Robin Stevens's Blog, page 63
February 27, 2015
World Book Day – How To Dress Up as Daisy & Hazel!
World Book Day, Thursday 5th March, fast approaches, and exciting plans are afoot up and down the country. I’m going to be visiting JAPS in Dulwich in the morning, and at half past three I’ll be taking tea at Village Books Dulwich – if you’re interested in joining me, please visit Village Books’ website to get the free ticket you’ll need.
I’m busily planning lots of Wells & Wong goodness – and from some emails I’ve received, it sounds like I’m not the only one. Readers have been in contact asking for help with dressing as Daisy & Hazel, and I’ve been very excited and happy to oblige them.
So, would you like to dress as a member of the Detective Society this World Book Day? Here’s how!
The Deepdean school crest
– The Deepdean uniform is grey. Daisy & Hazel wear white shirts, grey pinafores and ties (though any sort of grey school uniform with a tie will do). If you want to be really completist, their house colours are green and blue – so their ties should be green and blue as well.
– Thanks to my agent, Deepdean has a crest – please see the picture to the right!
– Both Daisy and Hazel might carry magnifying glasses. They certainly carry school books, and Hazel is never without her casebook and pencil!
– Daisy’s hair is blonde and wavy, done up in two pigtails.
– Hazel’s hair is long, black and straight, in one long braid.
And that’s it! You now have all you need to become a member of the Detective Society. The really important thing to remember is that you don’t have to look anything like either of the girls to dress as them. World Book Day is all about imagination, and you’re allowed to imagine being Daisy or Hazel no matter what the outside of you is like.
Whoever you choose to dress as, I hope you have a wonderful World Book Day 2015! And if you do dress as one of my detectives, please send me the evidence!
February 23, 2015
Publishers Weekly starred review for Murder is Bad Manners
I’m delighted to be able to say that Murder is Bad Manners (the US edition of Murder Most Unladylike) has been awarded a star by Publishers Weekly magazine, in a fantastic review:
‘Eighth-grader Hazel Wong lives in the shadow of her best friend Daisy Wells, a girl so flawless that even retching seems to agree with her. Inspired by pulp fiction paperbacks, the girls form a secret detective agency at their boarding school, opening their first big case when their teacher, Miss Bell, turns up dead. Set in 1934 England, this first book in the Wells & Wong Mystery series is part murder mystery, part diary, and a pitch-perfect snapshot of adolescent friendship. Daisy is the classic mean girl: privileged, selfish, and as beautiful as she is heartless – all qualities that Hazel lacks. (Narrator Hazel isn’t even the heroine of her own story!) The girls are in over their heads, but Daisy, used to bending everyone to her whims, refuses to admit it, so it’s up to pragmatic Hazel to save the case, and their lives. Their yin-yang friendship, like the camaraderie of Sherlock and Watson, is as integral to the story as the revelation of the murderer. A sharp-witted debut for Stevens, one that will leave readers eagerly awaiting subsequent instalments. Ages 10-up.’
Not long to go now until the book is released in the US – and I can’t wait!
February 22, 2015
Arsenic for Tea is The Times Children’s Book of the Week
Arsenic for Tea was given a fantastic mention in today’s Sunday Times!
‘This is the second of Robin Stevens’s Wells & Wong mysteries. The first, Murder Most Unladylike, has just be shortlisted for the Waterstones children’s book prize for emerging authors. These Agatha-Christie-indebted tales involved detective duo Daisy Wells and her sidekick Hazel Wong, wealthy schoolgirls from England and Hong Kong. In the first book, they investigated a murder at their boarding school. This time, Daisy’s family’s stately home – a hotbed of jealousy and greed – provides a rich cast of suspects when it’s not just the cake candles that are snuffed out at a birthday tea party. Emotional conflict, logical deduction and the period setting make for an entertaining, nostalgic brainteaser.‘ – Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times
Arsenic for Tea reviewed in Guardian Family
Arsenic for Tea was featured in this weekend’s Guardian Family section!
