Guest Northern Highlights Wigtown Book Festival Can you start by telling us about the origins of the Book Festival in   Wigtown ? In the mid-1990s, it was suggested that a ‘book  town ’ on the model of Hay-on-Wye would be a good way to help regenerate a community in Scotland. Six small towns with varying economic needs submitted bids. Half were from Dumfries & Galloway – Gatehouse of Fleet, Moffat and  Wigtown . The others were Dalmellington, Dunblane and Strathaven. An international panel chose  Wigtown . At the time, t he former county   town   of Wigtownshire was at its lowest ebb. There were many empty and run-down properties, and the almost derelict County Buildings on the   town   square were threatened with demolition.  Wigtown   then had one of the highest levels of unemployment in Scotland, but the   town   boasted a beautiful setting and a rich history.  In 1999 the Scottish Government acknowledged   Wigtown   as Scotland’s National Book   Town , and in the same year, t

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS Neil Clark Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?  I’m based in Leavening, a small village in the Yorkshire Wolds. I would describe it as hilly, windy and picturesque! What is special to you about illustrating children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it? The most special part of creating children’s books is the obvious one - seeing kids enjoy the end result. You can’t beat that feeling! As for the working itself, I love the fact that a book can be a long term project. Something to really get your teeth into, with a huge amount of thought and enjoyment thrown into it.  Tell us about the most recent books you've worked on I’ve got a few books on the go at the moment. I’m writing and illustrating a series for Ladybird, which is a dream come true. The first book, Crash! Bang! Wallop! was published last August. It’s a celebration of noise, and quiet. Being a quiet child, it’s a topic really close to my heart. I’m