11 Books that have influenced this pre-published author...

They say if you want to write, read. Read, read, read. And write, of course. So, having read Candy Gourlay’s blogpost about the Seven Books from the Last Decade that made her an Author, I started to ponder which books had particularly moved or influenced me. I’m not sure I want to particularly stick to just seven books, or confine them to the last decade because every book I read impacts in some way and there are books that I read as a child that told me that if I could do something like that, well, my life would be a good one.

So deviating slightly from the structure of Candy’s post (and Kathryn Evans, Vanessa Harbour and Dave Cousins - who've done similar posts) here’s my list of influential books, in no particular order (other than the first two):



Linnets and Valerians - Elizabeth Goudge
If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll have seen this one come up time and again. For me it is a classic case of magic and realism brought together beautifully and I suppose, no matter how “dated” the story may seem to a modern child, it is that deftness of touch and lyricism of words that always resounds for me.





The Little White Horse – Elizabeth Goudge
I read this story as a 10 year old, having borrowed it from a friend. Over the years I forgot its title but I never forgot the story - the magic had totally captivated me. Much to my delight, I found it had been reprinted earlier this decade – after JK Rowling had said it had been one of the books which had most inspired her journey to becoming a published author.





Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – JK Rowling
Of all the Harry Potter books this one stood out for me – it further developed the Potteresque world, was better written and combined, as Goudge had done, magic, myth and reality in a classic fantasy. The series per se, no matter what you think of the quality of the writing, opened up the world of reading to many non-reading children - and, in doing so it opened the market for writers and authors.




The Pure Dead series - Debi Gliori
OMG! This woman can make me laugh out loud, she gets humour so bang on and her imagination is a riot. I take my hat off to anyone who writes children’s humour with such insight and ability to tickle the funny bone. Although I don’t write humour, I am well aware of how difficult it is to do and get right, and, moreover, I think every book, irrespective of genre, benefits from having even just a couple of lines which make the reader chuckle.




How I Live Now – Meg Rosoff
I wasn’t sure how I was going to like How I Live Now and I wasn’t sure I felt about it even when I’d finished reading the book. Meg Rosoff broke all sorts of barriers when she wrote this book and I soon came to realise that was exactly the reason why the book resonated for me - and resonated more the longer I thought about it. It’s a book that’s tough, it’s real and it’s powerful, and it’s written by an author unafraid to do things differently and tell the story in a way she has to tell it. Meg has gone on to become one of my favourite authors.



Lucas – Kevin Brooks
I list Lucas as it was the first Kevin Brooks book I read. Frankly, I’d happily list the lot (Road of the Dead, Killing God, Candy, they’re all up there amongst my top books). I love this man’s writing. He’s unafraid to tackle difficult subjects (in Lucas he deals with love, hatred, prejudice and jealousy), and he writes in a way that may be defined as both art and craft. He’s good, really good, and if I get to write anywhere near as well as him, tackling tough subjects head on and yet with insight, sensitivity and power, I’ll be happy.
(You can read my interview with Kevin Brooks here.)


Wicked Lovely – Melissa Marr
This is a book that brings me back almost full circle – it’s urban fantasy, myth and lore colliding head on with reality. It’s faeries and humans and all the confusion and hopes of being a young adult in-between. There’s romance, there’s grit, there’s magic – it’s the sort of mix that I would have loved to read as a 16 year old. It’s got everything that has timeless appeal to older teen girls.




Crossing the Line – Gillian Philip
This was the first of Gillian’s books which I read and I knew immediately I was in the hands (or between the pages) of an author who was going places. Like Kevin Brooks, Gillian is unafraid to tackle tough subjects – and to do so with tremendous insight - and deft touches of humour – take it from me, it’s not an easy balance to get right. Gillian’s honesty and her fearlessness really struck and resonated with me.
(You can read my interview with Gillian Philip here.)



Tall Story – Candy Gourlay
Candy is a writer whom one cannot help but admire and respect. I have watched her journey through the slushpile over the years. Her sheer determination to work at and hone her craft and achieve publication are credit to her, and the arrival of Tall Story on the shelves earlier this year proves that working at it and persevering are worth it. Tall Story is a triumph and in so many ways. It’s a story that blends magic, humour, reality and it makes you laugh and cry. Moreover, it’s a book that is superbly crafted and deserves every award for which it is being nominated. Of course, I am biased – Candy is my pal and critique partner and I’m kind of hopeful that some process of osmosis will occur…
(You can read my interview with Candy Gourlay here.)


City of Thieves – Ellen Renner
Now here’s another author (and pal and critique partner) who has honed her craft. For me, Ellen Renner’s characterization and her ability to “show not tell”, stands out from the crowd. She is also unafraid to tackle big subjects in a way which is accessible to younger children. If you want to learn about crafting a story, and enjoy a jolly good adventure which challenges your thinking at the same time, you couldn’t do better than reading this book.
(You can read my interview with Ellen Renner here and my review of City of Thieves here.)


Forbidden – Tabitha Suzuma
I’ll be honest, I struggled with Forbidden – and yet I couldn’t put it down. For me, what stands out is Tabitha’s ability to tackle the grittiest, the most challenging of subjects - and to do it bravely, honestly and without pandering to niceties and sensitivities. Forbidden is a story which challenges not only the reader and his/her perceptions, but, I suspect, heartily challenges the publishing industry as to what is acceptable reading for young adults. Yet Forbidden is also a book which is beautifully crafted and sensitively told. All credit to Tabitha for her courage in writing Forbidden.
(You can read my interview with Tabitha Suzuma here.)


You’ll probably have noticed that most of the books that stand out for me are written for teens or young adults – and that’s because I’m blown away by the quality and variety of writing for this age group and wish that books like these had been around when I was 16. I guess it also becomes pretty apparent that similar things constantly inspire and inform me – from craft to honesty, from perseverance to genre – and frequently the blending of realism with “magic” or the supernatural. But above all, I think it is the courage of each writer to boldly and deftly tell the stories they simply have to tell. With each book I read, with each aspect that stands out for me and which I take on board, I know my own writing grows stronger as does my confidence in telling the stories I know I too have to tell.

And the winners are...

The opportunity to win a signed copy of Ellen Renner’s wonderful children’s novel, City of Thieves has now passed.

