Lari Online
Here are a few links to online resources which might give you a bit of story fun and might give you a few ideas for story activities:
Online events:
An event I did for the Summer Reading Challenge, with the theme #ScottishSillySquad,
I read the Big Bottom Hunt and told a traditional tale about tails for the Scottish Libraries youtube channel
Suitable for ages 4 – 7 yrs, and everyone who loves a bit of silliness
you can find the event HERE
An event I did for the Edinburgh International Book Festival about
Fierce Fearless and Free
Eilidh Muldoon and I chatted about how we wrote (me) and illustrated (Eilidh) the collection of myths and legends about strong girls. And I told a story about a huge serpent, while Eilidh illustrated it – which was a highlight of the summer for me!
you can find the event HERE
An event I did for the Wigtown Book Festival
I told another story from Fierce Fearless and Free, took part in a
and I’ll also take part in a Q&A chaired by the lovely Vivian French
you can find the event HERE
An event I did for the Scottish Book Trust’s BBC Authors Live,
with James Robertson, all about Scots, folklore and Halloween – in which I told a witchy tale from Breaking the Spell.
You can find the event HERE.
Traditional tales and Storytelling
A retelling of my favourite Scottish fairy tale, as part of a storytelling session for Authors Live, along with fabulous storytellers Mara Menzies and Peter Chand. (I’m about 30 minutes in, but please watch Mara and Peter too, because they’re wonderful…)
the start of a Siberian legend about a girl and a giant snake
the start of a Sumerian myth about a goddess wrestling a mountain
the start of an Armenian folktale about a girl meeting something dangerous on the edge of the forest
Here’s a fab story map to download, showing where all the stories in Fierce Fearless And Free come from, but you could add your own favourite stories!
Picture Books
Me reading The Legend of the First Unicorn, showing Nataša Ilinčić’s fantastic illustrations
An extract from Secret of the Kelpie, with lots of Philip Longson’s amazing illustrations
Me making a mess of my kitchen while reading Orange Juice Peas
Another story map! This time it’s a map of kelpie lore and tales from all around Scotland. Is there a kelpie story set in a loch or river near you? If not, you could invent one!
A Unicorn Map of Scotland! Find your local unicorn, or even add your own local unicorns!
Writing tips
The Scottish Book Trust filmed me talking about three different aspects of writing when we were in Northern Ireland on a Scottish Friendly author tour, so here are the clips.
Top Tips for Creating Great Characters
How to Write Great Cliffhangers
I hope you find them interesting, and if they inspire you to write anything, or if you want to ask my any questions, please get in touch! (Twitter @LariDonWriter, email info@laridon.co.uk)
YA Thriller
An extract from MindBlind on location in Leith
An extract from MindBlind on the Royal Mile
Audio / Radio
short stories I wrote for BBC Scotland Schools Radio:
The Holly and the Ivy, a story set at midwinter, written for upper primary age
Fairies Be Gone, a story inspired by Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, written for upper primary age
The Dragon at the Bottom of Our Garden, a story inspired by folklore from Dundee and Warsaw, written for early primary age
Saying Goodbye to Grandpa’s Garden, and How to Build an Igloo – stories about autumn and winter, written for early primary age
Book Trailers
The Maze Running book trailer (which I can take no credit for, it was made by my publishers Floris Books, but is rather fab)
Also made by Floris Books – the MindBlind booktrailer
Why not design or script or storyboard or even film a book trailer for your favourite book, or a book you wish someone would write? (Then write it yourself?)
Interviews, talks, various other examples of Lari blethering
A film of me talking about why we love monsters at an RSE event in Inverness (this is quite a long one, but it has pictures!)
An interview about my writing process, especially Secret of the Kelpie and the Fabled Beasts
An interview about the Fabled Beast Chronicles, especially Maze Running, filmed beside a maze!
An interview I did with the RSE about writing stories:
An interview I did with the RSE about being an author (basically just the other half of the interview above)
Here are a couple of other good places to find story resources:
the Scottish Book Trust learning resources page
the Book Trust have some fun page
If you want to ask me any questions about stories or writing, or show me any stories or pictures you have created after watching any of these links (or reading any of my books!) please either tag me on Twitter (@LariDonWriter) or email me (info@laridon.co.uk).
Here are other places you can find me online.
You can find me fairly regularly on:
and occasionally on:
Instagram as laridonwriter (sorry, I can’t work out how to link to it, but if you use instagram, you probably already know how to find me!)
and on my own blog, whenever I have a minute (and something to say)
