|
|
|
|
|
What is
your favourite book? |
|
As
a child I remember enjoying The Ship that Flew by Hilda Lewis
as well as horsey books like Silver Brumby and historical novels
by Rosemary Sutcliffe. I think now that Alan Ahlberg's Jeremiah
in the Dark Woods is literally 'perfect' - not a word wrong,
not a comma out of place. My favourite adult books get inside
the heads of each character in turn and makes you like and
understand every single one. |
|
|
|
|
I
can sometimes work myself into a good frame of mind by going
to the theatre. It makes me feel things more strongly and see
things in sharper focus. I often also style my characters on
actors because real people don't use their faces and voices
as much as actors on a stage; they exaggerate movements and
expressions in the same way a writer needs to. |
|
What is
your favourite place? |
|
|
Home,
definitely, though I do like hot sun and blue-sea-side and bright,
bright light. I get gloomy in the winter. |
|
What does
Ailsa think of your books? |
|
|
The
first one I remember is the Orchard book of Greek Myths.
I didn't really start to appreciate the novels until
I was 11 or so. Now I really like the fact that I am
the first person to see them. Mum tries them out on me.
She even believes me when I tell her what needs changing!
My favourites are The White Darkness, A Pack of Lies
and Not the End of the World. One day I'm determined
to act in one of her plays.
|
|
Do you
have any pets at home? |
|
|
Daisy, a Golden
Retriever. Until recently we had never had pets - except for fan-tail
doves which the neighbourhood cats quickly ate |
|
What was
your favourite subject at school? |
|
|
English Literature
- though it was better at college, where the teachers asked what
we thought of the books instead of telling us. |
|
|
|
|
I write. The
only time I get really miserable is when I can't get any work done.
I only put off working when a novel is proving really difficult and
I know the day's writing won't go right. |
|
What ambitions
do you still have? |
|
|
I'd like to
write more plays - for stage and radio and schools. Maybe Peter Pan
will give me the chance. I'd like to get on a train or Tube or bus
and see
the passenger opposite reading a book of mine. One day! |
|
|
|