And there are two winners.

Yes, it was all done properly. To the chagrin of my tree-hugging friends, I printed out all the entries, cut up the paper and folded it neatly. Then I put the names into a mixing bowl – sorry, no hat available – and tossed them together like a good salad, and got Lovely Husband to close his eyes and draw two names from the bowl.

So, I’m happy to announce that the winners are…

Michele Fabio of the blog Bleeding Espresso,

and

Alice – for whom I have no contact details.

So, Alice, would you please contact me by Monday 20th December - you will find an email address on the blog’s profile page - and let me have your postal details so Ellen can send you your copy.

Congratulations to both of you, and I hope you both enjoy reading Ellen’s wonderful story!

To the rest of you, I’m sorry you couldn’t all get a copy of City of Thieves, but thanks for entering!

UPDATE - 21 December 2010:

I've not heard from Alice and have no way of contacting her, so I've drawn another name from the mixing bowl - and this time the winner is BlueIceGal from the Fantasy4Eva blog. BlueIceGal, I'll be contacting you via your blog to get your postal details. Congratulations on the win!

UK Library Cuts - not my place to talk but I'll talk anyway

As a child I grew up on books. A few were bought for me, but many others were taken on loan from the public library. I remember the thrill of tramping up the worn wooden stairs and creeping between the bookshelves, my hands running over the book spines, stroking them. The local public library was a magical place of adventure. My tiny junior school library was even more magical - a large, pitch-painted, timber "wendy house" set under two towering pines. I was "librarian" for at least one term each year of junior school and I remember feeling so proud of my duties. The high school library was just as special - a darkened, hallowed space which offered me more books than I could dream of - it became my sanctuary, the place I escaped to each lunchtime.

I was privileged to have these places to go to, to find and read the books that I did. They fuelled my imagination, enhanced my love of reading and of learning, and ultimately they inspired me to do what I do now - to write for children. Critically, in the instance of this blog post, every book I read was written by a British author - Frances Hodgson Burnett, Elizabeth Goudge, E Nesbitt, Enid Blyton and many more... These writers and their books made my world a richer place, they showed me how deal with complex ideas and situations in a way which I could understand. They helped me to grow and I am privileged to have been able to access them.

By the time I reached university, where I spent hours in the several campus libraries, I realised what an incredible resource libraries were. I discovered interlibrary loans, archives and an absolute wealth of information that informed me. I could never have afforded to have bought all the books I devoured and I am deeply grateful to the library system for furthering my education, and in so many ways. Because this is what libraries do, this is what libraries are - incredible resources of information, education, enlightenment and personal growth

I am thus deeply saddened when I read the blog posts of so many of my British friends about planned library cuts in the UK. It strikes me as the most short-sighted move imaginable. It strikes me doubly, living in a place where libraries are in short supply and books are not a priority for children because they're too expensive and we have so many more pressing basic needs like education, healthcare and housing. The UK has something we do not. Aside from an established education and library infrastructure, it has a cultural love of books and it has produced some of the most remarkable storytellers and fiction writers in the world. It has something which has shaped the both the British and Commonwealth cultural landscape and continues to do so. The UK has, through its library system, something so precious to give its young people, something we, sadly, do not yet have. It has a culture of reading, where we do not. UK libraries serve the entire populace, we have considerably fewer libraries and ours serve only a minority. So when I read that the UK is planning on cutting its libraries, I want to smack my forehead, bang several heads together and ask if the UK government has taken leave of its senses. Does it not realise how reading fuels a child's imagination and helps them deal with the world? Does it not realise that reading develops the future capacity for learning and understanding? Does it not realise that in developing this capacity for learning and understanding in builds a nation and forges future leaders? And does it not realise the fundamental role and multiple roles its libraries play in this process?

While here, we battle to get people to realise the critical importance of reading fiction to enhance and enrich young lives, and call for libraries to be built, in the UK the goverment is taking what it has and is simply trashing it. If there was a way to take all UK libraries and transport them to Africa, I would gladly do it - such is the richness the UK government seeks to throw away, and to the great detriment of its populace and its future.

Truly, to take this precious thing and to cast it aside is nothing short of a singular and myopic travesty.

I realise, of course, that it is not really my place to talk out on this topic (not that that has stopped me!), so I refer you to some excellent posts on the subject of library closures written by friends.


Notes from the Slushpile - Bye Bye Libraries. Bye Bye civilization by Teri Terry
Notes from the Slushpile - Fight for our Libraries by Candy Gourlay
Central Scribble City - Library Emergency - The Unkindest Cuts of All by Lucy Coats
Philip Ardagh on Why Libraries Really, Really Matter.
Almost True - Who Uses Libraries by Keren David
Jon Mayhew on Can I borrow a Book?
Sarwat Chadda on Me and My Library
Nina Kilham on Libraries? Old Fashioned?
Mrs Bung Why You Should Care About Libraries by Kathryn Evans
Who Ate My Brain Thoughts from a Reluctant Library User by Nick Cross
KM Lockwood An Open Letter to MPs
Fifteen Days Without A Head on Why Libraries are Important by Dave Cousins
A Blogging Writer on Library Closures by Bryony Pearce
Sue Hyams on For the Love of Libraries

There are also several worthy comments and letters on The Campaign for the Book Facebook page. Also see Alan Gibbons' Campaign for the Book blog

And an erudite piece by Michael Rosen, the previous incumbent of the position of the UK's Children's Laureate.

Also take a look Voices for the Library which promotes the libraries in the UK.


If you are British and have read this - please, do something to support the fate of your libraries - and your country. Write to your MPs responsible for Culture and libraries, write to your local MP. Blog about it, Tweet about it. If you care about this, let your voice be heard. Don't wait until it is too late and too many of your libraries have gone.

An interview with children's author, Pat Walsh

It’s such a treat when someone you know becomes published. I think, as a “pre-published” writer, one rather hopes some of their good fortune will rub off on you! So it was with great excitement that I learned that Pat Walsh’s book, The Crowfield Curse, had been published by Chicken House.

I was fortunate enough to be in a small critique group with Pat several years ago. I knew the minute I read her work that it wasn’t going to be long before she was noticed. I also knew when I read the first few chapters of The Crowfield Curse (or The Crowfield Feather as it was then called) that Pat was writing a wonderfully lyrical and magical story.

