Sherryl Clark - Author Interview Series

This is the first in my series of author interviews. You can expect 1 or 2 new interviews per month for the duration of 2011. If I get more authors willing to join in the fun then the series will be likely to run into next year... Enjoy!



Sherryl Clark is an Australian writer who writes mainly for young readers - her latest book Meet Rose (the 1st book in a new series Our Australian Girl published by Penguin) will be released on Jan 31st.


What authors/books did you read as a child? When did you first discover your love of books?

I basically read everything I could get my hands on! My country school got boxes of books from the School Library Service every three months, which was never enough for me. I joined the town library when I was about 11, I think, and went berserk. Favourite authors were Arthur Ransome, TH White, Malcolm Saville and, yes, Enid Blyton. But the big winner was the Narnia series – my sister gave me ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ first and I was hooked.

When did you first realise you were a writer? What do you hope your readers will take away with them from reading your books?

I didn’t start writing seriously until I was close to 30. That was also when I went back to school and did an arts degree at Deakin, with a major in Literary Studies (and writing). It took longer than that to feel like a writer, though. Publication helps! I hope that a reader will love the world and the characters I’ve created, and want more – more books, by anyone. If I can help a child to become a keen reader, I’m happy. With my adult fiction, I guess I want a reader to take away more than just what’s on the page, something to think about. A big challenge as a writer.

Do you find it difficult to read purely for pleasure? Does everything you read come under your ‘writer’ microscope?

I do read for pleasure all the time. I’m a reading addict. If I am somewhere where I have to wait and I have nothing to read, I get twitchy! I do read as a writer all the same, although I’ve been doing it for so many years that it’s like a computer program running in the background – it logs on when I read something I think I can use in class, or learn from.

Do you have to avoid reading certain types of fiction while writing your own? Does what you read while writing have an effect on what you write? In what way?

If I’m writing something historical (like my pirate novel) I avoid similar kinds of novels in that age group, but I’ll maybe read a Bernard Cornwell just to see how he manages the factual detail, and how he weaves it into the story. That feeds into what I’m writing on a craft level, but I think I read so much that no single book influences me. However, I have written the start of something a couple of times and then realised it’s too close to a book I’ve read, so I’ve had to throw it out.

Name five authors or books that have influenced or inspired your own writing in some way?

“The Bone People” by Keri Hulme was a book that changed the way I thought about books and how they could be structured.
Billy Collins’ poetry always inspires me. Sharon Creech’s verse novel “Love That Dog” was what led me to writing verse novels for kids myself, I think.
Michael Connelly – he’s a crime writer who talks about “the telling detail” in setting. I also like James Lee Burke for the same reason – great details and settings.

If you were travelling and were told you could only take one book with you, what book would it be and why?

To be honest, I couldn’t pick just one. I couldn’t stand having to slave over Proust or James Joyce because I felt I should! And once I’ve read a book, I rarely ever want to read it again. These days, I’d cheat and take an e-reader and a power source and about 1000 books on the one device.

What makes a book ‘too good to put down’?

Characters that intrigue me, that I care about, who have interesting things happen to them both outside and inside. Plot on its own is not enough, language and style is not enough. I think I like diving into other people’s (characters’) lives.

What makes you put down a book without finishing it?

Boring or unlikeable characters. My pet hate is the male character in his late 30s who has just discovered life sucks and can’t deal with it. I think I just dislike characters who are pathetic or apathetic in some way. I can’t wait 250 pages for them to get a grip!

Do you have a favourite author? Who is it and what is it about their writing that draws you to them?

At the moment, my favourite is Kate Atkinson. I’ve just read the four Jackson Brodie novels and loved both her style and voice. Also her range of characters and how she weaves their lives together. She always surprises you and yet everything works.

If you had to list them, what would be your ‘top ten’ reads of all time (excluding the classics) and why?

