GIRLS FC – my new series

Girls FC logo (registered trademark)

Here come the girls! My new series for 8-12 year olds is now significantly advanced enough for me to write about.  The covers are done, the launch is being planned, the characters are all set… wahoo!

Based around an U11s girls’ football team, the Parrs, the series is a mix of my usual reality-bites-but-with-laughs story-lines. It kicks off with 9 year old football mad Megan Fawcett. All she wants is to get five minutes on the pitch for her school team but Mr Glasshouse, headmaster and coach, believes only the Y5s and Y6s should play in the first team.  He barely notices her, even when she wears fairy wings and a tiara to training.  So, after a chance meeting with Hannah Preston from the senior women’s squad, Megan starts her own team. A team just for girls; some from school, some from after school club and one from Lornton FC’s ground caught nicking stuff from the changing rooms!

So (drum roll please) It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Parrs U11s

Megan Fawcett (goalkeeper) Dynamic, a born organizer but gets very nervous before a match

Petra Ward (defence) Megan’s best mate. Joins the team to be with Megan rather than to play football. At home she feels she is in the shadow of her pony obsessed sister Charlotte.

Lucy Skidmore (defence)  A natural athlete. Loves all sports.  Mum and dad have just split up which proves a problem for weekend matches (among other things)

Daisy and Dylan McNeil (wingers)  Crazy identical twins not quite on the planet

Holly Woolcock (defence) Step-mum is a dinner lady at Megan and Petra’s school. Self conscious about her weight

Nika Kozak (midfield) Newly settled from the Ukraine trying her hardest to fit in

Jenny-Jane Bayliss (midfield)  Known as Ball Hog Bayliss because once she as the ball she won’t let go.

Tabinda Shah (midfield) Dad sponsors the team

Gemma Hurst (central midfield)  Extraordinary talent but with a secret she doesn’t want to share

Eve Akboh (striker) Makes everyone laugh.

Amy Minter (anywhere) Known as Li’l Posh. More into fashion than football; she drives the team mad by not taking things seriously enough.

The first four titles – Do Goalkeepers Wear Tiaras?  Can Ponies Take Penalties? Are All Brothers Foul? and Is An Own Goal Bad? are all due out on August 3rd published by Walker Books. Watch this space!!