Corrina Campbell - The Girl who Stole the Stars - Author/Illustration Interview - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Welcome to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books. Today, I'm delighted to introduce Corrina Campbell who is a self-taught illustrator/author with a background in primary education. This interview looks to find out more about her writer/author experiences in the lead up to her new picture book. The Girl who Stole the Stars is due to be published this October (2020) by Little Door Books. 

I hope you enjoy reading our interview. Don't forget you can pre-order the book in advance if it sounds like something you and/or your family would enjoy. Thanks for reading - stay HAPPY and SAFE. 

The Girl Who Stole The Stars is your debut picture book (published later this year), can you tell us a little bit about it?

‘The Girl Who Stole the Stars’ is a story about a little girl who decides she wants a star of her very own but ends up taking all the stars from the sky with disastrous consequences, not just for her but for millions of other children around the world.  But what will it take for her to put them back in the sky?  You’ll need to read the book to find out!

Did you focus on the words or illustrations first for this picture book? 

I started with the words but those first few words that I jotted down are not necessarily the words you’ll see in the book today.  Once the illustrations were introduced a lot of the text changed, mainly because the illustrations tell so much of the story.  There is a huge amount of editing, redrafting and redrawing that happens along the way with both the words and the illustrations taking the lead at various points and influencing the direction of the final look and feel of the story.  

What are the processes involved in writing and illustrating your own picture book? 

When I have an idea for a book I first consider whether I can actually turn it into a story.  This usually involves thinking about the setting and characters but more importantly the plot and storyline.  I then consider whether it would fit a standard picture book size;  usually 32 pages and often under 1000 words.  If my idea is still ‘alive’ after this stage then it’s time to get the pencils out!  I usually sketch out small thumbnail images of how each page will look – these are really rough but it gives me an idea of how I think the book could look.  Then I start working on more detailed illustrations – the best part of the whole process and usually the point where I feel I’ve got something with book potential!

Where and what do you generally get your ideas and inspirations from?

I am a primary teacher and a mum so most of my ideas come from either my children or an aspect of life I am looking to teach in a child-friendly manner.  ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ was an idea that came from my eldest daughter when she wrote to Santa asking for a ladder to the stars so that she could have one.  I loved the idea of being able to climb up into the sky and take a star so the story grew from there.  I am also currently working on a story that looks at the impact of plastic on the Planet and wildlife which is a focus in many schools at the moment.

Can you tell us a little bit about your first illustration and what you were particularly proud of?

I started illustrating my written work two years ago after deciding to explore the self-publishing route.  I had written lots of stories and I desperately wanted to see one as a book.  I investigated using a freelance illustrator but it was far too costly for me so decided to give it a go myself.  I’ve always been very creative but had never focussed fully on illustration.  I spent hours exploring different art media, styles, techniques but the real turning point, and the part of the journey I am most proud of, was when I discovered how to make my artwork digital.  I spent two weeks sitting in front of my laptop, trying and failing.  I remember feeling it was impossible, that I’d maybe reached the limit of my capabilities – which was really upsetting.  However, eventually, things started to fall in to place and I was finally able to edit and produce images to a high standard that could be used in picture books, as well as on cards and as prints which I now sell on Etsy, via my website www.corrinacampbell.com and at local craft fairs and events.  I was then able to pursue and successfully sign a traditional publishing contract for ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’.  This was a massive step in the right direction with regards to me carving a career path in illustration and indeed children’s picture books.

  

Is there anything that helps you to channel your creativity?

This is a terrible answer but lots of biscuits(!)…and a lot of determination.  I work in the evenings once my kids are in bed so when I sit down the exhaustion kicks in.  However, a couple of biscuits later I am usually re-energised and feeling creative again!  On a serious note, it takes a huge amount of discipline to focus in an evening and be productive after what can often be a long and busy day.  When I knew I wanted to write and illustrate a children’s picture book but I had to make some significant changes to find the time to make this happen.  As my evenings were my only free time I had to use them productively.  You’ll now find me most evenings at the kitchen table drawing, writing, editing, creating and learning.  It’s having that discipline that’s really helped me channel my creativity in a more focussed direction to reach my goal of creating children’s books.  

Do you think an illustrator should have a particular style or be known for trying/using different styles?

