Tomorrow I am CLOSING MY COMPUTER for TWO WHOLE WEEKS because it is the school holidays - and if I do not have time to hang out at the beach all day flying kites NOW, or swing in the hammock re-reading our favourite books NOW, or go go-cart racing, or swimming, or cycling NOW, or any of the other things that make my small boys' hearts sing then, tell me, WHEN WILL I HAVE TIME? 

So even though this website and this blog are only two days old, and I am SO IN LOVE with them both, I know they will still be here in two weeks. And in the meantime I am going to play with two lovely people who will never be almost 6 and almost 13 again. Ever!

Every evening this week I have kissed my boys goodnight well before their bedtimes and gone to spend the evening in the company of some other sibling children. Together we have shared a warm orange room with a wood burning stove. They have shared sofas and armchairs, blankets and hot chocolate with each other. And I have shared stories with them. Stories of naughty tortoise and clever monkey. And also - so, so common in traditional stories - stories of lost children, abandoned children, betrayed children. And how they get though, and survive, and thrive. Tonight is the last night. I will say goodbye to them, and they more importantly will say goodbye to their siblings and go back to the various care and foster homes where they are looked after, separately. May the road rise with them.

To find out more about the incredible charity who organises holidays for Siblings Together click here. 

Considering that my first book for Walker Books was published in 2007 and I have been a professional storyteller for many more years than that, this website has been a long a time coming! And it probably won't ALL be here for a while longer: my husband, (who is also my IT department) has taken on the building of my site (as well as being the rock and the safe place of our whole family) and goodness knows how he will find time... but he will!