There’s very sad news this spring for friends of children’s author Tommy Donbavand (which means basically anyone who’s ever met or interacted with him, Tommy being one of the book world’s best people). He has been suffering from cancer for three years, and has recently been given just “weeks or months” to live.

A group of Tommy’s friends has set up an auction site to help raise funds for him and his family. It’s well worth having a look at all the lots listed – as the organisers say, ‘Many of them are one-of-a-kind items and experiences which cannot be found anywhere else. You could bag yourself a piece of history, end up in a book, or just grab some signed copies of titles from your favourite authors. And, more importantly, help a good man cope with a terrible situation.’ Every penny raised through the auction will go to Tommy and his family.

I’ve donated a complete set of the four Mortal Engines and three Fever Crumb novels to the auction – the new UK paperback editions with Ian McQue’s wonderful cover illustrations – you can bid on those here.

Also, Sarah McIntyre and I are offering a small but memorable cameo role in the third Roly Poly Flying Pony book (due to be published in September 2020). In the course of the story Kevin the titular flying flying pony will have an unfortunate accident which will land on the head of someone standing below. You could be that person! As the designated poo-ee, your name will appear in the book along with a brief description of the incident and a Sarah McIntyre vignette illustration, which we’ll send you a print of (along with a signed copy of the book, when it’s published.) That one is proving surprisingly popular, but if you’re feeling flush you can still put in a bid here.

Kevin in all his airborne majesty. Watch out below…

And if you’re a writer yourself, my Oxford University Press editor Liz Cross is offering a written critique of and follow-up conversation about your children’s book manuscript. Back at the end of the nineties Liz was the unfortunate editor on whose desk the original, unsolicited manuscript of Mortal Engines first landed, and her written critique and the follow-up conversations did much to shape it and make it publishable. (I also worked with her on the Railhead trilogy, and the Reeve and McIntyre books).

The auction runs for the rest of the month, and I’ll look forward to mailing out books and writing poo-related cameos as soon as the final bids are in. Happy things in a sad cause.