Great question.  Interestingly I think your style is always there, even when you try to be a bit different!  When I was in the early stages of learning how to illustrate a book I explored all the different techniques/styles that other well-known picture book illustrators were using and tried to replicate them.  Strangely what I created never looked anything like what they had done.  It was always my interpretation of what they had done, although by doing this I found my ‘comfort zone’ which I guess is my unique style.  I am always learning and experimenting so I have no doubt that my style will develop and change, but I’d like to think it will still be recognisable.

Which medium do you prefer to use when illustrating?

I love using crayons.  They create an amazing grainy texture and always make me feel like I am five again – which is a good mindset to have when you are creating illustrations for children’s picture books.

Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects?

I am terrible for having lots of projects on the go at the same time.  My main focus at the moment is really just preparing for the launch ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ and looking at how to best market this and make the most from the opportunity.  I am in the process of creating teaching resources, building content online, and organising author/illustrator events and school visits all around the book launch.  I am also in the early stages of writing the sequel to ‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ as well as revisiting a story I wrote last year about a Puffin that I keep coming back to…some stories just don’t leave me alone!

Who are your favourite illustrators and why?

There are so many!  Going back to my childhood and my Scottish roots my favourite illustrator/author would be Mairi Hedderwick who is the creator of the Katie Morag series.  Her work always had so much detail and I would spend hours with my Dad looking for all the hidden gems she planted within her illustrations.  

I also love work by Oliver Jeffers, Lisa Stubbs, and Polly Dunbar which is where I draw a lot of inspiration from.

Which books/authors do you choose to read for pleasure?

With three kids under five reading for pleasure is, unfortunately, a rare occasion!  

‘The Girl who Stole the Stars’ is out October 2020 and is available for pre-order from Waterstones;

https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-girl-who-stole-the-stars/corrina-campbell/corrina-campbell/9781999955670

Chris Naylor-Ballesteros - Interview Q&A (Author & Illustrator)

Hello Everybody! I'm delighted to be posting another brilliant interview today. Chris Naylor-Ballesteros is a children's picture book writer and illustrator. He's had books published by Bloomsbury and Nosy Crow.  One particularly great book (published last year by Nosy Crow Books) is The Suitcase. This is about a strange-looking animal who arrives pulling a big suitcase. He meets other animals who are curious about what is inside. What on earth could be in that suitcase? A teacup? Maybe. A table and chair? That is for you to find out in this interview. Why not take a journey with us and see what you would put in your SUITCASE?

The Suitcase was published by Nosy Crow Books. It's a picture book about people who are forcibly displaced around the world. What gave you the idea to write about this as a picture book?
My previous books were more light-hearted and were about animal characters that seemed to confuse reality and fantasy. I was trying to retain that element in the next story and, seen as the first two were about food and then companionship, I was looking at the theme of home or shelter - another very basic, universal need. I'd also been thinking of a story idea about a wall that divided two populations and the misconceptions about what was on the other side. This was roughly around the time of the US presidential election campaign and the Brexit referendum in which the politics of division and denial of others were (and still are) gaining a lot of ground.

But the wall idea was a bit stuck and I was doodling and drew a little animal figure with a ruck-sack at the bottom of the wall, looking confused and lost. I started to think about this character and wondered where it was from, where it was going and what might be in its bag. The wall was put to one side and the animal became the centre of a new story that thankfully came together quite quickly.

If you could only put five objects in the suitcase, what would you choose and why?
Strangely, though I've asked this question a lot visiting schools and libraries, I've never yet been asked it. Well, a phone, a torch, a pencil, and some paper, a cuddly toy, a fridge, a million pounds. These were some of the suggestions I was given by school children - all pretty useful items, especially the cash. It's probably impossible to answer without having the urgent, instinctive thinking that must come when living through such a situation in real life. If I discount practical objects, I'm sure I'd take a family photograph just like in the book. But which one? Oh heck...

How do you start the process of writing and illustrating a book?
Usually, it starts with a spontaneous premise or idea that feels interesting. I have quite a lot of those but ultimately most aren't strong enough to carry a good story. So a lot of work is in trying to develop them all as far as they'll go by asking hundreds of 'what if...?' questions, and then recognising when something is worth pushing onwards or should be abandoned. Most fall by the wayside and those left standing I keep niggling away at until they feel like they might work. Sometimes (like for The Suitcase) a doodle or sketch helps things develop but often it's just a lot of thinking time without even putting pencil to paper that much. The hardest thing to do is to develop a natural story that feels credible, rather than just some characters and an interesting premise, followed by a series of occurrences that don't have any fundamental meaning.
It rarely feels like creative work, it more often feels like you're trying to repair something that looked interesting at first but you took the back off and messed about with the workings and all the springs and sprockets flew out. Then you have to put it all back together in a way that no one notices you'd tinkered with it and also that you'd had to throw a load of redundant nuts and bolts in the bin.

