Booked Up, and a POWEM.

To London this week to record a short video piece for Booked Up, the scheme which aims to get a free book into the hands of all Year Seven children. This year the list of books they can choose from will include Fever Crumb, so I had to do a quick 30-second spiel about it for their website, and also read an extract. Talking to cameras isn't something I enjoy or feel that I'm much good at, but the reading was fun. I'm reading The Lord of the Rings to Sam at the moment and a chapter of Tolkein per night seems to exercise the reading-aloud muscles wonderfully. I'll post a link to the videos when they are available, as long as they're not too embarrassing.

I don't know if this is the influence of Professor Tolkein, too, but when I came home I found that Sam has written a POWEM. He's never been very keen on reading or writing, and shows no sign of wanting to follow in my footsteps (which is a Good Thing, since the e-bookalypse is almost upon us and I don't think it will be possible to make a living writing stories for much longer). Still, it's nice to see him experimenting a bit with language. I think this is rather good.

The Tree Powem

By Sam Reeve

The wind blows silently on the tree top

As I sit there

Unscared of the big black Fox.

The pine needles fall

And I drop to the floor.