posted by Margaret Thompson, Library Assistant, Arbroath High School 

The Dundee and Area Children’s Book Group, a voluntary organisation funded by school memberships and book sales, organises testing for The Children’s Book Award.  As Arbroath High School Library is one of the testing places, it was chosen for a visit by award winning author, film maker and climber Matt Dickinson.

Matt’s hugely entertaining talk to S1 pupils about his travels and filming in the breath-taking terrain of the Himalayas and Antarctica and his accent of Mount Everest was illustrated with stunning photography and film. He talked about the frightening, funny and sometimes tragic things that happen when trying to survive altitudes of over 7000 metres and temperatures of minus 70 degrees.

Later in the morning, Matt spoke to Media studies pupils and gave them tips on how to increase their chances of working in television and film. He advised them to choose a subject they were passionate about, become a specialist in it and communicate that passion in as many ways as possible. Matt showed them his own beautifully produced, short films on his blog and on YouTube all made using just his phone. He was open about how hard it is to get published and to stay positive in the face of rejection; his first novel, Mortal Chaos, took ten years to write and was given the thumbs down by 16 publishers before finally being accepted. His encouraging message to budding authors and film-makers is: “Don’t give up on your dream!”

Matt stayed to sign copies of his recent novels The Everest Files, North Face and Lie Kill Walk Away which sold by the boxful and were spotted later being read in various corners of the library. “Awesome!” was the general consensus on his visit and his books.