Another picture book you've produced was I'm Going To Eat This Ant which is very humorous. Where did the humour come from and how is this important to the story? 
That was my first published book and in effect, I set myself a brief before writing it: I wanted a funny story with two characters that were obviously in some sort of conflict from the outset - like a cat/mouse situation that needed no backstory or explanation but something less often seen - eg. an ant and an anteater. I then wanted it to be short and quite repetitive in structure with a punchline or surprise at the end. Then I just thought it through. I think a lot of the humour came from the cartoon brutality in the story. The ant is imagined to be squished, smoked, sliced, sizzled and sautéed but seems to take it all fairly stoically, without reacting or even seeming to notice. Of course, none of it is actually happening in reality - just in the mind of a deluded anteater but one publisher did reject it on the grounds that it was too cruel. They mustn't have seen Tom & Jerry or Roadrunner.

What do you think makes a really good picture book?
The stories that really work for me are those that are so well put together and uncontrived that they feel like they weren't written at all but unfurl themselves like a rolled-up rug that's been given a little shove.
Even some really successful, enjoyable picture books can have a little moment where you feel the author having to slightly bend or push things in a certain way for it to work out how they needed.
I like books that divide the storytelling between the words and the pictures so that sometimes the text leads the way and the pictures play catch-up and then vice-versa.

What golden rules do you follow when writing and illustrating a picture book?
I really don't have any - I could probably do with some though. I just feel very happy when I think I might have a good story that works, often before anything is even written or drawn.

Could you tell us a bit about any of your upcoming projects?
I have three more books to come with Nosy Crow and I feel really lucky that they've shown me such commitment. I also have two books to come elsewhere, details of which are mostly under wraps for now. The first of the three Nosy Crow books is finished and is called Out Of Nowhere. It looks quite different to 'The Suitcase' and it was nice to have a visual change of direction.
It was due out this May but the Coronavirus crisis has put it on hold for now. Most distribution channels are barely operating and all the independent bookshops (many of whom really supported 'The Suitcase') are of course closed for the moment. I can't wait to see them all re-open their doors again and I really hope they make it through the current crisis and can flourish afterwards. 

Do you have a Portfolio? If so, what is your favourite piece of work?
Before starting my first book a few years ago I tried - unsuccessfully - to find freelance work as an editorial illustrator and I did a lot of personal projects based on newspaper or magazine articles to build an online portfolio. At the time we lived in a small apartment so, out of necessity, all my work was digital. It looks a lot different from the books I've made since then. Some of them I still like but I wouldn't go back to that style now.

Which illustrators have inspired you over the years? 
I was a relative late-comer to this world and only got inspired when I started buying books for my children, and realising how varied and graphically interesting and beautiful and odd they could be. Some of these were Tyranosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts, Cockatoos by Quentin Blake, the 'hat' books by Jon Klassen, The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers, The Gruffalo and Stick Man by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Say Hello To Zorro by Carter Goodrich. Since then I've been inspired by Carson Ellis, Sydney Smith, Shaun Tan, Benji Davies, Yuval Zommer, Amandine Piu, Pascal Blanchet amongst many others - a long list of amazing illustrators and writers. It's such a massive world and I'm still discovering 'new' things that are in fact very old and well-known.

What tips would you give any aspiring writers and/or illustrators? 
I don't know if I'm qualified or experienced enough to give advice but I've learned some things that were useful to me. I spent a lot of time early on worrying about finding my own illustration style. I made two different-looking versions of the Ant book one after the other, neither of which felt right, before I realised I should stop over-thinking my 'style' and just try to be a bit more intuitive and natural. So I picked up a nib-pen and ink and watercolour and went ahead more instinctively. This third version took about three weeks (ie. very quick) and that was the one that was submitted and finally accepted by a publisher. Then I worked on it with an editor and a book-designer to refine it but, in essence, it didn't change much for publication.

