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Wednesday 18 December 2013

Give the gift of a book this Christmas!

Why not give the gift of a book this Christmas? There's still just time to order a book online, or you could pop into your local book store, and then there's always an e-book!

There's lots of places to buy one wherever you are in the world! Here are a few ideas: 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rob-Bullock/e/B0032KZQ90/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9781622125821/isbn/Jacob-s-War-by-Robert-John-Bullock.html 

http://www.amazon.com/Rob-Bullock/e/B0032KZQ90/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jacobs-war-robert-john-bullock/1115526686?ean=9781622125821 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Rob




Tuesday 3 December 2013

20,000 visits!

Today the 20,000th visit to this blog happened! It was a reader from Ukraine! Thank you to everyone who visits my blog and website, to all my readers and to everyone who is so supportive of my writing career!

THANK YOU!

Wednesday 20 November 2013

Drystone Radio.

A huge thank you to Andy Rankine for interviewing me on his Drystone Radio show yesterday afternoon. If you missed it you can get the podcast from the following link http://www.drystoneradio.com/ . Andy's show is the Nostalgia Show and we chatted in Hour 3 of his show from about 10 minutes.

Drystone Radio is a not-for-profit community radio station for South Craven and the Yorkshire Dales and is a brilliant community resource. 


Wednesday 13 November 2013

Drama workshops using Jacob's War.

A big thank you to Maxine, Linsey and all the staff at Heasandford Primary School for an excellent day. I really enjoyed working with Year 6 children doing drama workshops based on Jacob's War.

Here are some comments by teachers!

"I'm so pleased you had a good day with us! I will certainly be having a look at the work produced. I'm so pleased that they worked with enthusiasm. Definitely hope to see you again!"
 
"I'm glad you enjoyed working with us. I agree - the boys got alot out of it! They have been really keen to read your book!"  
 
 

Thursday 3 October 2013

Wonderful Willaston Primary School!

I really enjoyed reading Jacob's War to the Year 6 children on my visit to Willaston Primary School last week as part of the Isle of Man LitFest.

https://www2.sch.im/groups/willastonschool/wiki/9c4e5/

And Rob Cope (my brilliant driver for the day) and I also really enjoyed being on the top table for lunch with some of the super children!    


Wednesday 25 September 2013

Isle of Man Bank ‘National Story Day' Friday 27th September 2013

Really looking forward to visiting Ballacottier & Kewaigue Primary Schools as part of the Isle of Man Bank ‘National Story Day' Friday 27th September 2013!

http://manxlitfest.com/robert-bullock/


Monday 9 September 2013

Sunday 4 August 2013

Lilyplod!

Lilyplod

from the forthcoming book

'Noah Ramsbottom and the Runaway Sphinx'.

Monday 22 July 2013

Brilliant review of Jacob's War by top children's author Diana Shaw!

Hi Rob. Really enjoyed 'Jacob's War'. Wish I'd had this book to recommend to my class when I taught the WW2 period to Y6 classes!

Diana

http://www.dianashaw.co.uk/


Friday 12 July 2013

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Real life internee gives Jacob's War the thumbs up!

In researching the subject of child internment for Jacob's War I corresponded with and interviewed a number of people who were amongst the hundreds of children interned in 1940 so it was really wonderful to hear what Eva Holmes had to say about the book this morning.

Dear Robert
Thank you so  much for sending me a copy of Jacob's war. I read it with great interest- it evoked so many memories....
I hope my four grandchildren will read it and understand a little  more of their background and the experiences of  my generation.
I do hope it sells well; it would make a good film.


Kind regards,
Eva



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacobs-War-Robert-John-Bullock/dp/1622125827/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373458943&sr=8-1&keywords=jacob%27s+war 

Yorkshire Times article - Jacob's War - Britains War Secret

http://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Britains-War-Secret


Tuesday 9 July 2013

My interview on Radio York

A huge thanks to Elly Fiorentini at Radio York for interviewing me yesterday for her drive time radio show.

You can listen to this for the next 6 days. I'm on from about the 10 minute point.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01by5v7



Monday 20 May 2013

10,000 visits to this blog!

Over the weekend a visitor from the USA became the 10,000th visitor to this blog! THANK YOU ALL for visiting this blog and reading about my work. 

I've not been blogging so much recently but that's because I've been visiting lots of schools and libraries doing creative writing workshops.

I have also been busy writing, Jacob's War really is about to be published, Noah Ramsbottom and the Runaway Sphinx is finished and is now with the brilliant Louisa Biggin being illustrated (and the piccies look amazing!) and the first draft of Sam Marsh and the Lunar War is almost finished. 

Watch this space and keeping reading my blogs!

