The 2009 Branford Boase photos

Many thanks to Paul Carter, who took these photos at the Branford Boase evening at Walker Books on Thursday, and to Mary Byrne for her dedication in sending them on to the witch so very early on a Friday morning. No thanks at all to the witch, who being seriously handicapped on dial-up has had to restrain herself to only a few photos, because it would have taken most of the holiday to access many more.

There is also the embarrassing fact that while looking over all the photos, there were an awful lot of well known faces – to me – but what are their names? I went completely blank, and can’t blame it on dial-up, so it will be age related… (But I did recognise you. Honestly. We have met. And you don’t remember me either, which is only fair.)

So, here are the two winners; B R Collins who wrote The Traitor Game, and Emma Matthewson, who edited it. I wonder what it’s like to do a job where the less you are noticed, the better? I rarely think of editors. (Sorry!) Because if they’ve done a good job, you can’t tell they were ever there. When they haven’t, or when it looks like they might have been on holiday that week, that’s when I moan about editors.

This lovely man is the lovely man who sent me The Traitor Game in the first place, and who then sent lots more to people on this blog who entered a competition to win a copy. Thank you Ian Lamb!

Here is Jacqueline Wilson, back in her own shoes. I hope Philip Pullman didn’t stretch them too much last year when he wore them. Jacqueline certainly looks very radiant in all the photos from Thursday, and this isn’t the first time now that I’ve seen her not wearing black. Nice! (Not that black isn’t nice.)

Speaking of big shoes I’ll move seamlessly on to Philip Ardagh, who not only has the same taste in ties as Philip P, but who wears big shoes. For a reason.

(Photos © Paul Carter)