I've also learnt that persistence is useful, both in hammering away at an interesting idea until it either hits a brick wall or it starts to work. Also persistence in how your work fares once you submit it to agents or publishers. Rejections are hard to take when they happen but you can only learn from them and move on. My first submitted book (before 'Ant') was taken on by an agent and then steadily rejected by all the editors it was sent to. But they were often quite constructive rejections that showed there might be some potential and it encouraged me to eventually pick myself up, learn from it and have another go. Also, on more than one occasion I can honestly say that, with hindsight, a rejection led to something better happening that wouldn't otherwise have happened. It never feels that way at the time though!

Interview with Children's Illustrator: Maxine Lee-Mackie - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Good morning and welcome to Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books. Today is the first of several interviews with some of the best children's book illustrators around. So I'm delighted to be able to introduce Liverpool Illustrator, Maxine Lee-Mackie, who has been ever so kind in answering some personal questions about her career, inspirations and what makes her tick in the art world. 

If you would like to find out even more about her other illustrations and work then you can find her being artistically messy at www.maxinelee.com 

Equally, she's on Instagram: @MaxineLeeMackie or why not visit her Etsy Store. She has wonderful prints and a very interesting graphic novel which I, myself, have just purchased called The Ghost in the Window. So there's plenty to check out if you are interested. I hope you all have a great day!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I'm a children's illustrator from England, and I've been working on children's books since 2011. My sister and I were always given beautifully illustrated books as children, the kind of books that were otherworldly and special - the illustrations from those have always stayed with me. My mum is very creative and loves writing stories and poems, and my dad used to love drawing for us when we were small. I was always drawing as a child, but it was seeing my sister's pencil drawing from secondary school that really pushed home the idea that art is a real thing that people take seriously. I wanted to draw like that.

Can you tell us anything about any of the upcoming projects that you are working on at the moment?
I can tell you that I've just completed a giant bugs book which was very challenging - I love drawing bugs, but I don't much like looking at real ones doing their thing. Illustrating books like that requires lots of research, so I had to look at lots of bugs doing lots of things. At the moment I'm working on some fairytales from around the world featuring brave girls and women, a biographical book about a prolific storyteller who EVERYONE knows, and a book cover for a spooky follow-up.

What is the most unusual project you have worked on and why?
I work with international clients and sometimes stories are told in different ways depending on where you are from. Some of the stories I have worked on haven't always worked out with a happy ending - just recently, one ended up with me having to draw some bones at the end...that was strange.

What resources and techniques do you use and do you have a favourite you enjoy working with?
My favourite techniques all involve getting messy with my materials - black ink with sticks, cardboard, sponges, and anything else I can put my hands on, is the best. That said, when I'm working on work to be published, I work digitally. I do enjoy working on my computer, it opens up lots of ways to experiment and it makes me a bit faster so I can meet my deadlines, but I do like getting my hands dirty when I have more time.

What do you find rewarding as an illustrator?
I find it rewarding when I've solved a problem. I like coming up with unusual ways to show something that might seem boring. It's also really cool to receive the first copy of your book from your publisher!

What is your favorite book cover illustration/design and why?
I have so many of these! Today though, because it's on my desk, I can tell you why I love the cover for Issun Boshi, illustrated by Mayumi Otero. Everything about this book is beautiful. It has carefully chosen colours, very strong contrasts, and pure geometric shapes mixed in amongst organic shapes. In my personal work, contrast is the thing I'm always trying to capture. I can't always do this with client work, so I make as much experimental work as I can. It's kind of my hobby.



Who are your favourite illustrators and why?
I have so many! Brecht Evens is amazing and does lots of layering and translucent paint effects which are so delicate and powerful at the same time. Annette Marnat uses beautiful strong shapes with delicate textures and creates wonderlands that pull you on. I've just recently discovered Beatrice Blue and I'm struck by the layers of detail and light in her work.

                                   (Illustration by Annette Marnat)

Where should a person start if they want to pursue a career in illustration? 
Start with concentrating on what you want to do. Try lots of things out, build up a body of work that reflects who you are and what you want to do. Don't bend to fit the idea of what you think your illustrations should look like. Think of your illustrations like your voice - you can control it, you can imitate the sounds other people make, but in the end, only one sound feels natural. Work with that sound, and hone it. Once you've accepted this part of yourself, you'll feel a lot more confident in what you produce and it will be uniquely yours.