The Crowfield Curse has just the right blend of everything – old magic, horror, suspense, thrills, fairies, monks and an orphaned boy with tremendous courage and compassion – and the Sight.

Pat’s characters are beautifully realised and depicted, from Will, the main character to Brother Walter, the hob whom Will rescues from a trap, from the mysterious Shadlok and his master, the leper Jacobus, to the monks of Crowfield Abbey. Together with rich characterization, Pat’s ability to evoke wonderful descriptions of the times (the story is set in 1347) brings the story vividly to life and it makes for an “unputdownable read”.

The Crowfield Curse is a story that will appeal to fans of Catherine Fisher, Dianna Wynne Jones, Susan Cooper and Steve Augard.


An Interview with Pat Walsh:

Children's author, Pat Walsh
(image courtesy of the author)

When I first started reading The Crowfield Curse, I hadn’t a clue the story would end as it did – and I found the ending, although absolutely right, unexpected. As the writer, did you plot The Crowfield Curse from beginning to end, or did the story, as is often the way, lead you to where it wanted to go?

When I began the book, I only knew it would be about an angel, found dying in the snow a hundred years before the story begins. I had no idea how the angel got there, or who killed it. I plotted out the first few chapters and was wonderfully lucky to be part of an online critique group who read and commented on the work as it progressed. (Thank you, Nicky!) Having that feed-back was just brilliant. After that, the story unfolded little by little. I would write a chapter or two and then stop and make notes as ideas for the next chapter presented themselves. The original ending of the book was different from the one that was published, but I wasn’t happy with it. After it was accepted for publication, my editor at The Chicken House, Imogen Cooper, asked me to look at the ending again. By that time, I had enough distance from the book to see what was wrong with it and put it right. If I’d worked out the plot of the story at the beginning, it would have made life a lot easier, but I just don’t seem to be able to write like that.


You’ve created a wonderfully sympathetic character in Will – has he been very alive for you as a character and in what way did he influence the “shape” of the story?

Will is a kind of ‘everyman’. He sees the strange world of magic unfold around him but is not a part it, nor is he involved in the religious life of the abbey. Hopefully, this allows the reader to identify with him. The reader and Will experience the magical and mystical elements of the story together, as outsiders. I’m fond of Will, he’s had a terrible couple of years and has come through them pretty well. Shortly after I began the book and was still trying to get to know my characters, I was on a train and a young boy of about fourteen got on. He was skinny and blond haired and was exactly right for Will. The poor boy is probably still telling his friends about the crazy stalker woman who sat and stared at him all the way from St.Albans to London!


You introduce a fascinating blend of medieval Christianity with the “old ways” of nature worship in The Crowfield Curse, which hints at how much has been lost in our understanding of the natural world. Is this something you personally feel strongly about?

It’s something I feel very deeply about. I look around at my small patch of England and see fields being developed for housing and new road systems, woods being cut down, orchards grubbed up. The ‘old ways’ are no longer a part of everyday 21st century life. We’ve become disconnected from nature in a way that has never happened before, and I think that’s a very dangerous thing. There are a million small, and not so small, tragedies playing out around the world every day. We’re losing rainforests at an unprecedented rate, entire species are being driven to extinction, oceans are being polluted, the list is depressingly long, and we’re not doing enough to stop it. We no longer respect nature and we’ve forgotten our place in it. OK, rant over.


I have to ask, given the way you seamlessly blend magic into the Crowfield world – do you believe in hobs and the fay – even if just a little bit?

I would love to believe in fays and hobs! I had an invisible friend as a child, and apparently I saw a leprechaun when I was five – though I don’t actually remember that. Since then, the fay have been keeping a low profile, but I live in hope…


Despite the dark elements of the story, which one sees in the Unseelie King, and to some extent in the Prior, you’ve nevertheless created a story filled with kindness, courage, compassion and ultimately hope. How important do you believe it is to create a balance like this in stories for young people?

It would be unrealistic to write a story that was relentlessly upbeat, full of good people doing nice things. A story with both good and bad characters is more believable and more satisfying. I think young people aren’t afraid of serious issues or dark elements in story, but they need a hopeful ending.


You work on archaeological sites and digs – to what extent does your “day job” influence your writing and do you find yourself more inclined to write historically based fantasy?

I’ve been involved with archaeology for most of my life, so it’s bound to have an effect on what I write. One thing I’ve always found, though, is that we can excavate settlements and pottery and other artefacts, but we can’t get close to the people. We can dig up their bones but we only get glimpses of the kind of people they were, what they believed in, what they thought, or even, once we get back to prehistory, what languages they spoke. Writing historical fiction is a way of putting flesh back on the bones. Writing fantasy with a historical background is a natural extension of that; it’s a way of exploring another dimension of those ancient lives.


The Crowfield Curse, as it currently reads, stands alone, yet there is clearly room for a sequel. Did you intentionally write a stand-alone novel or did you always intend to write more than one book? And if there is a sequel, can you tell us a little about it, just as a teaser?

I always intended William’s story to continue over several books. There are loose ends in the Crowfield Curse which are tied up in the next two books. The sequel, due out in early 2011, answers the question of what brought the angel to Crowfield Abbey a hundred years ago. It is a much darker book and deals with some disturbing ideas. There was one scene that made me feel very nervous as I wrote it, so much so that I had to get my coat and go and find a nice, cheerful coffee shop to sit in for an hour. With real people. I have since toned down that scene …


What has the road to publication been like for you – has it been a long slog or have you found it relatively easy to get published?

It has been a long, long slog! Like many writers, I have had my fair share of rejection letters. I have several unpublished novels taking up space on my PC, one or two of which I will rewrite one day. The rest are part of the learning process. I began the Crowfield Curse in 2007 and by a huge stroke of luck that was the year The Times/Chicken House children’s writing competition began. I sent off my book and it was shortlisted. It didn’t win (Emily Diamand’s wonderful book Reaver’s Ransom, now called Flood Child, won), but Chicken House decided to publish it anyway.