Rob


Wednesday 17 April 2013

Wonderful bed time stories at Walton Primary School!

I really enjoyed reading Noah Ramsbottom and the Cave Elves http://www.amazon.co.uk/Noah-Ramsbottom-Cave-Elves-Bullock/dp/1608603350/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366193287&sr=8-1&keywords=Noah+Ramsbottom last evening to all the children who came back to Walton Primary School, Wakefield, for their bed time stories event! What a brilliant idea! Shame I missed the hot chocolate and cookies!


Sunday 31 March 2013

Children’s author Robert Bullock to visit Settle Library

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the workshop next Thursday in my home town, Settle.

http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/10317459.Children___s_author_Robert_Bullock_to_visit_Settle_Library/


New York, New York!

Thanks to everyone at New York Primary School, North Tyneside for a brilliant day last Thursday. Although it was sad the session with Years 5 & 6 was so short I was particularly impressed with the brilliant writing of Year 1!

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm

Tuesday 26 March 2013

Jacob's War - published next month!

When top US scientist Carl Becker moves his family to Britain in May 1940 to work on the new RADAR system all their lives change forever.

Whilst Carl is visiting the Ministry of War police call at his mother’s house and arrest her, his wife Elizabeth, his ten year old daughter, Sarah, and twelve year old son, Jacob, under regulation 18B and send them to camps on the Isle of Man. All because Carl’s mum was born in Germany.

As Carl struggles to find out information Jacob is split from his family because he looks older than his years and he’s sent to a brutal men’s internment camp on the island, and this is where Jacob’s personal war starts.

In this fast paced, exciting adventure three stories run parallel, Carl’s important war work with other scientists at Bawdsey Manor, the idyllic vacation for the Becker females in the holiday camp atmosphere of the Rushen Camp and Jacob’s challenges with his new best friend, Terry Lowe.

Jacob is imprisoned amongst violent nazi supporters, witnesses a terrible drowning, is shipped out to camps in Canada on the doomed Arandora Star, torpedoed, shipwrecked and rescued by the US Navy. But while the British might seem impervious to his plight in the US his story goes all the way to the top, to  President FDR himself!

This novel for older children and teenagers highlights the panic that the British nation felt in spring 1940, with Hitler’s armies only a few miles away in Calais poised for invasion, with the RAF stretched to the limit every night, cities bombed and burned to the ground, the plight of children evacuated from Germany in the Kinderstransport and desperate refugees fleeing tyranny and the despair, hope, fun and adventure of two teenage boys, one a displaced American and the other a happy go lucky Yorkshire lad.

Based upon true stories and personal accounts, this Arts Council England supported project finally tells the story of one of Britain’s best kept wartime secrets. 


Snowy St Joseph's in Surrey!

I was glad I battled through the snow and sleet to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Kingston upon Thames last Friday! Working with all the children from Nursery to Year 6, their work was brilliant!

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Simon Beaufoy Short Story Competition 2013

I was honoured to be asked to be the judge of the Simon Beaufoy Short Story Competition 2013 held last Monday 18th March at Malsis School.

The standard of the entries was staggering and the stories by the two winners absolutely brilliant.

Results

Category A - Years 5 & 6

Runner up - The Great Escape by Sebastian Goodson

Winner - A Fish out of Water by Verity Fullerton- Smith

Category B - Years 7 & 8 

Runner up - The Stardust Dreamer by Isabella Fox 

Winner - Dream by Maire McGovern 

I hope to publish these stories on this blog and pictures of the event in the near future. 

Friday 15 March 2013

Superb St. Joseph's Park Hill School

Yesterday was awesome, brilliant KS1 and EYFS, but the drama workshop with KS2 was one of the best ever!
Thanks for inviting me, Mrs Robsinson!

http://www.parkhillschool.co.uk/

 

Marvelous Moffat Academy!

I had a brilliant day in sunny Scotland at the very impressive Moffat Academy taking workshops from P1 to P7! Thanks Mrs Brown!


Wednesday 13 March 2013

A grand day out at the Gatehouse School!

I had a grand day out at the Gatehouse School in east London the other day working with all the children from Reception to Year 6! Thank you for inviting me Mrs Gately.

http://www.gatehouseschool.co.uk/

Friday 8 March 2013

My great visits to the Greville Primary School, Ashtead

Thank you to Miss Boulton for inviting me to the Greville Primary School for two days. I thought the drama workshops with Key Stage Two were amazing!

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Dramatic drama workshops at St Paul's in Thames Ditton

I had a wonderful couple of days this week taking script writing drama workshops for Key Stage Two at St. Paul's Catholic Primary School in Thames Ditton! What amazing ideas the children had! Thank you for inviting me Miss Hoodless! Brilliant organisation!

