FAQs
When is your next book coming out?
No 5 - ‘New Magic’ - will be published in March 2010.
How many Sprite Sister books will there be?
Five in this current series, but the sisters may spin off into another series.
Where do you get your ideas?
I like watching people and am very observant. It’s the small things that intrigue me, the little details. I think a lot about human relationships.
I get ideas all the time – things flash in to my mind. It might be the idea for a whole new story or a small detail for one of the characters.
Ideas come when I am quiet. I do a lot of thinking when I am walking in the countryside or sitting by myself, looking at a view. I keep a notebook handy at all times. It’s really important to write ideas down. You think you will remember them, but it’s easy to forget things.
If I am trying to work out a bit of plot, I walk along talking in to a digital voice recorder. That way, I can let my mind roam freely, without having to worry about stopping to write things down. I copy the bits I need into my notebook later.
Where did you get the idea for the Sprite Sister stories?
The idea popped into my mind as I was sitting in bed writing my diary, at 1.30am on 22nd January 2007. I wrote down one sentence, ‘Four girls with magic powers - east, south, north and west’. From that, the idea grew very quickly. I realised I could base the stories, in part, on my own childhood as one of four sisters growing up in a big country house.
Which Sprite Sister are you most like?
Each of the Sprite Sisters is, in part, some aspect of me. I have Flame’s passion and quick, firey nature. I am empathetic and lively, like Marina. I love being outside and thinking deeply about things, like Ash. And I was incredibly naughty as a little girl, just like Ariel!
When I do the Sprite Sister quiz, I come out as Flame.
Do you believe in magic?
Absolutely!
Where were you born?
In Norfolk, on the east of England. I love the county and have lived here most of my life. It is a big, rural area with a lot of wide spaces and forests. I also enjoy that fact that we are close to the sea.
Where do you live now?
In Norwich, Norfolk. Norwich is a walled, medieval city, rich in history. It has some wonderful architecture, including many interesting churches. I like the fact that the city has a human scale and that you can walk across it in half an hour.
Do you have children?
My son, Alex is 28 and a land agent. My daughter, Rosie, is 25 and an artist. They read my manuscripts before I send them to the publisher and are very encouraging.
What were your favourite books as a child?
I absolutely loved Alan Garner’s ‘The Weirdstone of Brisingamen’, which is very creepy. I also loved stories about ponies. Monica Edward’s ‘The White Riders’ was another favourite. Ursula le Guin’s ‘Wizard of Earthsea’ trilogy became favourite books when I was a little older.
What did you like doing most as a child?
Reading, when I was inside the house – and watching old films.
Most of the time, I was outside with the animals. We were very lucky to have a big garden and had ponies, dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens and a pig. At one point, we had 63 guinea pigs!
I also spent a lot of time observing the natural world around me - wild animals, birds, plants, trees and fungi. In my teens, I was a keen photographer.
Words of advice to would-be writers
- Take note of your dreams and daydreams.
- Give time and space to thinking quietly. Ideas need reflection.
- Trust your instinct, however odd your idea may seem. If it feels good, it probably is good.
- Have a story running in your head as you watch people, ‘I wonder what would happen if …’
- Write because you enjoy it.
- A good story starts at a point of change.
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