Writer Jacqueline Wilson at Weymouth Pavilion (From Dorset Echo)
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Writer Jacqueline Wilson at Weymouth Pavilion
11:00am Monday 4th October 2010 in News By Arron Hendy
Jacqueline Wilson meets fan Phoebe Gurd
FAMILIES queued around the Weymouth Pavilion building to hear a talk by celebrated children’s author Jacqueline Wilson.
Nearly 500 people packed into the lower section of the main theatre to hear the writer’s account of her life and career before she answered questions from the floor.
Most of the children got a chance to meet the former children’s laureate and chat to her while she signed their books.
The author said: “It’s lovely for me to be in Weymouth.
“It was great driving here in the car and it’s not been raining so that’s good.”
The author said she spends a lot of time writing – normally two books every year – so was enjoying being out meeting her readers.
She described growing up buying notebooks and pens from Woolworths and practising every week – and said she might not have been a writer after her mum told her to go to secretarial college near their home just outside London.
After college she got her break when she saw an advert in her local newspaper and sent her work to publisher which was planning a new teenage girl’s magazine.
She sent so much work they offered her a job and she moved to Dundee to work there and live in a woman’s hostel.
They ended up naming the magazine after her – and Jackie became a success.
Sophie Goldbold, nine, from Radipole, was at the Pavilion with her father John.
She said: “I really like her new book and after his I’m going to go and get a notebook and start practising.”
“Weymouth hardly ever gets any famous people.”
John added: “There’s going to be lots of children reading books tonight instead of watching X Factor.”
Charlotte Portsmouth, nine, from Southwell, and her friends all agreed that it had been inspirational to meet the author.
She said: “She made a point that we can be whatever we want to be. I really enjoyed it.”
Claudia Spicer, 13, from Wyke Regis, has read the author’s books since starting with the Tracy Beaker books which have been turned into five television series.
Her mother Jenny Spicer said her son Alex enjoyed it too and was delighted that they had the opportunity to meet the author.
She said: “I think we should have more things like this here in Weymouth. They’ve absolutely loved it.
“It’s so nice that Weymouth can host it.”
The author’s visit was arranged through Waterstone’s in Dorchester.