Interview with Author Damien Love - Monstrous Devices (Q&A) - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books would like to welcome Glasgow-based writer, Damien Love. Damien has recently published his brilliant debut book, MONSTROUS DEVICES, which is due to be published by OneWorld Publications on the 19th March 2020.  It's a wild and wonderfully weird children's adventure. The imaginative and spooky story (featuring amazing killer robots) is highly recommended for all ages and is a real page-turner. I think this might be a book that some of you may not have come across. Therefore, it's a fantastic pleasure for us to introduce both the author and the book to you and pique your interest. We hope you enjoy the interview. 

To entice potential readers to read Monstrous Devices, how would you summarise the story?

DL: Monstrous Devices is a full-on, old-school adventure story, full of mayhem and magic and…sinister stuff. It’s about a 12-year-old boy called Alex, who gets swept up into a very weird mystery after his grandfather (a somewhat elusive old gentleman) sends him a shabby old tin clockwork robot in the mail as a gift. Alex collects old toys like this, and so at first, he reckons it’s just another scratched-up antique to add to his collection. But strange things start to happen, and he quickly begins to suspect that this one is different…and possibly also deadly. Because it turns out that there are other people who are desperate to get their hands on it, too, and are prepared to go to any lengths. So, soon, Alex and his grandfather are on the run, being hunted across Europe in the snow by a strange gang, all of them trying to unlock the secret of the old toy. 

There have been some connections made to Indiana Jones and Alex Rider fans enjoying the story. Do you feel these types of adventure books or films have influenced Monstrous Devices in any way?

DL: Most definitely. Alex Rider’s author, the great Anthony Horowitz was, very graciously, one of the very first people to read Monstrous Devices, before it was published, and he gave it a hugely kind quote for the cover, for which I can never thank him enough. (I should add: I don’t know him! He was just exceptionally generous.) I think that’s where the Alex Rider comparisons have come from, and I’m very glad if people think that. Although, the Alex in my book is quite a different kind of character to Alex Rider. Something like Indiana Jones was a slightly more conscious influence, the style of it – action and thrills and fun were among the things I tried to keep at the front of my mind while I was writing Monstrous Devices. And, maybe even more than that, the older films that Indiana Jones draws on itself, all those kind of cliff-hanger adventure movie serials from the 1930s and 1940s, and old detective thrillers. Hopefully, the book jumbles some of that style and pace and atmosphere up, along with some other things, into something else.

I understand (from what I have read) that you have the ability to talk to cats. What have the cats told you about the protagonist(s) in this book?

DL: Yeah. My ability to talk to cats is proving to be something of a one-way street. I can talk to them, sure enough – but I’m not sure if they understand me. But, to answer your question, I just asked them (there are two cats here right now) about the characters in the book. And as far as I can tell, one of the cats says, “Feed me.” And the other one says, “I’m asleep. I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you. Look, there’s just no point in your keeping talking to me. I’m a-sleep.” So, make of that what you will.

You've also written the sequel (The Shadow Arts). Do you have any idea when this might be published in the UK?

DL: Well, the plan was for The Shadow Arts to come out in the UK in February 2021. However, as you know, the current crisis with the coronavirus lockdown is having a huge impact on everyone’s plans, including publishers’ release schedules. Hopefully, the book will still come out around that date, but I guess, like everyone else, we’ll have to wait and see where we are and how the land lies. But I hope it will be early next year.

Do you think that the book cover plays an important part in the book-buying process? Who produced the front cover illustration for your book?

I think the cover is hugely important, especially for a book like this, and for a first-time novelist like me: my name doesn’t mean anything to anyone, no one is looking for it, so the cover is the thing that will catch the eye. And I think that the cover of Monstrous Devices really works a particular kind of magic – it draws people in, it makes them ask questions, and, even before you start reading, it begins to weave a hint of a strange, glowing, slightly ominous night time mood, and gives a sense of place. I count myself really lucky that my book is inside this cover. The artwork is by a brilliant young illustrator called Sam LeDoyen. 

You can see more of his stuff here:

https://cargocollective.com/ledoyenillustration and you can follow his adventures on twitter at @abelgraymusic

What did you edit out of this book and why?