Several years ago, I was advised not to write historical fiction as it was very hard to sell, and not to even think about a fantasy based historical book, because publishers wouldn’t touch it with a barge-pole. I didn’t listen and went ahead and wrote Crowfield because that was what I really wanted to write. Luckily for me, The Chicken House are brilliant publishers who are willing to take a chance on work that does not have an immediately obvious market niche. I’d heard it said that getting published was often a matter of luck - getting your book before the right person at the right moment, and in my case that was absolutely true.


Who or what would you say are the key influencers of your writing?

Archaeology, the supernatural, myths and legends, and folklore have all been huge influences. I grew up with an Irish mother and grandmother who told wonderful ghost stories. When I was a child and teenager growing up in Leicestershire, we were the only family in my neighbourhood who celebrated Halloween - not the way it’s celebrated now but the traditional Irish way. We carved Swedes and turnips instead of pumpkins (not easy, believe me!). My mother baked a barm brack – an Irish fruit loaf, with a pea, bean, coin, rag, stick and a ring baked into it. What you found in your slice of brack would be a portent of the year to come. How none of us ever choked on a coin or got a bit of stick wedged in our throats, I’ll never know. And always, there would be ghost stories. My grandmother, especially, lived with one foot in this world and one in the next. How could I fail to be inspired by such a woman?

There are so many writers whose work I’ve loved over the years and who have influenced me and inspired me. I couldn’t begin to list them all here, but amongst them would be John Gordon, Robert Westall, Susan Cooper, Alan Garner, Neil Gaiman, Paul Magrs, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black and Tove Jansson.


And finally, where to from here for Pat Walsh?

After the Crowfield stories are complete, there are two books I want to write – one is a historical fantasy but it is very different in feel and setting from The Crowfield Curse. The other is a contemporary ghost story. I also have a picture book planned. And after that? I have no idea, but I’m looking forward to finding out!


Many thanks to Pat for doing this interview and I truly hope she goes on to more great things, she certainly deserves it!

Learn more about Pat Walsh and The Crowfield Curse on Pat's website.
Buy the book from either Amazon or Chicken House.
Read author Mary Hoffman's review of The Crowfield Curse in the Guardian

An interview with YA author, Gillian Philip

Sometimes in life you just get lucky. I feel that way about having made friends on Facebook with Scottish author Gillian Philip. When I friended her (or she friended me – I forget which way round it was), I didn’t know anything about her, let alone what she’d written. But as is the way of these things, you get to know someone a little and you decide to read their books. Reading Gillian Philip's books has been a total treat for me. The strength of her voice and the honesty with which she deals with some tough subject matter makes me rate her up right up there with my favourite teen and Young Adult authors – who include Kevin Brooks and Meg Rosoff.

Basking in the Scottish sushine, Gillian claims not to miss the tropics.
Hmmm...
Photograph courtesy of Helen Giles

I’ve so enjoyed Gillian’s work that I’ve asked her to share some of her thoughts about her writing, and what she’s working on, here.

Let’s first talk about writing in general.

So here’s the old stock in phrase question, Gillian… What motivates you to write?

My overdraft! Just kidding… well, half-kidding… that’s what gets me to my desk in the morning, because I have to treat it like a regular job (what my mother would call a ‘proper’ job). But what really, seriously motivates me? Those characters banging on the inside of my skull demanding I tell their story. Isn’t that what motivates us all?

And that other classic question… Where do you get your ideas from?

For this one I used to quote a facetious Russell T Davies – ‘The Ideas Shop in Abergavenny.’ But no, I’m trying to take the question more seriously these days, because it’s a perfectly reasonable one!

The very worst moments are when I really have no idea what to write about, and those do happen. I’ll sit at my desk banging my head against a hot cup of coffee, but I know what I should do: either go for a long walk, or turn on the news.

I worked out the basic story for Crossing The Line when I was walking round Aberdeen, thinking of characters who would appear in it and the things they might get up to in certain locations. Some of them were the wrong characters: Allie started out as a little brother, before becoming a little sister in a blinding revelation. Some of them came out right the first time: Lola Nan sprang from my head fully formed in the middle of Springfield Road. Which was quite a sight.

My other favourite hunting ground is the news: headline stories, magazine articles, even opinion columns in the Sunday papers. It’s not the frontline stories I’m looking for, but the people in the background: the kid in the rubble looking for his football; the favourite niece of that adulterous footballer or politician; that murderer’s little brother, the one with the shocked face, who used to worship him. Once you readjust your focus and tune into the background noise, stories really are limitless. Well, the ideas are limitless. Turning them into stories is of course the hard part…

My starter collection of Gillian Philip's books - I'm expecting the pile to grow...

And then there’s that other one… How long, on average, does it take for you to write a book?

Ooh, tricky one. I’d estimate a first draft at between two and three months, but that really would be a rough first draft. It’s the rewriting and polishing that take the time, but that’s the part I enjoy the most. With edits and rewrites, I’m very nitpicky and I can never resist changing just one more word, one more scene. But getting it on a blank page to start with, that’s blood from a stone.

When did you start writing and was it a long slog to getting published – what was the journey to becoming a published author like?

It was a long slog, yes, but nothing I didn’t expect. I’d always wanted to write, but in a defeatist way I thought getting published would be impossible. So when I lived abroad for twelve years – I was jobless and childless and I had so much time I really should have been turning out two fat sagas a year or something – I wrote and sold short stories. I didn’t really enjoy them – I don’t think I’m that good at short stories – but I assumed I’d never sell anything longer, and I couldn’t think what to write anyway.

In 2001 I had my twins and came home to Scotland; at around the same time I discovered YA books (I bought them on the pretence of building a library for my kids’ future, but read them all myself). YA was in this golden age, and I found it was what I really wanted to write. I also discovered manuscript advice services like Hilary Johnson’s, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Then I had a few very frustrating years. I started with the attitude that I would give it my best shot, so that I wouldn’t be able to berate myself later in life for not trying. But of course, it doesn’t work like that, and the books I was writing became my complete obsession.
My worst moment came when my (eventual) agent, who had been agonising over a fantasy called Rebel Angels, eventually turned it down. I thought I’d blown my best chance. But she did then accept the novel that became Crossing The Line, and sold it to Bloomsbury; and in the meantime I’d sold Bad Faith to Strident, a small Scottish publisher – so I had two books published within a year. I’d say the whole process was no more difficult and frustrating than I expected, but it certainly needed doggedness, as well as a big dollop of brass neck. Writers do need a brass neck and a thick skin, so it was just as well I developed both!"

