I want to write funny and exciting stories that will make even the most reluctant readers keep turning the pages. Books and stories have always been an important part of my life and I love the thought of my stories filling children’s dreams and imaginations.
How do you know your book is finished? How do you stop adding and changing words?
When I’d rather tidy up than do another edit, I know that I’m close. At that point I’ll send the book to my editor and hope that she agrees with me. And if she doesn’t, at least we’ll have a very clean house.
How hard is it to think of new ideas?
Ideas are always bouncing around inside my head, begging me for attention while I’m driving my car or doing the dishes. I’ll play with one for a while and if it doesn’t lead anywhere I’ll move onto a new one. I find that as long as you keep playing with ideas, new ones will keep coming.
Who is your favourite character?
My favourite character (of mine) is Blush, a creature that jumps from body to body, feeding off people’s embarrassment. It finds itself in a school and causes all sorts of blush-inducing mischief. You’ll find it in my upcoming book, Body-Hopping Hysterics.
If you were not an author what would you have been?
I was a primary school teacher for 12 years and chose to leave the profession to focus on my writing. If I hadn’t followed my calling I would still be educating kids, rather than entertaining them.
Where do you write?
I have a little writing desk in the corner of our living room. Most of my writing is done between 5 and 7am, so it’s usually quiet enough. And if it isn’t, I have a pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
What was your favourite book as a child?
Fungus the Bogeyman, by Raymond Briggs. I read it so many times that my copy disintegrated.
How do you come up with character names?
Some are plucked from my life experiences, perhaps the names of old friends or family members. Others are taken from baby name websites. Most of the ones I choose for my main characters are names that I love that didn’t get used up on my kids.
Did you like writing as a kid? Were you good at writing at school?
No. I liked reading and telling stories and jokes, but didn’t like writing at all, mostly because I wasn’t very good at it. My spelling was awful and I was such a slow writer that I rarely managed to get to the exciting part during the allotted timeframe.
Can you make a lot of money from writing or do you need another job too?
Some people make a lot of money from their writing, but I’m not one of them (yet!), so I have a day job to keep the kids clothed and fed.
When did you start writing?
I was teaching in international schools around the world and many of the classrooms I taught in lacked decent resources. I therefore started writing stories that related to the children and what they were studying. Before long other teachers were commissioning work and I started to believe in my writing abilities.
Do you have any exciting projects planned for the future?
Yes, the second collection of Bonkers Short Stories is coming soon. And I also have a book of jokes coming out next year. But be warned: some of them are pretty bad.
What do you do in your spare time?
With three young children, a day job and a writing business I don’t have much spare time. However, if I did you might find me hiking with my family, pottering in the garden or reading a book on the beach.