‘Arsenic for Tea, the second book in Robin Stevens’ fabulous Wells and Wong schoolgirl detective series – think St Trinians mixed with Miss Marple. These are thrilling books for tween detectives who adore solving dastardly murders, jolly hockey sticks and iced buns for tea.’ – Guardian Family, Saturday 21st February 2015
Reader emails – and Hazel and Daisy in my head
Readers have been getting in contact recently to talk to me about my books. Sometimes they apologise for emailing, as though reading what they have to say doesn’t fill my heart with utter joy. Honestly, knowing that a book I wrote has made a difference to an actual person’s life is the most unexpected and amazing thing about being an author. Please don’t ever stop emailing, and please don’t ever think that you’re going to bother me or waste my time. I love every single email, and I promise to reply to every one.
I had a particularly wonderful email yesterday from Willa, who wanted to tell me that ‘Hazel is like a friend to me’. I completely love this. Like a lot of authors, I had a slightly lonely childhood, and one of the things that made me feel better was spending time in books with my favourite characters. I was (and am still) pretty sure that Mitt and Cassandra Mortmain and Princess Cimorene were real, somewhere – and (confession time) the one Agatha Christie novel that I have never read is Curtain, because I can’t bear the thought of Hercule Poirot dying.
Romola Garai as Cassandra in I Capture the Castle
But the other thing I really like about Willa’s comment is that I feel exactly the same way. It’s really hard to talk about without sounding bonkers, but I am definitely one of those authors who believes in their characters. I know lots of authors don’t, and I think that’s perfectly valid, but to make my made-up people live on the page they need to exist absolutely in my head first. It’s a funny sort of double-think: I know that I won’t ever turn around and find Hazel sitting next to me, but when I really consider that fact I’m astonished. She and Daisy feel so real to me – I know what they’d say in any situation and I know the way their minds work. They’ve been the voices in my head for years, and the fact that now they’re in your heads too is incredible.
So, thank you Willa, and thank you to everyone who’s contacted me so far. I’m more and more convinced every time I get a new email in my inbox that I have the smartest and best readers in the world.
February 15, 2015
A Wonderful Week for Wells & Wong!
I have had the most incredibly exciting few days. School visits, signings, workshops and prize shortlists – it all feels like the most amazing dream. Would someone mind pinching me?
On Tuesday I went on a mini tour. In the morning, I visited the brilliantly supportive Waterstones Hampstead, and once again they put on a fab school event. I spoke to kids from Rosary and Christ Church primaries about why we all love mystery novels so much, and why I wrote Arsenic for Tea and Murder Most Unladylike. They asked some excellent questions, and were generally incredibly enthusiastic – I’d like to thank them for listening, their teachers for being so positive about fictional murder, and booksellers Yael and Debbie for being great hosts.
With bookseller Yael
Talking mysteries!
Reading from Murder Most Unladylike
I then jumped on the train to St Mary Cray, to visit Waterstones Orpington and Leesons Primary. I’d encourage you all to visit Waterstones Orpington if you are anywhere near it – it has a gigantic children’s department (it takes up almost half of the store space) and some very creative and passionate booksellers. They’ve made some amazing displays for Arsenic for Tea, and bookseller Laura even drew Daisy & Hazel fanart. (I’m not sure she believed me when I told her how much I loved it – I hope she’ll believe me now!)
With an amazing Waterstones Orpington display!
Fan art – Daisy and Hazel by bookseller Laura
Leesons Primary was also brilliant. It’s full of inspirational and very clever educational displays, and it’s clearly a wonderful learning environment. The kids were so engaged, and I hope they enjoyed my talk – I really enjoyed speaking to them!