Goodness, that’s hard. Um…
“The Bone People” by Keri Hulme – because it’s different and resonates in so many ways.
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy – beautiful writing but a story, too.
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathan Safran Foer – a strange little boy but you really want to know what happened and why.
“Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver – I know everyone always picks “The Poisonwood Bible” but I liked this one better – again because of characters and interweaving plot lines.
“Cold Mountain” by Charles Frazier – historical fiction that is so real you can almost touch it.
“The Dive From Clausen’s Pier” by Ann Packer – this tackles a scary subject of a disabled spouse and loyalty.
“Postcards” by Annie Proulx (most of hers, in fact)
“Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” by Anne Tyler – again, her characters are amazing – I picked this because it was the first one I read and I loved it.
“The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd – great character voice. Movie was horrible.
“Northern Lights” by Phillip Pullman (and the other two as well) – wonderful characters but also a story that has all those deep themes that really make you think – and imagine!

What was your 2010 ‘best read’? What was it that made it number one?

“Case Histories” by Kate Atkinson – it’s great when you discover a writer whose books you haven’t read before and you love their writing. And you know there are more to come! (See 9 above)

What do you think of the non-traditional publishing methods – eBooks etc? Do you think the new technology will encourage more people to read? Do you think there’s a future for print books?

I hope there’s still a future for print books! I hope we’ll continue to have print books for kids for a very long time, especially picture books. Books can be really precious possessions, things to hug and put under your pillow! But I’m moving to ebooks myself for several reasons – one is that books are just too expensive in Australia. $36 for a paperback! And a lot of them I no longer want to keep on a shelf as I have no room, so having them digitally will mean I think I’ll actually buy more, as long as the e-versions are cheaper. Also I’m the person who’s always over my luggage weight at the airport because of my books, so an ebook reader will be a bonus there, too.
But books I want to keep, I’ll buy in print. I’ve heard of people reading ebooks and then buying the print version to make sure they never lose them. Print books just feel more permanent and real to me.

Sherryl started writing poetry and adult fiction in the 1980s. Her first children’s book, The Too-Tight Tutu, was published in 1997, and she now has more than 40 books in print. Her verse novel Farm Kid won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for children’s books, and her second verse novel, Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) was an Honour Book in the 2008 CBCA Awards. Other recent titles include Motormouth, One Perfect Pirouette and her picture book of poems, Now I Am Bigger. Her books have been published in Australia and overseas. Sherryl teaches in the Diploma of Arts – Professional Writing and Editing at Victoria University TAFE. Her website is at http://www.sherrylclark.com/

Writing Goals for 2011

Well I may as well put them out there, create a little accountability. I know from experience that without a goal/deadline I am prone to cronic procrastination - cronic to the point of being terminal, as far as my writing goes - that doing the washing or vacuuming the floor become tasks I want to spend my time doing, and as I now have an iPad, well...you can imagine how easy it will be to time-waste in '11.

So here they are, in no particular order... by this time next year I hope to have...

6 published poems, 3 published short stories, 2 blog posts per month (which shouldn't be all that hard seeing as I already have a couple of dozen writers signed up for my interview series) and one completed first draft of 'a' novel. I will have to chose which of the three to concentrate on in 2011 and stick to it - pushing through the hard times rather than switching projects as I tend to do.

I also want to participate in NaNoWriMo again and, depending on where I'm at with the goal novel come November, I'll either use it to push through to a completed draft or use it to work on novel 2 or 3.

I've recently formed a writing/critique group with some of the writers I was at TAFE with, so with monthly deadlines and face to face feed back, I'm looking forward to a productive and creative year of writing.

How about you? What are your writing goals for 2011?

2010 - the year that was...

Ok, so it's not quite over yet but to give me the chance to start fresh in 2011 (and to ensure I don't forget) I thought I'd get this one over with now...

When I look back on the past twelve months I could quite easily be disappointed with myself. I feel like I've made very little progress this year as a writer. I haven't sent out many pieces for publication. I'm still yet to complete a first draft of a novel (I say 'a' as opposed to 'my' because I now have three on the go - which could be part of the problem really), and I've failed (though not for want of trying) to have my short story collection Reflections reviewed...anywhere... There you go - failure with a big fat F!

However, when I looked to see what I've actually had published in 2010 (including blogs other than this one) I was surprised. For a year full of writerly-slacking-off I acheived more than I thought - 10 pieces published including 3 poems, 2 pieces in Victorian Writer, a guest review and a handful of interviews. Oh!! And oops, I forgot - a poem in the next Moving Galleries Exhibition...that's a big one, don't know how I forgot that! Not bad, considering the dismal effort I put in to getting anything published this year.

