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tutors and mentors are volunteers. We have more than 400 of them.
    We had our own inspiration: we’d visited
826 Valencia
in San Francisco, a creative-writing centre established by the author Dave Eggers. We’d loved what we’d seen being done there – the way little kids were invited to put pen to paper, and the way monosyllabic teenagers were persuaded to write thousands of their own words. Since that project launched, similar creative-writing centres have opened all over the world: as well as our own
Fighting Words
here in Dublin, there are centres in Milan, Stockholm, London, Barcelona, Paris, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Sydney, with plans for ones in Belfast, Vienna and Buenos Aires. All of these creative-writing centres are linked together informally. They communicate regularly, sharing ideas and experience.
    Writing is a solitary occupation – eventually. But having witnessed it again and again over the last five years, we know that if it begins as a collective exercise, as a bit of fun, then by the time the children start to write by themselves, they produce better, more confident work. They’ve seen what they can do, the simple things that can make a good line brilliant, and they’re keen to give it a go themselves.
    Quite soon after we opened, often at the suggestion of artists from other disciplines who wanted to get involved, we started to run programmes tailored towards other types of writing, including film scripts, plays, graphic novels, radio drama, journalism, songwriting and film animation. As with those we run for creative writing, the demand by children to participate is consistently staggering, and their creativity is extraordinary.
    We think creative writing is an essential part of every child’s education. We want to give as many children as possible the opportunity to engage with their imaginations and see what possibilities are then opened up for them.
Fighting Words
is not state-funded, and our existence is dependent on people who believe passionately in what we do – like the writers and artists who have written and illustrated these brilliant stories. We are especially grateful to a great friend of
Fighting Words
, Sarah Webb – the creative- and driving force behind this wonderful collection.
    Roddy Doyle & Seán Love
    All profits made from the sale of this book go to
Fighting Words
, a registered charity.

About the Author and Illustrator
    Marita Conlon-McKenna is one of Ireland’s best-loved authors. Her award-winning novels for children include
Under the Hawthorn Tree
, which has been translated into over a dozen languages and
The Blue Horse
, both number one bestsellers.
Under the Hawthorne Tree
was also televised for Irish, British and American audiences. Marita lives in Dublin.
    Check out her website:
    www.maritaconlonmckenna.com
    P. J. Lynch has been working as an illustrator for over twenty-five years and has won many awards in that time, including the Mother Goose Award, and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal on two occasions. P. J. lives in Dublin with his wife and their three children.
    Check out his website to see more of his work:
    www.pjlynchgallery.com

About the Publisher
    Australia
    HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
    Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
    Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
    http://www.harpercollins.com.au
    Canada
    HarperCollins Canada
    2 Bloor Street East – 20th Floor
    Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
    http://www.harpercollins.ca
    New Zealand
    HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
    P.O. Box 1
    Auckland, New Zealand
    http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
    United Kingdom
    HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
    77–85 Fulham Palace Road
    London, W6 8JB, UK
    http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
    United States
    HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
    195 Broadway
    New York, NY 10007
    http://www.harpercollins.com