the Phoenix on Sunday 21st.

On Friday 2nd November I’ll be at the new Arts Centre in Ashburton, where I’m in conversation with Sophie Pierce for The Vinyl Countdown – a Desert Island Discs type interview in which we’ll discuss my life’n’work’n’favourite records, and a few of the songs I’ve chosen will be played live by my wife’s folk band Skylark. It’s all in aid of a good cause – the charity SUDEP, which is dedicated to raising awareness of epilepsy risks and supporting people bereaved by epilepsy. You can book tickets here.

On the 17th November I’m back in Exeter, at Waterstone’s Roman Gate, where I’ll be talking about the Railhead Trilogy and Mortal Engines again.

And finally (to break the west country theme) a reminder that on 24th November I’m off to London, where I’ll be taking part in a panel at South Ken Kids’ Festival, alongside French YA authors Christelle Dabos and Victor Dixen.

I hope if you’re in the area you can make it to one or another of these! Books will be on sale at all of them, but I’m also very happy to sign tattered and much-read old copies, or just have a chat.