Signing at Leesons Primary
After I had finished my events, I realised that I had enough time to stop in to some central London Waterstones branches – Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and Gower Street. I signed copies of my books and met booksellers, and I was so amazed and impressed by how committed they all were to selling my books. I know how special it is to have this kind of support, and I am so grateful for the work Waterstones booksellers, in London and the rest of the country, are doing for the Wells & Wong Mysteries.
With the Gower St Waterstones window display
And I had yet another reason to be grateful to Waterstones staff on Thursday, when it was announced that Murder Most Unladylike is one of the shortlisted books for this year’s Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. I’ve said it before, but I am so, so honoured to be a part of the list – it’s quite literally a dream come true.
With the Waterstones Children’s Prize shortlistees at Waterstones Piccadilly
On Saturday I travelled to Oxford (the place, by the way, where I wrote the first draft of Murder Most Unladylike, when I was a bookseller at Blackwell’s Broad Street). In the morning I signed books at Waterstones Oxford. It was lovely to meet everyone, but I think my very favourite signing was to two-year-old Amelia, whose parents selflessly bought the books to give her in six years (they will read them themselves in the meantime). Zoe Greaves and the rest of the Waterstones Staff were such great hosts – I hope I’ll be able to arrange another event with them soon!
Signing at Waterstones Oxford
In the afternoon I went to the Story Museum, a fantastic celebration of children’s fiction. They have a wonderful exhibition space (the 26 Characters exhibition is in its final week, but I’ve heard their plans for the future and they sound just as fun), a delicious cafe (with lots of cake!) and a brilliant programme of events for both aspiring writers and illustrators (they are great at understanding that there are plenty of ways to be an author). I gave a session on How to Be a Daring Detective, working with twenty brilliant young writers to help them create their very own mystery stories.
Working on stories!
I gave each group a random setting, crime, victim and clue and asked them to create suspects and a murderer, and I was genuinely impressed by the depth and brilliance of the stories that emerged. We had villainous bus drivers, old ladies with stuffed penguin collections, thieving sheep herders, jealousy, mistaken identity, buttons dropped from stolen coats and even beautifully drawn suspect line-ups from one group. I had a wonderful time, and I hope everyone who came along did too!
With some daring detectives!
With detective Corey
All in all, it’s been a dream week – thank you again to everyone who helped to make it so great, and here’s to many more!
Wells & Wong Events – Spring 2015
I’ve got a busy few months planned! I’m trying to get out and about as much as I can – if you’re in the area, please do stop by to meet me. If nothing’s on near you right now, keep checking back, as I’ll be adding more events in future!
Saturday 21st February, 10:30am – signing in Waterstones Buttermarket, Bury St Edmunds. I’ll be signing copies of Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea – please come along and say hi! This is an absolutely free and informal event. (Note that there are two Waterstones in Bury St Edmunds – I’ll be at the Buttermarket one!)
Saturday 28th of February, 2pm – UKYA Extravaganza, Waterstones High Street, Birmingham. Along with 34 other fantastic YA authors, I’ll be chatting about my books and giving readings from them through the afternoon. Sadly this is a ticketed event that I think has sold out – but if you do have tickets, I will be there and looking forward to meeting you!
Thursday 5th March, 3:30pm – signing and bunbreak at Village Books, Dulwich. To celebrate World Book Day, I’ll be at the wonderful Village Books to drink tea and sign copies of Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea. Entrance is free, but you will need a ticket, available from the bookshop.
Saturday March 21st, time TBC – event at Waterstones Cheltenham. This is still in the planning stages, but I will be in Cheltenham on that day – put it in your diaries now!
Sunday June 28th, 2:45pm – talk at the Bedford Book Festival. I’ll be talking about writing detective stories, and about how and why I came up with the Wells & Wong Mysteries. Again, details are still being confirmed, but it looks as though I will be speaking in the large conference room, so there will be plenty of tickets available! Watch this space for more details.