Waiting in the freezing Scottish mist for her son to take her photograph, Gillian's on the verge of changing her mind and going inside for something warming...

What would you say most motivates and informs your writing?

Probably when I get mad about something. I suspect I have a useful streak of misanthropy, but humans fascinate me, too – the things we do to each other in the name of politics or religion, love or revenge, envy, national pride, the movies of Richard Curtis… anything. I’m dreadful to my characters – that’s a writer’s job – but most of the time they will get through it all, because I love ’em, and I want them to win the day. Mostly…

How much contact do you have with your readers – and do you think contact with your readers is important?

I’d like to have more! I love meeting and talking to readers and yes, I think it’s hugely important. I almost can’t believe there are writers who wouldn’t want to talk about their books – even to readers who disliked them, if only so that you can argue the toss and try to convert them. I thoroughly enjoy school visits, love doing talks and workshops, could do Q&As for hours on end. JD Salinger I’m not.

Gillian with some of her readers
Image courtesy of Gillian's website

Now, let’s get into the actual books…

Like Kevin Brooks and Melvin Burgess, you’re not afraid to tackle really gritty subject matter, which involves protagonists who are in their mid teens. Cass, in Bad Faith is 15 and Allie (although not the main protagonist), in Crossing the Line, is the same sort of age. What motivated you to write these books - and for this age group?

It’s such a terrific age, a difficult, frightening, exciting age. It’s right in the heart of the teen years and secondary school, and you’re dealing with all those hormones, all that fear for the future; all that heartbreak, and optimism, and bravery…

I do like gritty subject matter, but I’m not trying to send messages or teach lessons. I want to tell gripping stories, make the reader care about the characters the way I do. And as I said, that usually means throwing the most awful stuff at the poor beggars.




Crossing the Line, which has been nominated for and won several awards, deals with, amongst other things, knife crime and has been banned in certain schools. What is your response to that? And why do you think it might be important for teens to read this sort of novel?

Yes, I was bewildered when I heard that (and pretty cross, obviously). Of course schools are entitled to stock whatever books they like, but the attitude was based on such a misreading of the book (or perhaps no reading at all). I was told (via a third party) that the ban was down to Crossing The Line ‘glamourising knife crime’… which simply isn’t true. The book does investigate how blades and violence hold an element of glamour for some young men, which is something I think we can’t ignore.

But I wasn’t out to send a message about anything – that’s what email’s for. I treated the theme responsibly, but essentially the novel was about my characters and their actions and decisions, and how they deal with some terrible events. I hope I never get so tangled up in issues that I forget the story. I don’t think it’s important for teens to read any particular sort of novel – I just think it’s important that they should read. Otherwise they’re missing out on so much!




Bad Faith deals with religion gone out of control. Your father was in the church so how did your own religious experiences inform the writing of Bad Faith and what is it you really wanted to get across in the book?

My father was a very liberal priest in the liberal and tolerant Scottish Episcopal Church, and that’s how I was brought up. I’m lapsed now, but I still have a great fondness for the Anglican church and I’ve been shocked by some of the attitudes it has allowed to stand in the name of unity. So together with the direction religions all over the world have been taking, it got me thinking about the desirability or otherwise of closer religious ties and church unity. Politics and religion do fascinate me, especially in conjunction, and for the background to this novel I wanted to write a world where the greatest world divisions were between secular states and theocracies.

But that’s the background! Mostly I wanted to write a heinous murder, with plenty of scandal, family secrets, blackmail, mystery and romance thrown in. I wanted to find out if my protagonists Cass and Ming could get together in the end without getting themselves killed!



You also write to commission and the Darke Academy series which is a fantasy/paranormal is quite different from some of your other work and is also written under a nom de plume, Gabriella Poole. How do you find writing to commission and what motivates you to do it? And, why the nom de plume?

The nom de plume Gabriella Poole actually belongs to the book packager Hothouse, who devised the Darke Academy series. This protects both the company and me, because if either of us want to bring the partnership to an end, Gabriella can continue to exist! It’s an increasingly popular phenomenon in publishing.

Hmm, what motivated me? Curiosity; the fact that they liked my sample chapter enough to offer me the job; the fact that I really liked the concept and the characters they came up with; a reliable pay day! I hugely enjoy working with the Hothouse team – it is of course completely different to working on my own novels with my own characters, but it’s collaborative and fun and lets me stretch my writing muscles.




In both Bad Faith and Crossing the Line you write with a remarkably powerful, connected and authentic voice, how do you feel then, about writing material that doesn’t come from the heart in the same way?

I couldn’t have taken on the Darke Academy contract if I didn’t like and engage with the characters. It’s true that they didn’t come from my brain, but I’m very, very fond of them (I confess to a deep affection for the sleazy Richard Halton-Jones).

When I got the brief, the outline and the concept attracted me straight away. I loved the idea that the school moved to a different exotic city every term, and I liked the uniqueness of the idea – these people weren’t vampires, but possessed by ancient spirits, and I wanted to find out where they came from (and I should add that we started work on the Darke Academy series before Twilight even appeared!)

It is a very different way of working: very much a team effort. My first draft – expanded from the editors’ outline – will always be altered, but then if I have some objection or quibble or a sudden idea, I know I can put it to the editors and that it will be considered very seriously, and more often than not worked in. It’s a bit like how I imagine it would be working for a US sitcom, or a British soap – the characters didn’t come from my head, but working together we can make them the best they can be, and keep them consistent and the story cohesive. It’s been tremendous fun working with Cassie, Ranjit and co. It’s not the same as my own work but I love it.

The Shades series

What sort of relationship do you have with your characters and do you find they really get into your head and stick there? Who, do you feel, has been your strongest character to date and why?

You know that song Can’t get you out of my head? Like that, but even more irritating.

But seriously… that moment when a new character takes up residence in a space in your brain, makes themselves at home and demands a drink and a bowl of olives: that’s one of the most fabulous moments in writing. But you know this, Nicky – I’ve heard you talk about your own characters!

