Empire Biscuits, Robbie Burns Day, and New York

What do Empire Biscuits, Robbie Burns Day, and New York have in common - well, nothing!

That's a pic of some awesome Empire Biscuits that my friend Emily made for her Robbie Burns Day party on the weekend. I had haggis, scotch eggs (which someone has informed me isn't Scottish - who knew?!) and a lovely Empire Biscuit. My favourite characters on Coronation Street would be dead chuffed to have had one!

I'm going to New York this weekend to attend the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) winter conference! I look forward to learning as much as I can from the awesome line up of writers, editors and agents, and networking my asterisk off. I'm pumped about meeting lots of fellow SCBWIers.

I'm also planning on hanging with my niece and nephew. My niece Kate McConaghy is an actor in New York and we plan to check out some experimental theatre or art. I'm excited about seeing my writer friend Jocosa of the Earrings again. Jocossa took a solemn oath not to cut her hair until she is published. So we'll see how closely she is resembling the Sasquatch these days.

Now I'm getting really excited.

I think I need some music to set the mood. If you've read the post about Simon Cowell you know that this song is on a mixed cassette tape I have from the 80s - the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Central Park.