Raremediumwelldone review of Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea
Blogger Raremediumwelldone has given Murder Most Unladylike and Arsenic for Tea an incredibly thoughtful review - it might be one of my very favourites ever. She says:
‘The first person narrator, Hazel is a quiet, thoughtful girl from Hong Kong whose rich, England-obssessed father has sent her to an English boarding school for her education. Perpetually aware of her precarious status as the only Chinese girl in Deepdean (and indeed, probably in these English people’s lives), Hazel has adapted to survive, gaining the irrepressible Daisy as a friend into the bargain.
High-spirited, whip-smart, exuding the confidence possessed by the upper class she belongs to, Daisy Wells is the stereotypical English heroine, and she, Hazel and the narrative know it. But Stevens is too good a writer to let that stand, and Daisy’s refusal to suspect people she is fond of, hotheadedness, and noted lack of compassion for those she considers wrongdoers emerges as the story goes on. Hazel has occasional moments of timidity, but those are usually the result of her empathy and vivid imagination. Her kindness and emotional intuitiveness are important counterpoints to Daisy’s brilliant quick-thinking, and their lovely friendship evolves through the two books realistically.
Stevens writes about things like the racism Hazel internalises and Daisy’s privilege with insight and sympathy. It’s there in the way that Daisy lies with ease and assumes no one will question her, and in Hazel’s hiding of her favourite mooncakes because Lavinia has laughed at them before; lots of details that add up to fantastic, complex characters.
The mysteries themselves are beautiful concoctions that owe obvious debts to the golden age of British crime fiction, and are unravelled beautifully. The atmosphere of the settings – boarding school, old English heirloom property – are captured exceptionally well, with the boarding school vocab giving me flashbacks to reading about Malory Towers with envy. The cherry on top of the cake is the unexpected queerness. It’s not a central issue, but Stevens gives a knowing wink to the inherent subtext that many novels about boarding schools had, and it was a lovely surprise to encounter whilst reading.’
It’s such a great analysis, and I’m so glad that my books inspired it. You can follow Raremediumwelldone on Twitter @weimingkam.
Daily Mail review of Arsenic for Tea
Arsenic for Tea has been given a wonderful review by the Daily Mail. My parents are particularly amused by the final line – as my father pointed out, it’s nice to be told by a national paper that you’ve done something right.
‘this sequel stands alone and is a delight . . . The Agatha Christie-like clues are unravelled with sustained tension and the whole thing is a hoot from start to finish.’
– The Daily Mail, Friday 13th February
February 12, 2015
Murder Most Unladylike has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2015
I’m incredibly delighted to be finally able to tell you that Murder Most Unladylike is on the shortlist of this year’s Waterstones Children’s Book Prize.
It’s up against five other phenomenal books in its 5-12 year old category, and seventeen other books overall (the Guardian‘s shortlist round-up is here) – it’s an incredibly strong shortlist and I am proud to be a part of it. The result will be announced on March 26th, and I am terrified and excited in equal measure.
Once again, I have to give huge thanks to all of the Waterstones booksellers who have championed the book and got it to this point – I am absolutely honoured.
Here’s the Guardian‘s round-up of the shortlist.
I’m also delighted that people are talking about the rise in detective fiction for children – as you know, I’m a massive fan of the genre, and I couldn’t be more pleased that it’s so well represented on this year’s list (six out of the eighteen books are detective stories!).
Here’s a BBC News article about how young detectives are killing off vampires (this does make me feel a bit sorry for vampires, poor things, they just want to live like the rest of us)
And a Daily Mail article about how children are falling for nostalgic fiction.
And finally, an article in the Independent about the rise of the detective novel – and Murder Most Unladylike in particular. It also appears in today’s i paper – of course I rushed out to buy two copies. The man at the till commented on this odd behaviour, and when I explained that it was my book on the front page he got very excited and made me sign my receipt for him. I felt very briefly almost famous.
So a huge thank you to everyone who has congratulated me today. You are all wonderful, and it means a huge amount to me. Hooray for Wells & Wong!