Strongest characters… well, I hope my main character in each novel is the strongest. That’s what I’m aiming for of course, and if they weren’t, I’m sure someone else would have taken over the plot. I’m not sure which characters other readers would find powerful – objectively speaking I think Orla and Shuggie in Crossing The Line are strong characters in their own right…

As for my most tenacious character, the one who won’t leave me alone: that would have to be Seth in my upcoming Firebrand. The little sod. He started out as a villain, took over the story without so much as a by-your-leave, and I haven’t been able to get rid of him since. When I started writing Bad Faith – which came after the Sithe books in writing order – I thought I was going to need an exorcist.

You have another new series coming out this year with Strident Books. Can you tell us a bit about that?

That would be the Rebel Angels series, starring the aforementioned little sod. Firebrand is the first book; it’s set in Scotland at the end of the sixteenth century and tells the story of Seth MacGregor, who’s the son of a Sithe nobleman, at the time of civil war and rebellion in the Sithe world. The next three books in the series move right up to the 21st century and bring the characters into the modern world (they live a long time, those Sithe). The story has evil queens, treason, assassination, telepathy, witch trials, burnings, kelpies, monsters, car chases, junkies, betrayal and cat burglary. And romance, of course. (Can never resist that last one.)

What else do you have planned?

Right now I’m working on a second book for Bloomsbury, provisionally titled The Opposite of Amber. It’s another contemporary novel, like Crossing The Line, this time with a girl called Ruby as the main character. It’s another murder mystery, and there’s a serial killer involved…

And finally, a number of aspiring authors read this blog, what advice do you have for new and aspiring authors?

Just – do persevere! Persevere, and take advice from objective sources. I know how disheartening it can be, but the important thing is to keep writing. As soon as you send something off to an agent or a publisher – and before you hear back from them – start the next book. The more you write the better you get, and if you have the talent and you don’t give up, you’ll get there. Keep writing, and take note of constructive criticism and advice. And GOOD LUCK, aspiring authors!

Gillian Philip and furry friend
Photograph courtesy of Gillian's Facebook Fan Page

Many thanks to Gillian for agreeing to do this interview.

And can I just say – thank so much, Nicky, for inviting me! I feel equally lucky to have met up with you!


Do visit Gillian Philip at her website or her Facebook Fan Page and consider following her on Twitter: @Gillian_Philip

Gillian's books can be found on Amazon and a several other online bookstores.

Gillian Philip's bio can also be found on Hilary Johnson's website.

If you'd like to ask Gillian a question, do so in the comments section and she'll get back to you.

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

And with all things electoral behind us (the ANC did not get it's 2/3s majority but we still have no idea what we're in for and only time will tell), it's time to move on to other things. This time I'm heading in a bookish direction.


If you take a peek on my sidebar, you'll notice there's a new addition - a link to writer called Cindy Pon.

I've seen Cindy bouncing about the blogosphere, as one does, for quite some time, but never really connected. I heard that she'd had her debut novel, Silver Phoenix : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia accepted by an agent and subsequently found a publisher. I've now read several early reviews for her book - and I have to say it sounds totally bloody brilliant.

One of the blurbs for Silver Phoenix reads as follows:

On the day of her first betrothal meeting–and rejection–Ai Ling discovers a power welling deep within her. She can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.

Ai Ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. She must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. And then she meets Chen Yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. Here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance–of anything with the making of legend.

I thought that sounded like just the sort of book I HAVE to read giving it combines two of my favourite topics - fantasy/paranormal with the orient.

And then I saw this...

And it knocked my socks off - and even more so, I've just learned, because the trailer was created by an 18 year old. Go on, watch it if you haven't - you won't, I promise, be disappointed.

I have to be honest and say that most of the book trailers I've seen have left me stone cold - most are done in such an unprofessional manner by people who really don't get the "how" of using multimedia. But this trailer for Silver Phoenix is as good as any movie trailer - and exactly what a book trailer should be. Other writers out there, take note if you're planning on doing a book trailer.

Now, I have to let you into a small secret here - posting about the Silver Phoenix is not an entirely altruistic gesture on my part. Oh no... it's all part of a grand scheme to get Cindy Pon and Silver Phoenix promoted and hey, if I'm lucky enough I stand to win a copy of the book. "Hmm," I hear you say, "why don't you just buy a copy?". Well, here's the thing, the book is not being released in South Africa any time in the near future. I can't buy it from Amazon because Amazon no longer ship here because we have such a huge problem with theft in our postal services. And the local online provider I usually use doesn't even have the book listed. Whaaaaah! Mind you, all is not lost... I am heading to northern climes next month (more on that later), if all else fails I will march into Waterstones or Borders or wherever and grab a copy of Silver Phoenix there. But this is a book I have to read - aside from the great story, a girl has to know what her competition is up to, right?!

Right, now I'm off to try and compose a haiku, over at Ello's place, where the contest to promote Cindy is being hosted. Here's hoping that I stand an even better chance of winning a copy of Silver Phoenix! Why don't you have a go too?!

DEVIL’S KISS by Sarwat Chadda

A brief review and interview with debut author, Sarwat Chadda.

(All images in this post, courtesy of Sarwat Chadda.)

DEVIL'S KISS

Due for release in May 2009 is Sarwat Chadda’s debut novel for teens, Devil’s Kiss. The story is described as a dark, supernatural thriller in which 15 year old Billi Sangreal is thrust into the modern-day Knights Templar by her father, the Grandmaster. Billi is the first girl to be a Templar knight – and she’s not that keen on the idea. After all, her life is nothing but a rigourous round of weapons training, occult law and demon killing. When temptation is placed in her path, Billi is offered a choice – leave the Templar life and the isolation it brings or have a real life. But temptation, as it always does, brings consequences – in this case the tenth plague – the death of all first borns. And so Billi must choose her destiny.




I “met” Sarwat Chadda online via the SCBWI-BI writers’ list and subsequently through Facebook and the blogosphere. He was kind enough to send me a proof copy of Devil’s Kiss and I thought I’d share a little about it with you and also an interview with Sarwat.

