Author hide-outs

Malorie Blackman

Malorie Blackman's favourite place is a library. It is a big, light room full of sunshine and books. On the right is a row of tall windows as high as the room. Between each window is a dark blue panel with posters and pictures on it. The white ceiling is a gentle arch and on the floor is a light brown carpet with a pattern of darker dots. Facing you are rows of bookshelves that screen off the far end of the room. In front of them, close to you, are large wooden boxes painted bright yellow and blue, holding big picture books. There are yellow and blue stools so you can sit and read. At the far end of the room, high up on a shelf, tall pot plants tickle the ceiling. There is no one in the library yet except for a rag doll sitting on a yellow and blue reading table a little way away from you. She has orange woolly hair and floppy legs and she sits under a striped umbrella.

Look around for two Hotspots before you move on. Malorie is in the first Hotspot, waiting for you. She sits in front of one of the long bookcases in the library. Malorie's skin is a warm dark brown. She has a round face with a dimple in her chin, a lovely wide smile and big, sparkling eyes. Her dark hair is parted on one side with a lock falling on her forehead and is long enough to curl under on her shoulders. Only her top half is showing. She wears a white lacy top under a purple cardigan and she has a silver bangle on her left wrist.

The second Hotspot isn't very far away. In the second Hotspot, the picture is a fast blur, speeding across the outside of the library as if you are passing it in an express train. Finally, the picture comes to rest on the front of the outside of the library, a tall grey modern-looking building with rows of glass windows. Cutting across the corner of the picture on the right is part of the hill in front of the building where a few stumpy bushes and two fir trees stand.

Move on. You are in front of a line of windows with blue panels between them. They have bright yellow and blue posters of the seaside: a green star like a palm tree on a yellow hump of sand and a little green yacht dancing on blue and white zigzag waves. In front of the windows are more book boxes and close to you on top of a reading table is one of Malorie's books in a black and white cover. On the floor behind the table to the right is colourful mat with Once Upon a Time written on it in cartoon letters.

Look around for three Hotspots, all pretty close together. In the first of these Hotspots is a photograph of Malorie by the bookcase, with purple cartoon notes of music prancing past.

The next Hotspot is very close. Malorie reads to you from her book 'Pig-Heart Boy' in this Hotspot. In the picture is a close up view of grey water dappled with sunlight. Bubbles float and pop on the surface, till the picture swirls and blurs to a grey nothingness.

The third Hotspot in this area is just a little further on. In this Hotspot is another photograph of Malorie with the musical notes dancing by. She stands looking out at you in front of the bookcase in her purple cardigan, holding her book, 'Noughts and Crosses' in her hand.

Move on past more windows with seaside pictures: another little boat with a red sail and another palm tree. In front of them are lots and lots more books neatly stacked in book boxes or piled on the yellow and blue stools. And here is Malorie. She sits in a high-backed chair, smiling, and you can see the long purple skirt that matches her cardigan. She seems to be hemmed in with books. Boxes and shelves of books are all round her and she hugs an armful of books to her with a big grin.

Look for a Hotspot here. In the photograph is this Hotspot, Malorie seems very, very happy indeed and the dancing musical notes caper happily too.

Move on. To the right of Malorie in her chair and a little way off from you, is a wide screen with more of the seaside scene you found in between the windows. A jolly looking cartoon whale floats on top of the zigzag striped water, two little yachts bob up and down and four starry palm trees stand in the sand near bright umbrellas. Up in one corner a big round yellow sun shines down. Behind the screen to the right are more bookshelves and over the top of them is the upper half of a spiral staircase leading to the floor above.

Search around here for the last two Hotspots. In the first of these two Hotspots Malorie sits in front of the bookcase again to talk to you. She uses her hands a lot, and her eyes light up with excitement as she speaks.

Move on just a short way to the last Hotspot. Hold tight for this Hotspot as you zoom at speed through the library, narrowly missing shelve and stools, whizzing past windows, finally coming to rest in front of a stack of cds. Just in front of you is the top of a red fire extinguisher, in case sparks flew as you zipped along.

Whew! No harm done. Move on just a little way and there's the rag doll with the orange woolly hair waiting to say goodbye to you.