Bestselling children’s author Derek Keilty has told of his excitement at the prospect that his popular “Ivy Newt” book series could be turned into a movie.

As well as writing the books, the author is well known for his trips to primary schools across Northern Ireland and beyond where he puts on interactive shows and runs creative writing workshops for children.

He said: “When I was in P5 I had a wee bear and I used to write stories about him. I used to make them into wee books and do the cover and the blurb and the illustrations.

“When I got bigger and I still liked doing that, my own twin girls were starting to bring home wee books, I remembered doing that and thought I’d have a go at writing.

“It was around 2000. I started sending off my stories and I was fortunate in 2003 I got my first book published Going Back Up The Beanstalk.

“Ivy is the first series I’ve had that has gone into the States so I am hopeful of good sales there.”

Mr Keilty will travel to New York to publicize the series. He also said he was excited about the potential of a movie deal.

Previously, the rights to his book Will Gallows and the Snake-Bellied Troll were bought by Sir Elton John’s film company Rocket Pictures, but the movie was not made.

He said: “There is a guy in the States who is looking at both Ivy and Will Gallows again. Will was looked at many years ago but never made it into a film.

“It is very difficult and it can take a long time but there is some interest in Ivy at the moment so hopefully that will pan out.”

“I try to make it interactive. There will be a lot of excitement from the kids. I like to give them not just a reading, but also a bit of a show, a bit of an event.