The convenience of eavesdropping

‘Out of the Smoke’ Author’s Commentary Chapter 4: Aggie The shop was narrow, but deceptively deep; Aggie’s counter lay at the far end, through a dusty maze of ancient display cabinets. A gas-lamp burned in the depths, barely illuminating the cave. Aggie’s voice dropped low and continued speaking, picking up the conversation from which it had been interrupted.“What was it ye were sayin’? About…

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by Matt Wainwright

Creating a villain

‘Out of the Smoke’ Author’s Commentary Chapter 3: The Devil’s Lads Halfway across the river Tosher nudged Billy again.“Look out,” he muttered, and this time there was no humour in his voice. “Here comes trouble.”A rabble of boys and young men was striding along the pavement towards them, spread out from the parapet to the kerb. Billy recognised them instantly: a notorious gang who…

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by Matt Wainwright

A life of grime

‘Out of the Smoke’ Author’s Commentary Chapter 2: The Silver Spoon The journey down was, if anything, more dangerous than the journey up. Flues did not exist in isolation: they ran up the backbone of the house like a river with many tributaries, the flues from three or four different fireplaces all merging together as they rose towards the roof. The possibilities were ripe…

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by Matt Wainwright

Listen to the first two chapters

Social Media

Preparing for #worldbookday next week ... I'll be doing 3 in-person events, and 2 virtual visits. These lovely bookmarks are courtesy of the folks at @solopress, who will also be running a promotion of their own with 'Out of the Smoke' - watch this space ... I'd forgotten what a classic this is. Ahlberg perfectly captured what it's like to be a kid (and a teacher!) in school: the highs and the lows; the tiny dramas in corridors and cloakrooms and the corners of playgrounds; the frustrations of not being able to keep up with everyone else; the triumphs of achieving what seemed impossible. NEW BLOG POST! 'Creating a Character' is a guide for children aged 9+ to creating rounded characters for their stories. NEW BLOG POST! Learn about child labour in Victorian times, and what Lord Shaftesbury did to help. Includes activities to do at home or in the classroom, to help children imagine what life might have been like. Perfect for teachers and home educators ☺️ (link in bio) Happy Christmas, everyone. In your stocking this morning is the next instalment of 'Call the Poor', my 'Out of the Smoke' Christmas story (link in bio). In this instalment, Robert, Tosher and Clara distribute gifts, and Robert's charitable spirit is tested ... New blog post (link in bio)! 'Call the Poor' is a Christmas short story set within the world of 'Out of the Smoke'. Taking place between parts 1 and 2 of the book, it follows Tosher and Clara as they spend their first Christmas in the ragged school. I had a really fabulous time at Plumstead Library this evening 😀 Hanging out and meeting local authors at Sydenham Library today 😊 Thank you @christianbookshopossett for looking after me today at the CViE Conference 😊 It's lovely to turn online acquaintance into real-life friendship. Authors wouldn't be where they are without the passion, dedication and hard work of booksellers. Glad we could shift so many copies!

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