Being a teacher and working with children is what inspired me to write. I want to be part of their learning journey, supporting early literacy skills and helping prepare children for school. My own love of books began from a young age and played a big part in my learning of English. I write hoping that my stories will inspire, teach and entertain the next generation.
How do I know my book is finished?
Making changes is part of the writing process. But as an author you can recognise when something sounds right based on the flow of the beat in the sentence and feels right based on your instincts and creativity. Words slot into place and naturally you will know if it is the perfect fit or if you aren’t 100% happy with it. These words are the ones you tend to go back to and change later. Writing is very personal and will be different for each person. For me, it is a balancing act and the entire process is a delightful, intellectual challenge.
How hard is it to think of new ideas?
This hasn’t been a problem so far – there are many things that happen around me as part of my day-to-day life that inspire me and trigger new ideas for stories. I tend to write these down and add to them because ideas grow and you can’t always control when ideas come to you. You could be in bed or in the car. I also ask other teachers what they think is important for children to learn about and take the ideas of others on board.
Who is my favourite character?
Clawdius – he is the first character I ever thought up so he is special to me.
If I wasn’t an author what would I have been?
A teacher (which I am) or working in film and television.
Where do I write?
At home when I am by myself so I can concentrate.
What was my favourite book as a child?
I don’t remember having a favourite book in particular. I devoured books, I couldn’t get enough. When one ended I would move immediately onto the next one. I enjoyed reading series like Tomorrow when the war began, I read the Harry Potter books – I liked stories with characters I could relate to (e.g. characters that were roughly my age) that were having amazing adventures!
How do I come up with character names/character designs?
I can only start to think about my characters once I have decided on the letter I want to focus on in my story, and the lesson I want readers to take away at the end. Once this is decided, I can begin to figure out the details of who is in the story and how the story will unfold. Sometimes it is easy, as I will link names or animal characters specifically to the chosen letter. This was the case with Fiona and Finn in The Fair Factor. In Wolf’s Wishing Well my characters include Wolf, Wallaby, Wart hog, and Wombat. I can brainstorm characters options and decide which one will work best within the story.
Did I like writing as a child? Was I good at writing at school?
I really enjoyed school and writing but at the time I never imagined I would end up being an author. The idea never really crossed my mind and I wouldn’t have known where to begin.
Is there a lot of money to be made from writing or do you need another job too?
For me personally, it is something that started as a hobby which I did in my spare time. I’ve had to learn a lot along the way – I’ve written a story, now what do I do with it? How do you create a book? Learning this has taken time and I am now trying to build on it to make it something more. I hope to be able to spend more time on writing in the future but having my teaching job has definitely been necessary. There are costs involved in making a book, and you only start to get this back when people buy your book – and you need to sell a lot. To do this you need to invest a lot of time into marketing and sales – which can be tricky when you have another job.
When did I start writing?
My first book came out in 2015 but I was writing a few years prior to this. I was also writing songs and I enjoyed writing poems as a teenager.
Do I have any exciting projects planned for the future?
My next Literacy Tale is currently being illustrated and is set under the sea! It links to the letter O and features a forgetful octopus and his helpful friend orca whale. This story will be a lesson for readers in independence, responsibility and managing yourself.
What do I do in my spare time?
I love spending time with my 2-year-old son and going on our own little adventures. Riding bikes, visiting playgrounds, and exploring the outdoors are some of the things we enjoy doing.