I thought my heart would burst. With the help of a storyteller, an illustrator and a team of volunteers, each of the children involved wrote their own book. On the back of each book (every young writer was given their own copy to take home – complete with wonderful full-colour illustrations) was a photograph of the child’s smiling face and a blank box for them to add their very own writer’s biography. Leaving the centre, their faces shone with happiness.
Since that first workshop, I have volunteered at Fighting Words whenever I can. I have always left that big bright room inspired, uplifted and with a joyful heart. This book is my thank you to the centre, for creating a haven of the imagination – my love letter to Fighting Words if you like. I hope they will allow me to continue to be a small part of the magic for many years to come. A huge thank you must also go to Roddy Doyle and Sean Love for their help with this book.
Beyond the Stars would not exist without the superstar writers and illustrators behind this collection – all of whom said yes to contributing without hesitation. Yes, Chris Haughton, it was a little like “herding cats” at times, but very cool and lovely cats! Thanks to the team: Roddy Doyle and Steve Simpson; Derek Landy and Alan Clarke; John Boyne and Paul Howard; Judi Curtin and Chris Judge; Eoin Colfer and Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick; Marita Conlon-McKenna and P. J. Lynch; Michael Scott and Chris Haughton; Gordon Snell and Michael Emberley; Celine Kiernan and Tatyana Feeney; Oisín McGann; Siobhán Parkinson and Olwyn Whelan; and finally, Niamh Sharkey, who illustrated our competition-winner Emma Brade’s story. Mammoth thanks also to Ruth Alltimes, Mary Byrne and their supernova team at HarperCollins Children’s Books for their hard work and support of what is a highly unusual project. And to my wonderful agent, Philippa Milnes-Smith, for her hand-holding and enthusiasm for the book.
As the Irish writer Oscar Wilde once said: “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” With your wonderful work for this collection, you have all reached for the stars, and ‘Beyond’. Together, we have created a glowing universe of space dogs and ice queens, invisible cats and warriors brave.
Now it is up to you, dear reader, to continue the journey. Read the magical stories within these pages and let your imagination fly.
Sarah Webb
Gordon Snell is a writer and broadcaster, and the author of more than forty books for children and adults, published in Ireland, England, Australia, Canada and the United States. He also writes song lyrics, musicals and opera librettos for the stage, and for BBC and RTE radio and television. He lives in Dalkey, County Dublin.
Michael Emberley was born near Boston into a family of children’s book artists, and had his first book, Dinosaurs, published at nineteen. Michael has spent the last thirty-five years travelling, writing and illustrating award-winning children’s books while he figures out what he wants to do next. Michael lives in County Wicklow, Ireland.
Silla loved winter. She loved the snow, especially when the snowflakes fell for days and days, and piled up in huge drifts against the windows. She loved the wild screaming winds that seemed to slice like cold steel knives through the air.
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