A BRIEF REVIEW

Devil’s Kiss has a killer opening, which grabs your attention and keeps you reading right to the end. It is a gripping tale, albeit dark in places and it has a tough and feisty protagonist in Billi Sangreal. The story is loaded with action – making it likely to appeal to teens of both sexes – while unexpected twists and turns help the story to move at a terrific pace. Although the story is set in modern-day London, Sarwat has nevertheless created a dark and lonely world for his young protagonist and the reader feels her frustration and isolation keenly. Scenes are vividly painted and the writing stays tight throughout. There is also plenty to provoke thought and debate, bringing together as Sarwat does, the three Judeo-Christian religions as a combined force against evil, while also challenging some traditionally held views. The story leaves one feeling haunted and wondering what Billi will have to face next. Good thing then that the sequel, The Dark Goddess, is due for release in 2010.

AN INTERVIEW WITH SARWAT CHADDA

Sarwat as brave knight templar...
(the things us writers do...)

Every blurb and interview I’ve read observes that you are a Muslim married to a vicar’s daughter. This has clearly influenced the role religion plays in the story. What was your specific intent in creating such a strong underlying religious theme?

You know what they say - write what you know and what interests you. Religion and the East-West cultural issues are what interest me. Given the current media interest in Islam and the perceived ‘cultural differences’ I felt it important to raise my background and make it clear it’s not that big a deal.

My background keeps coming up given the domination of white-middle class writers in the industry. Perhaps my ‘outsider’ view adds a new perspective.


You’ve been asked this before, but I’ll ask again. Billi SanGreal is a girl – why did you choose to create a female protagonist? Several questions come to mind in considering this: one, you may have given yourself a larger readership with a male protagonist and two, surely it would have been easier for you to write a male protagonist?

I have daughters, hence a girl hero.

Plus there’s nothing new I could add to by creating another male protagonist. There’s a lack of true reflection on the nature of what they do since it’s ‘expected’ of boys to be warriors, at least in literature. By having a female warrior it gave me the opportunity to question this, since Billi doesn’t have the same expectations of ‘what she should be’.

The contrast between Billi and her father, Arthur, was all the stronger by her being a daughter following in her father’s footsteps.

Having two daughters and a female agent and female editors helped me keep the focus on Billi as a ‘real’ girl.


The relationship between Billi and her father is pivotal to the story – you have some of the typical teenage vs parent tension, but also considerably more. What made you focus so strongly on this relationship – and in the way you have?

The usual cliché is about how the son trains to become like his father, so I thought having a daughter would present a new twist. We are in the 21st Century after all. Also there's a natural rivalry between generations, and the father's pride and melancholy at seeing your child grow and surpass you. Lots of children's fiction removes the parents (usually by death) and that would have been a boring solution to thrusting Billi into the action. I wanted her to have a dad that went against a parent's natural instinct to protect their child from harm. Instead Arthur pushes her into danger, and we hate him, not realising the choices and the sacrifices he's made that have forced him to this decision.

But from my own perspective, both as a child looking up to one's parents and as a father with daughters, there's a transition that occurs in your early teens. When you're young you think your parents are the answer to everything. It's as your own character and individuality begins to really assert itself with the natural urge to rebel do you see your parents as fallible humans. That's why writing about a character at that threshold age is so great. There's the tug between childish awe and adult criticism, all driven by the desire to separate and mature.


Your villain in Devil’s Kiss is an Archangel who brings the tenth plague, the death of all first borns, upon the world. Making a typically accepted "good" angel into the "bad guy” is a dramatic deviation from the standard view, particularly given the menacing, ruthless and selfish nature of the character. Can you explain this? And how do you anticipate the response from religious groups to what you've done?

The Archangel thinks he’s the good guy. It’s the dangers of self-righteousness that I’m raising through him. It’s clear to us (as readers) he’s motivated by pure selfishness and also that’s he’s fallen off the straight and narrow. He’s biblical attributes are primarily of war, and no-one can remain unblemished by war.

The key issue here is who decides what is just and good? The tenth plague involved killing all firstborn Egyptians. Where they all responsible for the enslavement of the Israelites? Did they deserve their fate? Or were they ‘collateral damage’ just so the pharaoh would get the message?

And shouldn’t we be wary of our heroes? History is written by the winners, and so we view characters like Alexander, Richard the Lionheart and Henry V through the distorted lenses of victory. I think my background has made me question the simplistic attitude towards ‘heroism’ as defined by war. All of the above were great slaughterers of men and empires are built from blood and bones.

I love the Iliad. It’s the standard for epic tales. But read it and dwell on the suffering and misery the heroes bring. Achilles, the hero, is a psychopath. He only seeks self-gratification and is all towering ego, willing to let his fellows be destroyed because of his sheer vanity. Hector on the other hand is loyal, devoted and dedicated to his people. He is a warrior because he has to be, and suffers very human self-doubts and fears because of it. Hector portrays ‘heroic’ qualities, Achilles does not.

I bring this up more in The Dark Goddess. Billi does some awful things and has to reconcile them within herself.

There are a lot of stories out there with angels, devils, demons and the like, religious groups haven’t particularly targeted them. The criticism of Harry Potter and Pullman (for example) has more to do with the level of their success being newsworthy, than necessarily their content. Usually the criticism comes from those who haven’t read their books. I suspect I’ll remain happily below their radar!


On the flip side, Satan turns out to be quite a likable, helpful, even sexy guy – albeit he is the Devil. Again, could you explain your treatment of him?

The Devil is a tempter, so he has to have appealing attributes. But it’s all a con. Look at what he asks the characters to do in exchange for his aid. He is not deluding himself about what he does, and his honesty is striking when compared the Archangel, who is deluded.

It’s all about the road to damnation being paved with good intentions. He doesn’t lie, he doesn’t need to. Humans choose between good and evil, the Devil doesn’t make them.

But no-one comes out well from dealing with the Devil.


The story is strongly action oriented – did you set out to write an action thriller? How did the story evolve for you?

I love reading action stories. Clive Cussler and Bernard Cornwell are probably the two guys I read most. The Sharpe novels have been a major influence on Billi. That and the Conan novels. I loved those back when I was a boy!


I’ve read the original opening of The Devil’s Kiss on your website, plus a later revision and then, of course, the final version. You’ve clearly done a huge amount work bringing the book to its current level. Can you tell us a little about your process of rewrites and the journey to publication? And in what way has your agent, Sarah Davis of Greenhouse Literary, assisted you and helped shape the final product.