And of course there was NaNoWriMo - churning out just over 50,000 words in 24 days (6 days before deadline) was also a pretty mighty effort. Sure, many of those words wont deserve to ever see the light of day, but there's some good dialogue in there at least and enough 'story/plot/character' to build at the very least a longish short story...

And as usual I read & read & read - around 60 books in total but I won't be boring and list them. Thirteen of them were by Kate Forsyth. If you love fantasy and you haven't read anything by Kate - shame on you - she is an Aussie treasure. A few of my favourites for the year include Bereft by Chris Womersley, The Ghost's Child by Sonya Hartnett, Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Fall Girl by Toni Jordan.

As for 2011, as I said in the previous post I have a series of interviews lined up, so I hope you'll stay tuned for those. I hope to keep them coming all year. As for other 'writerly' goals for 2011, I'll save them for another post as this is already becoming a bit of a book...

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays etc...

Coming in 2011...

...I have a star-studded line up of writers ready to be interviewed.

This is a project I've been thinking about for the last six months and I'm thrilled that it is about to happen.

So - watch this space!

What I will be reading in 2011

Working in a library has its many advantages, as the ever changing tower of fiction next to my bed throughout this year will attest, but these advantages can become disadvantages. I have realised that many wonderful books on my own shelves have been overlooked and let's face it - there are only so many books you can read in a lifetime.

With this in mind I have made a pledge with myself for 2011 that I will not borrow any fiction from the library no matter how interesting said fiction is. I will resist temptation.

Here are some of the titles from my own well-stocked shelves that I will be delving into in the coming year.

What will you be reading in 2011?

NaNoWriMo - It's a wrap...

NaNoWriMo finishes for me not with a roar but with a whimper. This is probably because I finished 6 days early, so there was no mad dash, no sprint to the finish line. This was my first attempt at NaNo and I'm glad I made the effort, glad I embraced the challenge. One of my tutors at TAFE instilled in me the following advice - "Don't get it right, get it written" or, in other words, give yourself permission to write badly, first drafts are meant to be rubbish. Nowhere and at no time is this more true than at the end of a hectic 'write or die' 30 days of NaNo maddness.

So, am I happy with what I've written? Yes & No. There are parts of it that I will salvage, either to be used in the rewriting of my NaNo novel, which at just under 51,000 words is by no means finished (whether or not I choose to continue on with it is yet to be decided), or to be used for other shorter pieces of writing - the dialogue alone is useful.

So, was NaNo worth it? Of course! Even if I were to never use a single word I wrote during November, even if I was to delete the file from my hard disk (I won't - I don't delete anything, you never know when that phrase or sentence of dialogue might come in useful) it would still have been worth the effort. I had gotten out of the habit of writing - this is something that has happened to me at different times over the years - so what NaNoWriMo did for me was get me writing again. It gave me the right kind of motivation to turn up at my desk every day, to keep my bum in the chair and my fingers on the keys.

What do I take away from this experience? 1. Give me a deadline and I'll hit it every time! I had already had an inkling this was true for me. I work well under pressure. If I can physically see on a calendar how long I have to complete and submit a piece of writing I find it much easier to get on with the work. I will be setting firm but realistic deadlines for myself for my future writing projects. 2. Write fast. Okay, so maybe 50,000 words in 30 days is a little extreme, but I see no reason why I can't aim to have a 100,000 - 120,000 word first draft finished in say 4 mths. This seems less of a struggle than chipping away at it for a year or maybe two, at which time one of two things would probably happen - either I'd be sick to death of the idea & still be without a completed draft, or I'd have invested so much time in the project that, if in another two years or more when I think it's finally ready to send to a publisher I receive a rejection, I'll be so depressed that I'll never write another word.

Will I participate in NaNoWriMo again? Probably... How about you?

RIP Saffy

Of all the times to be taking home a book about a cat...

