Visiting schools is one of my favourite things to do as an author – if I could, I’d do it all the time (except I know I might not get any writing done …). I love every single school I visit – but this weekend I did a school talk that was particularly special to me.

I went to Cheltenham Ladies’ College when I was 13. It’s the reason why I created Deepdean, and Daisy and Hazel – it really was the place where my books began. It’s a wonderful (and wonderfully odd) place, with a lot of amazing history, and I was very privileged to be able to go there.

I have a lot of memories of sitting in the big main hall for assemblies, watching people stand on the podium and talk to us and thinking that I NEVER wanted to have to get up and give a speech myself.

So it was both completely incredible and completely bizarre to find myself standing at that very podium, staring down at the girls who go to Cheltenham now as I talked to them about my books. Of course, they are all just as clear as I used to be about which of their teachers might turn out to be a murderer, and reading them the scene in Murder Most Unladylike when Hazel runs into the Gym to find Miss Bell on the floor was incredible and a bit creepy – they knew exactly what I was describing because they go into that gym every day.

I had a wonderful day, and loved knowing that I have so many fans at my school. Thank you to my audience, as well as the Cheltenham staff who looked after me so well. They are all FAR nicer than Hazel and Daisy’s mistresses!

Below are some pictures of the hall I spoke in. If you’ve always wondered what Deepdean’s main hall looks like … wonder no more.