The three stages of Chapter One are a useful compare and contrast. The first version was passive, Telling not Showing. All the usual beginner’s errors. The second version, still with the werewolf, was better, active and won me an agent through the Undiscovered Voices competition. BUT it was out of context and didn’t reflect the theme of the book. It worked, but only in isolation.

Hence the final chapter 1. What Sarah pointed out was now Chapter 1 was fixed, the rest of the book needed fixing along the same lines. Major rewrite!


It’s been much publicised that you’re a debut author who landed a “major six figure deal” – has life changed so far and how does it feel to be on the way to “making it” as a successful author?

Making it will only be decided five, ten years from now, if I’m still writing. So all the usual anxieties are still in place. I’ve been given a fantastic start and being able to give up the day job has been a god-send. Life has changed amazingly. I get to work from home, see my kids more and get paid to make things up! It really doesn’t suck.

This may sound bizarre but the money aspect is kind of secondary. Thinking on it only distracts from the job in hand, which is writing something people will get sucked into and love. The only way a stranger will love your work is if you love it too. That’s why cynical ‘writing by numbers’ will never work. There are writers who are safe within their comfort zones and churn the same book out year after year. You love them because they’re familiar, but the passion has gone. I’m still at the stage where it’s exciting, it’s an adventure and I still feel I’m doing it by the seat of my pants. That semi-panic keeps the edge to the story. It’s frightening but exhilarating.


The Knights Templar are proving to be a popular theme at the moment; Tormud, The Templar’s Apprentice, the first book in a series by Kat Black, was published in February. Have you had a chance to read it and (odious as comparisons are) how did you feel it compares to what you have done?

I was half-way through an early draft of DK when I came across the Da Vinci Code. I thought that the Templar thing would have come and gone before I hit the shelves. But it kept on going. I was worried about the glut of Templar books, to be honest.

I’ve tried hard to avoid reading other Templar books there’s just too many of them to keep track of what’s out there! So alas, haven’t read Tormud.

Now of course any supernatural tale is being compared with Stephenie Meyer, just proving there’s nothing new under the sun.


The sequel to The Devil’s Kiss, The Dark Goddess is due for publication next year. Can you tell us a little about it?

I’ve wanted to write a dark fairy tale story for years. I love Russian myths, especially Baba Yaga, the ancient witch, who is an especially powerful female myth figure. ‘Women who run with wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and the works of Angela Carter have both heavily influenced the theme and tone of Book 2. So we move Billi out of London and drop her in wintery Russia.

The emphasis is to balance out the ‘male’ influence in Book 1 -- Billi’s companions are exclusively male -- and put her into a powerful female environment. In addition I wanted a protagonist who is very right in her ambitions, and the internal conflict Billi has is the realization she’s on the wrong side, but cannot change that. There’s a theme here that while I write about monsters in the shapes of werewolves, vampires or whatever, Billi discovers her own capacity for monstrosity, she is forced to look at her own ‘humanity’ and doesn’t like what she sees.

Baba Yaga represents the inhuman, not saying she’s evil, but her agenda does not support the idea that the Earth and its resources are there solely for humanity’s benefit. She stands for those who have not prospered with humanity’s domination over nature, i.e everyone and everything else!


Do you anticipate that there will be more adventures for Billi after the Dark Goddess?

That would be great, since I’m very attached to Billi’s world, but I’ve a number of non-Billi stories I’d like a go at first.


You’ve started work on a new series – are you ready to talk a little about what you’re doing?

Oh, nope. There’s not enough in it yet worth talking about! Plus I might still change my mind.

BUY IT!

Devil’s Kiss is available for pre-order on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. It will be in stores in the UK on 7th May 2009 and will be released in US stores in September 2009.

Now here’s hoping, that like the cunning devil, we’ve given you enough to tempt you into rushing off to order your copy of Devil’s Kiss right now! Well, what are you waiting for?! You’ll enjoy it, I did!

Another Meme - about Books

Just some of the books...

Wilf has passed on some homework for me to do... in the form of yet another meme. Shame on you, Wilf! (I tell you, I'm getting all memed out here.)

Total number of books owned
Erm, too many. They lie around in piles and breed, I'm sure of it. I tried using Library Thing to catalogue them all but ran out of steam. There are children's and Young Adult books, cookery books, gardening books, travelogues, places, esoteric, interior design, dogs, classics, fantasy, crime, literary, poetry, plays, marketing and business, reference. I had to try to do a valuation once for insurance purposes. An awful lot of money has been spent on books. It should stop. But it won't.

Last book bought
I never buy one book at a time. I'm an addict - fortunately it's the only addiction I have. The last books ordered from Amazon UK include The Monkey Wrench Gang, Emmanuel's Book, French Food at Home - they've not arrived yet - which is just as well since I haven't finished wading through the last pile that arrived.

Last book read
Coven of One by a certain Minx

Five books which mean a lot to you
Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge
I was given the book as a 10th birthday present by a classmate and I've read it so many times that the pages have turned to velvet. My mother had kept me supplied with Enid Blyton but this book opened a whole new world to me and gave me the opportunity to dream... to love magic... and respect bees... This was the book that set me on my reading journey.

The Little White Horse also by Elizabeth Goudge
My best friend lent this to me when I was 11. I fell in love. It inspired me and made my heart sing. As the years went by though I forgot the title and the author. But I never forgot the story. I hunted for it constantly, never quite sure what I was looking for but knowing I'd recognise it when I saw it. Then about three years ago, I was browsing the shelves of the children's' section of the bookstore and this little book caught my eye... Could it be... Could it? It was. The name didn't ring much of a bell but the author's name did. After being out of print for years it had finally been reprinted - and why? Because JK Rowling had said it was the book that most inspired her...

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Because after reading it for the first time when I was in my mid-twenties, I finally knew what I wanted to do - I wanted to write - for children.

The Tao Te Ching - because it in I find meaning.

Roget's Thesaurus - because as a writer I'd be lost without it.


Now, I'm tagging Wanderlust Scarlett, Vesper, Bonnie, Colleen and Verilion. I would tag that Minx person too, but I know she hates memes... And Debi's just too busy. Sigh. Besides, I suppose I'd better leave some for the rest of you to tag...