Our beloved tortoiseshell cat Saffy (short for saffron - one of the many colours in her coat) was hit by a car on Sunday night and too badly injured to be saved. Today at work a book I'd put on hold came for me Making the Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa. It was my Aunt who had recommended the book to me when we'd met for coffee a couple of weeks ago. I've added the book to the ever-growing pile next to my bed but I certainly don't feel like reading it just yet.

Meanwhile, I keep seeing Saffy out of the corner of my eye in all the places my brain expects to see her; laying on top of the heating vents in the lounge room (her favourite spots to stretch out in the colder months), at the back door - wanting to come in and be part of the family (especially at dinner time), and in the laundry looking for a feed. Like me, Saffy loved her food, and like me, she was a bit overweight from the love of it. I didn't think I wanted a cat at first, but I had no choice. She was Rob's cat and "part of the package". We had a bumpy beginning, Saffy and I, as I learned to let go of my need for having a hair-free lounge suite. The arguments Rob and I had about that at the start inspired one of my earliest published stories Cat Hair.

Eventually she tamed me... and I'll miss her... stupid (lovable) cat.

An interview with the lovely Toni Jordan.

A month before the release of Toni Jordan’s second novel Fall Girl, her publishers have sold the film rights to her widely acclaimed debut novel Addition. I thought I’d ask her to come down from the clouds for a moment and talk to me about it.

First of all, congratulations! You must be super excited. Please tell me when and how you heard the news, and how you reacted.

It's been a long process. Addition was first published in February 2008, so I've had many meetings with talented, imaginative film-makers who had all kind of ideas for the book. In the end, Christina and Bruna seemed like a perfect fit.

Good news needs to be shared. Who did you tell first and how did they react?

It wasn't a 'OMG' moment, but rather something the rights team at Text have been working toward for almost 3 years. These things don't just happen without a great deal of strategy and hard work. I think the reaction from everyone was relief!

Were you involved in the process? Will you have any input before or during production?

Yes, I met with everyone who submitted a formal proposal and thought hard about who would be the best people to look after Addition. I knew nothing about either film-making or adaptations beforehand, so it's been fascinating. I don't know yet how much input the filmmakers want from me. I want to do whatever is necessary to help make the film a success, and that might be just getting out of the way and letting them do it!

If you could choose anyone you wanted to play Grace and Seamus who would you choose?

Oh I wish I was a visual kind of person! I can barely even picture what I look like. Sadly I have no idea.

Did you ever think about Addition becoming a film while you were writing it?

Never. In fact, when I was signing my original contract with my publisher, my husband Robbie and I had a small chuckle at the section marked 'film rights'. "Yeah, right," we said to each other.

How long do you think it will be before we see it on the big screen?

Ummm--no idea! These things can take years...

If there is one part of the book you’d hate to see them get wrong what is it? Why?

The only thing that really matters to me is that Grace is treated with respect. She is intelligent and sexy and funny, and I'd hate to see her become a twitching OCD stereotype. Her condition is just one part of her and by no means the most important part.

If there is one part you don’t want them to leave out what is it? Why?

Nothing really. Film making is a very distinct art form, and something that works perfectly on the page might not work on the screen. It's the spirit of the book, rather than the letter, that I want to see preserved.

I hear you’re thinking of asking for a cameo appearance in the film. Is that true?

It started off as a bit of a joke, but who knows?

Your new novel Fall Girl is due for release next month. Please tell me something about it.

I'm very excited about Fall Girl! I've tried to channel my love for screw-ball romantic comedies of the forties and fifities into a modern story--a novelistic 'Charade' or 'To catch a thief', something where you could imagine Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn as the protagonists. Except set in Melbourne. Those classic romantic comedies had it all: fascinating characters, intricate plots, witty dialogue and sexual tension to burn. I only hope I've done them justice.

The second novel can sometimes be daunting for a writer who’s had such success with the first. Was this true for you?

For a long time I could hardly write my own name. I was frozen, tight inside. Nothing worked, for over a year.

What was the most challenging part of writing Fall Girl?

The first draft was an absolute nightmare. Every day I forced myself to sit down and type out 1500 words of rubbish. Little beads of blood pooled on my forehead. It wasn't until the second draft that everything clicked and I was carried away by the fun of the story.

Grace is such an unforgettable character. How different from Grace is Della? What motivates her?

