PUPILS at a Bromsgrove school had a visit recently from award-winning children’s author Harriet Goodwin.

Ms Goodwin paid a visit to Parkside Middle School to speak to the children about her novels and the process of creative writing.

Her first book ‘The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43’, was released in September 2009 and was shortlisted for 13 awards including the Blue Peter Book Award 2010, while subsequent novels ‘Gravenhunger’ and ‘Hex Factor’ have also received accolades, with the latest ‘Dark Tide’ just being published.

Jodie Terrey head of key stage three English at the school, said: “The experience of listening to a good author is invaluable and can inspire the most reluctant of readers and writers. We were delighted that Harriet would be speaking to our students about her books, the process of writing, and her journey to publication.”

All students at Parkside Middle School had the opportunity to purchase copies of the books during her visit, and Ms Goodwin signed them, after holding an assembly for the whole school. She also ran two workshops with the students where they worked on how to write openings to stories, as well as characterisation, and the art of getting their writing to spring off the page.