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm


Friday 1 March 2013

Excellent Eaglescliffe!

I had an amazing day at Junction Farm Primary School yesterday! What a brilliant school it is, I think the  children there are right up their in the premier league with their writing! Right through from Y1 to Y6 they’re full of talent!

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Marvelous Moston!

A huge thank you to Mrs Keegan and all the staff and children at Lily Lane Primary School in marvelous Moston, Manchester. I had a great time visiting their school yesterday.

Even though the schedule was tight I thought the children produced some great creative writing, in just a few minutes setting the scene for their story, building up their characters, working on show not tell with good dialogue, I think Lily Lane has some budding authors!


http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm

Tuesday 29 January 2013

Guest blog! Children's author Diana Shaw

Diana Shaw is a brilliant children's writer and a good friend of mine. She's agreed to be a guest on my blog today! She lives down a little cobbled street in a Cheshire village with her husband, Brian, and a very mischievous cat called Chloe!

 I’m a retired teacher with a passion for writing. I suppose the desire to write a book has been simmering under the surface for many years – probably since I won a copy of ‘The Snow Goose’ by Paul Gallico in a writing competition. I was about ten years old.
As a full time primary school teacher, writing stories became a hobby for when I had time to spare. I enjoyed encouraging the children with their reading and writing. When I retired I began to devote more time to my writing. I decided you’re never too old to have a go!
In 2007 I read an article in a writing magazine about a small publishing company in York. They published my first book for children in 2008. ‘Septimus Smythe and the Spectre Detectors’ heralded my first short series. The funny ghost stories are about some ghosts that haunt at a castle to entertain the tourists! Why ghost stories? Well, I thought having my ghosts perform all sorts of haunting tricks would be fun and give plenty of scope for my imagination. I tell my stories from the ghost’s point of view – a different slant from many stories I’ve read.
In 2010 I was busy working on a different project – not ghosts! Inspired by a holiday in Italy, I had an idea for an adventure story. I’d almost completed my first draft when the email arrived... An independent publisher of children’s books invited me to submit work to them. They asked for more ghost stories, so the Italian adventure was shelved for the time being! My new character is William, the ghost of a Tudor watchman, who befriends a boy call Thomas. I have lots of fun telling stories about their adventures as detectives, solving funny mysteries that happen in the local villages. I’ve written two books about them so far. At the moment, I’m dreaming up a few more adventures for William and Thomas and I’ve resurrected the Italian adventure- I’d really like to finish that.
I’m all in favour of ‘a book in your hand’ and I spend a lot of time in bookshops talking to children about my favourites and theirs. As a child, I enjoyed ‘The Borrowers’ by Mary Norton and adventure stories like’ Treasure Island.’ Today, my favourite author for children has to be Michael Morpurgo. I love it when children want to read my books of course, but if ghosts aren’t their thing I’m happy to recommend other stories. I’ve had a few adventures in bookshops. On one occasion I was left ‘holding the baby!’ I was reading a picture book to a group of toddlers when one little girl realised her mum wasn’t there anymore. Mum had sneaked out for a cigarette and she told the bookseller who tracked her down that her child was fine - ‘Diana is looking after her.’ That was the first I knew of it!
I visit lots of schools too. I’ve held workshops with children and it’s great when they are so enthusiastic about writing. They always want to ask me lots of question s about being a writer. (They often have a fascination with your age too and want to know if you’re famous.)
‘You’ve been waiting very patiently,’ I said to a little girl who’d been sitting with her hand up for some time. ‘What would you like to know?’
‘D’you go out with your mates?’ she asked.    


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Watchman-William-Balloon-Diana-Shaw/dp/1908458089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359464573&sr=8-1

Saturday 19 January 2013

A wonderful time on The Wirral!

Thank you to all the staff and children at Castleway Primary School on The Wirral for a brilliant author visit. After a freezing cold journey to get there I had a fantastic day and really enjoyed working with Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2! 

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm


Saturday 12 January 2013

BOOKED UP! World Book Day week 2013 but...

Brilliant news! World Book Day week 2013 is BOOKED UP, and I'm really looking forward to visiting London and Surrey schools but I've still got some availability the week commencing 25th February and 11th March so please get in touch to organise an author visit for your school!  

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm


Monday 7 January 2013

NEW for 2013! Read & Answer lesson plans for Sam Marsh and the Battle of the Cloudships!

NEW for 2013! Read & Answer lesson plans for Sam Marsh and the Battle of the Cloudships!

Giving teachers of Key Stage Two and Key Stage Three weeks of cross curricular lesson plans, covering subject areas including History, Geography, Art and Design, Citizenship and, of course, Literacy!

Book a school visit for your school NOW!

http://www.ninnylizard.com/visits.htm