Della is very much a woman of our time--she is pulled in every direction. She feels the pressure of looking after her family, her career, her love life, all at once. Della has big issues to face. If she's not defined by her name, and she's not defined by her job, and she's not defined by her family or the house she lives--then who is she? I think many women today see themselves as a compilation of the roles they play. Della's search for her identity is what drives the whole book.

Which novel was harder to write? Why?

If I could just erase the pain of first draft of Fall Girl from my memory, they were both a joy.

Do you have any writing routines or rituals that help you with the process?

Yes--the secret to my success is Freedom for Mac. This fabulous fabulous program turns off your internet connection for a set period of time and won't turn it on again, even if you beg it. I'm evangelistic about it. Every writer should have it.

Have you begun work on novel number three?

Of course Lisa, you know how addictive writing is!

Melbourne Writers Festival Wrap Up!

Well the Melbourne Writers Festival is over for another year and what a great festival it was. This year I got to more sessions than I've ever managed before. I discovered for myself the truth of the saying "If you want something done ask a busy person".

The first session I attended was "Creating History" with Lisa Lang (Utopian Man), Peter Rose (The Rose Boys) and Michael Meehan (Below the Styx). This session was free through my work and I've blogged about it here. As I'm still keen to finish my historic novel I was interested to hear what other writers were doing with history. The most helpful advice from this session came from Michael Meehan, who said 'It's not so much what happened but how it felt'. He said 'People read for sensation and feeling not facts. Reality and truth is where you start but not where you finish'.

On the following Monday I attended a session with Kate Forsyth and Ben Chandler called "Worlds of our own creation". As you know, I interviewed Kate and her sister Belinda last month. This was my chance to meet Kate face to face and get her to sign a copy of her book The Puzzle Ring for my son. This session was also of interest to me given my on-again-off-again romance with my own fantasy novel in progress. Kate said she writes the kind of books she likes to read; puts into them everything she likes; leaves out everything she doesn't like. She makes it sound so easy! She likes to write about a world at a point of change. Ben writes what is most commonly referred to as "steampunk" (Quillblade). He said 'there used to be an either or' when it came to technology (sci-fi) and magic (fantasy), but that now 'they blend and interplay', which I think is a good thing.

The next session I attended was "The Lure of Ancient Magic". The session wasn't as lively as I thought it would be; it was a little disjointed, but I still enjoyed hearing from Carole Wilkinson about her Dragonkeeper series. One of the most interesting things Carole shared was that 'she didn't even think about writing until she was thirty-eight'. Karen Healey is a relative newcomer, but her debut novel Guardian of the Dead, which is steeped in Māori mythology, sounds superb and is now on my "must read" list. Carole and Karen both believe that the editing stage of writing is the best part of the process, and that getting the first draft written is the hardest.

On the final day of the festival Rob & I attended "The Long Road" with John & Jack Faine. Father and son shared some of the highlights of their inspiring road-trip, from Melbourne to London (From here to There), with some stunning slides as a back drop to the discussion. Lastly we listened to Steve Toltz (A Fracion of the Whole), Rebecca James (Beautiful Malice) and Angelo Loukakis (Houdini's Flight) in conversation with Louise Swinn. "Unravelling Secrets" wasn't exactly what I was expecting but I enjoyed it none the less.

So how about you? Did you check out the festival this year? What were the highlights for you?

Books bought (yay! books!)

The Puzzle Ring
Rocks in the Belly
Torpedo Greatest Hits
How a Moth becomes a Boat

Author Interview - Kate Forsyth & Belinda Murrell

Two sisters. Two books. One release date. Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell talk about writing and their latest books The Wildkin’s Curse and The Ruby Talisman.



Do you think writing is something that can be taught?

Kate: I often talk about what I call the Three Ts of Writing – Talent, Technique and Tenacity. Talent is a gift that you are born with, and manifests itself in a love of books and words and writing. Technique can be taught – and indeed, all writers go on learning their craft all of their lives. Tenacity is the determination to keep on going even when your faith in yourself is shaken to its foundations – and often it is not the most talented writers who end up making a career as a writer, but the ones who keep on trying.

