Homebird

BOTTLE BOY
Beneath the headline is a picture of a wild-eyed kid, a broken bottle in his hand - crazy, violent, the stuff of parents' nightmares.

You guessed it. The Bottle Boy is me.

Nicky Morrison's parents have big plans for him. Wanting him to be successful and conventional, they send him away to boarding school. But a few weeks later, Nicky is on the run.

Trying to make sense of his world, he joins a group of squatters. The freedom they offer seems just what he needs. But their leader, Scag has sinister plans for Nicky. Soon his life is slipping dangerously out of control, and so is his chance of ever going home again.

To tell the truth, I don't really know where this story came from. All I know is that it is one of the stories I am most proud of. I woke up one day and Nicky Morrison, a boy who runs away from home, was in my head, demanding to tell his story. I wrote the book incredibly fast, almost as if I were haunted, and found it a very moving and exciting experience. I wonder what has happened to Nicky now.

The Mail on Sunday Teenage Book of the Year chosen by Sue Townsend, creator of Adrian Mole.

"Funny and compassionate" ---> Val Hennessy, Daily Mail

"A brilliant read. action-packed, fast-moving, amusing, funny." ---> Early Times

"The story is riveting with plenty of action and suspense. Blacker is a master of wit.This book will hold the readers' attention all the way to its haunting conclusion." ---> School Library Journal