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Hello Francesca Simon and Welcome Back Charlie Higson!

Chris chats to the two remaining bestselling authors on our judging panel: Charlie Higson, who is back for a third year and our brand new family member, Francesca Simon!

It's day four of 500 WORDS launch week (anyone written their story yet?!) and Chris chats to the two remaining best-selling authors on our judging panel: Charlie Higson, who's back for a third year, and our brand new family member, Francesca Simon!

Charlie is probably best known as one of the creators of The Fast Show, but his hugely popular Young Bond books have sold over a million copies, in the UK alone, and been translated into over 24 languages! In 2013, Charlie published The Fallen, the fifth book in a zombie series which terrifies teens!

Francesca Simon's most successful creation is the irrepressible Horrid Henry, whose adventures have been published in 27 languages and sold in their millions! Francesca is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Horrid Henry at the 2014 Hay Festival of Literature and Arts.

Last year 500 WORDS attracted more than 90,000 entries. It's open to children aged 13 and under and the rules are simple: Make up a story, and write it down, using no more than 500 words. And every single story submitted will be read by a brilliant, book-loving, army of librarians and teachers from around the UK.

For more information about the competition, and for writing tips, lesson plans and tools to help children get writing, visit www.bbc.co.uk/500words.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Last on

Thu 23 Jan 2014 06:30
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Archie Bell & the Drells

    Soul City Walk

    • Midnight Soul (Various Artists).
    • Music Club.

  • Katy B

    Crying For No Reason

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.

  • The Bangles

    A Hazy Shade Of Winter.

    • Bangles Greatest Hits.
    • CBS.

  • Blues Brothers

    Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

    • Simply The Best Movie Album (Various).
    • Warner Strategic Market.

  • James Blunt

    Heart to Heart

    • Moon Landing.
    • Atlantic.
    • 004.

  • David Bowie

    Changes

    • David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
    • EMI.

  • Boyzone

    Light Up The Night

    • BZ20.
    • Rhino.
    • 001.

  • Laura Branigan

    Gloria

    • Disco Queens: The '80s (Various Artists).
    • Rhino.

  • Del Amitri

    Roll To Me

    • Twisted.
    • A&M.
    • 007.

  • Eliza Doolittle

    Pack Up

    • (CD Single).
    • EMI.
    • 1.

  • Eurythmics

    Who's That Girl?

  • Faces

    Stay with Me

    • Glam Crazee - Various Artists.
    • Virgin.

  • Foreigner

    Cold As Ice

    • 40.
    • Rhino Atlantic.
    • 3.

  • Dobie Gray

    Out On The Floor

    • The Best Northern Soul All-Nighter (V.
    • Virgin.

  • Jamiroquai

    Virtual Insanity

    • Walk On - Hits From The Last 2 Decade.
    • Columbia.

  • Keane

    Won't Be Broken

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
    • 001.

  • Al Martino

    Spanish Eyes

    • The Best Album In The World ...Ever!.
    • BMG.

  • OneRepublic

    If I Lose Myself

    • (CD Single).
    • Interscope.
    • 001.

  • The Police

    Spirits In The Material World

    • The Police - Message In A Box (Cd 3).
    • A&M.

  • Gregory Porter

    Liquid Spirit

    • Liquid Spirit.
    • Blue Note.
    • 001.

  • Pretenders

    Talk Of The Town

    • The Pretenders - The Singles.
    • WEA.

  • The Rolling Stones

    Brown Sugar

    • The Rolling Stones - Forty Licks.
    • Abkco.

  • Kate Rusby

    The Village Green Preservation Society

    • (CD Single).
    • Pure Records.

  • Simple Minds

    Glittering Prize

    • Glittering Prize - Best Of Simple Min.
    • Virgin.

  • Cat Stevens

    Another Saturday Night

    • The Very Best Of Cat Stevens.
    • Island.

  • Paul Weller

    That Dangerous Age

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.
    • 1.

  • Al Wilson

    The Snake

    • The Best Northern Soul All-Nighter (V.
    • Virgin.

  • Amy Winehouse

    Tears Dry On Their Own

    • (CD Single).
    • Island.

  • The Zombies

    She's Not There

    • The Godfathers Of Britpop.
    • Polygram Tv.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

From Sarah Joseph, Editor of Emel, the Muslim lifestyle magazine:

Ìý

When I was a little girl I wanted to be a writer. I would write short stories and poems all the time. If the 500 Word Competition had been around then, I would certainly have had a go.

Ìý

My words would take me to a place away from my world.

Ìý

When I was eleven my English teacher declared to the class, "This homework is rubbish. None of you will ever become writers." I am sure it did not affect everyone in the class, but it felt like he knew my secret, and had crushed it in his hands. For a long time, I stopped writing, but the longing in my heart to create through words did not leave me.

Ìý

I know the teacher meant no harm, but it took me a while to find the courage to write again. Eventually I began once more, for the words in my head wouldn't stop, but to this day I never say I am a writer although I have written hundreds of thousands of words in my life.

Ìý

There is something about the creative process that exposes you and makes you vulnerable, yet it fascinates me.

Ìý

As such, I am a compulsive crafter. At the moment my crafts are embroidery--for when I am sitting down at home or on the train. ÌýAnd stained glass and paper marbling for when I have more space and time.

Ìý

Like writing, I discover that all of the crafts never come out exactly as I imagine them in my head. I used to get frustrated by this, but now I am more accepting.

Ìý

Paper marbling is a particularly curious art form. You float paint on water, with a delicate swirling you make a pattern and then you take a print onto paper. One spends a lot of time preparing, yet despite this, there can be no guarantees as to what will come out. Even the Masters of this art cannot guarantee the results. Each piece of marbling is totally unique—just like every human.

Ìý

For me, the creative process is a metaphor for life. To do anything meaningful you have to take risks: risks of rejection, risks of failure, but the uniqueness and beauty of what you can create, and the life you can live, makes those risks worthwhile.

Broadcast

  • Thu 23 Jan 2014 06:30
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.