Belinda: It’s the old Nature versus Nurture argument. I used to believe that good writing was a talent you were either born with or not. But I’ve come to realise that there are many skills and strategies you can learn to improve your writing. I’ve also learnt that in addition to talent, writing also requires a great deal of passion, drive and sheer hard work.

Are there any writing reference books you would recommend?

Elements of Style by Strunk & White
Steering the Craft by Ursula le Guin
Take Joy: A Writer’s Guide to Loving the Craft by Jane Yolen

What is the best piece of advice you could give to young writers?

Kate: Get into a regular writing routine and then stick to it. And be brave! You need courage to write truthfully and powerfully, and you need courage to show your work to the world. Have faith in yourself and keep on dreaming.

Belinda: The best advice I can give an aspiring writer is to write, write, write. Write every day. Keep a notebook with you at all times so you can jot down ideas, descriptions, interesting names and quirky thoughts. Try to make your writing the very best you can – crisp, clear, beautiful. Write what you love. Finally read lots of books, because all fantastic writers were fantastic readers first.

What do you know now that you wish you knew then (when starting out)?

Kate: That I really could make a living as a writer! So many people told me it was impossible and I’ve proved them all wrong.

Belinda: That being a successful author requires so much more than just writing a good book – it also involves marketing, promoting, networking and performing.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block or a shortage of ideas? How do you overcome it?

Kate: I never have a shortage of ideas but then I make sure I keep my well of inspiration full – by reading widely, by listening to people’s stories, by going to the ballet or the theatre or concerts, by being always curious and aware and interested in the world. I sometimes get stuck in a story, not being sure how to move forward, but I have immense faith that the answer will come to me in time, and so I keep working on other aspects of the novel, until inspiration strikes again.

Belinda: Yes – usually when I am tired or distracted – like now after several weeks of festivals, school visits and promotional events. The only cure for me is to get stuck back into the writing, to reconnect with my story and start chipping away at the writing word by word, until it starts to flow again.

Have you always written or is it something that happened over time? When did you know for sure that you wanted to be a writer?

Kate: I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I think I was born wanting to write! I wrote stories and poems from the time I first learn to hold a pencil, and have never stopped since.

Belinda: As a child I loved to write, but I also wanted to be a vet like our dad, because I loved healing animals. By the time I was an adult my decision was made for me – I could write, but I couldn’t do maths, physics and chemistry!

Is there one book you read as a child that can be directly linked to your decision to become a writer?

Kate: ‘The Story of My Life’ by Enid Blyton. This book belonged to my mother and I read it when I was a child. It describes Enid Blyton’s life as a writer, with photos of her beautiful old house ‘Green Hedges’. It had the most beautiful big garden with roses and apple trees and swans. I remember reading this book and wishing with all my heart that I could be a writer too, and live in a big old house with a big old garden and lots of animals, and write stories all day long.

Belinda: As a child, the book that most fired my imagination was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I loved its enticing mixture of adventure, action and fantasy. Kate and I would dress up in silver chain mail, with swords and bows and arrows, and play Narnia. I was enraptured by the idea that it might be possible to pass through a secret door into a magical world, full of talking animals and adventure.

Kate, you’ve written adult fiction as well as young adult fiction. Which is harder and why?

I don’t think one is more difficult than the other – they’re just different. Before I begin writing a book I always know who I’m writing for – the story demands its own shape and its own audience, and so I adjust my style accordingly. A lot of it is intuitive, though during the editorial stage I do spend some time thinking about the age group the book is for, and trying to make sure it’s not too simple or too difficult.

What do you love most about writing? What do you like least?

Kate: I love every aspect of writing. I love the early stage, when I read and daydream and wonder and make notes to myself, and let the story unfold in my head. Then I love the actual writing of the story, even though it can be hard sometimes to keep on going. I love the final stage as well, the editing and rewriting and cutting and polishing. The only part if don’t really enjoy is the final proofread because by that time I’ve read every word so many times. However, I know the next step is holding my beautiful book in my hands and I LOVE that!

Belinda: I love the research into so many fascinating topics, I love getting lost in writing a story and how it almost seems to write itself and I love getting feedback from kids who love my books. The part I find difficult is juggling the demands of writing and marketing and having a family of three children, a husband, a house that won’t tidy itself, and lots of demanding pets – all into a day with only 24 hours!

Why do you write fantasy as opposed to other genres?

Kate: I don’t always write fantasy. I’ve written picture books, historical fiction, contemporary fiction and poetry. I do, however, love books that have magic and adventure and mystery in them and so most of my books have these three ingredients.

Belinda: Like Kate, I do write other things including picture books and historical fiction, however I have always loved books that are full of adventure, history and a twist of magic. Fantasy is a true escape from the humdrum reality of work and school, housework and chores. I have always loved fleeing into a world where children are empowered to change their worlds, to fight for good, to overcome evil, to be strong and brave and clever.

Belinda, Kate shared a bit about her writing process in the video link below. Could you tell us a little about your own particular process?

Usually something will inspire an idea in my mind like a tiny seed. Over time the idea will sprout and shoot into the start of a story. This could be an evocative setting, something I’ve read or a chance conversation. Once the idea has seized my imagination, I spend three or four months researching background information, thinking, planning, jotting notes and plotting out my rough story. I usually do a synopsis which maps out the overall story, then start writing. The writing itself takes about the same amount of time, followed by another three or four months of editing, polishing and proofreading.

Do you share your work with each other during the writing process?

Kate: No, I don’t show any part of the book to anybody until I have a complete first draft, as perfect as I can make it. Then I show it to my publisher and my editors, but no-one else gets to read it until I have wrought the best book I possibly can – not even my own children!

Belinda: Kate and I tend not to read each other’s manuscripts until they are finished. We do help each other in so many other ways, whether talking through a difficult plot problem that is bothering us, helping to look after each other’s children or giving each other a stern talking-to, when we are doing too much, or getting stressed from juggling the many demands of motherhood, career, family and writing.

At what point in the process of writing your last book do you begin working on your next?

Kate: When I have completed my first draft, I send it to my publisher and they will keep it for quite a long time before sending it back with an editorial report. I usually begin working on my next novel during those months, though often I don’t do much writing – just a lot of daydreaming and reading and researching. Then, once I have finished the rewrite and sent it back to my publisher, I begin on the new novel in earnest. I’ll have to stop to do the final proofread but that doesn’t usually take very long – a few days or a week – and then I immerse myself in the new book again.

Belinda: I find ideas pop up all the time which might form the basis for a good book, so sometime I’m guilty of daydreaming about a new idea while I should be writing my current book. This new idea needs to be jotted down in my notebook, then firmly set aside until I’m ready for it! When I finish a book, I usually need a few weeks to re-organise my life, house and finances before I start on the next project, but I find the ideas in my notebook start to resurface and take over my thoughts.

Have you ever considered writing a book together?

Kate: No, I think we have enough ideas of our own. And our styles are quite different – we’d have to work really hard to keep a consistent voice throughout the book and be constantly reining our own voice back. I’d rather write my own books and then have the pleasure of reading Belinda’s!

Belinda: Kids often ask us that and we joke that we might end up throttling each other!

Could you tell us a little about your most recent books The Wildkin’s Curse and The Ruby Talisman?

Kate: The Wildkin’s Curse is a fantasy adventure for readers aged 12+, set in the same world as my earlier book The Starthorn Tree (though it can be read on its own). It tells the story of two boys and a girl, whose people have been enemies for centuries, setting out on a secret mission to rescue a girl who has the power to enchant with words. She is kept muzzled, locked away in an impossibly tall crystal tower, by a cruel king who seeks to use her powers for his own evil ends. It is filled with danger, excitement, mystery and romance.

Belinda: The Ruby Talisman is an exciting time slip adventure where my modern day heroine, Tilly, falls asleep wearing an old ruby pendant and is magically transported back in time to the glittering and opulent court of Queen Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI. Tilly wakes up in Versailles on July 14th, 1789, the day the peasants storm the Bastille, sparking violent uprisings against the aristocrats all over the country. Tilly sets off on a series of terrifying adventures throughout France to help her aristocratic ancestor Amelie-Mathilde escape the dangers and chaos of the French Revolution.

Kate shares her writing process