DL: Let’s see… there’s not a lot left on the cutting room floor, actually, that I can remember right now. Although, without giving anything away, there was a little scene I cut out late in the book: in Prague, where Alex and his grandfather run into members of a British stag party in the streets late at night. I try to always have a sense of reality and fantasy colliding in the story, and the reality is that Prague has become a bit of a stag-party destination in recent years, so this was kind of reflecting that. I quite liked the moment, but I finally took the scene out, really just to keep the pace up in that particular section.

As the TV critic for Scotland's The Sunday Herald, what are your favourite TV programmes and do you think they inspire you to write?

DL: Yes, I was the TV critic there for years. My own favourites, in no particular order, include, let’s see: The Sopranos, The Avengers (the 1960s TV show, not the Marvel Comics stuff), the original Twilight Zone, The Prisoner, Callan, Mad Men, Children Of The Stones, Deadwood, Danger Man, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with Alec Guinness, The Phil Silvers Show, Spiral, the Alan Partridge saga, the 1960s Batman, and…eh…I could go on here for quite a while. And yes, for sure: while I might not necessarily draw on all of these in Monstrous Devices, I think that good writing is inspirational wherever you come across it, whether it’s in a book, in a play, on TV, in a movie or in a song lyric. And, on a more technical level, I did kind of try to write Monstrous Devices with a bit of a “camera-eye” watching the action in many places.

Do you have any strange writing habits that you would be happy to share with us?

DL: I wrote Monstrous Devices while I was working other jobs, sort of in-between other things, and so it just started to happen that a lot of it would come together while I was sitting on trains – I’d sit thinking over the plot, sometimes even working problems out on the backs of tickets or whatever scraps of paper came to hand. Then writing it up properly when I got home. But then, after a while, I got to a stage where, if I found myself stuck over something…I kind of felt that I had to get on a train to get my brain working on it. Like: I actually wouldn’t be able to figure anything out unless I was on a train, moving. So…that got a bit strange for a while.

What genre of books do you particularly like to read?

DL: I like all kinds of writing, but my favourite writers, the ones I keep coming back to, include Patricia Highsmith and Raymond Chandler, Shirley Jackson and MR James, so I do like to read thrillers, noir-like stuff (Chandler and Highsmith) and also stories tinged by the strange and supernatural, but which are still also grounded in a very solid sense of reality (Jackson and James). Hopefully, in a way, I’ve made a stab at combining elements of all this, along with some other stuff, in Monstrous Devices.

Alastair Chisholm - Orion Lost - Interview (Nosy Crow) - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

Good Morning, Everybody. I hope you are all keeping well and safe. I'd like to welcome you to this fantastic interview with Alastair Chisholm. Some of you may recognise Alastair as the author of Orion Lost - a fantastic action-adventure story - published in January 2020 by Nosy Crow. This story is perfect for Star Wars/Star Trek and SCI-FI fans. If you would like to read my book review to find out more then click on this Link. 

Otherwise, keep on reading until you reach this fascinating interview. It gives a very interesting insight into the characters, the processes and even allows us to learn more about the author. I'm sure you will find it thoroughly interesting (I know that I did). Hopefully, it will entice you into obtaining a copy to READ and enjoying this brilliant book.

Tell us a little about Orion Lost and what can people expect when they read it?

Orion Lost is a sci-fi adventure story set on a stranded starship, about a group of children who have to take command and try to get everyone home. There’s excitement, and danger, and aliens, and space pirates … and someone is lying to them.

Did you let the story and the characters take you on a journey or did you map out the whole plot and know exactly what you wanted to write?

I had the bones of the story in my head, and it more or less went that way. My editor at Nosy Crow, Tom Bonnick, had some great suggestions that we adapted into the book. I find characters are much more fluid, and I tend to discover their personalities as I write them. Like Mikkel, for example – I had no idea really what he was like at first, but suddenly he was telling me all about his world. And some of the children were originally more like villains, but I couldn’t help liking them!

How did the process differ between writing a picture book to that of a middle-grade fiction book?

With picture books you’re thinking about it page by page, planning how the words and pictures will work together. (Especially once you get to know the artist – I worked with the fantastic Jez Tuya on The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears, and for the sequel, I was thinking all about how Jez might draw characters and scenes). With middle-grade it’s about creating the pictures yourself, in the readers’ minds. I love both types, but middle-grade (8-12, roughly) is a brilliant age to write for, because the readers are very sophisticated but still willing to take on fantastical ideas. 

What were your thoughts/ideas behind the interesting place and character names?

In some cases, I look through name lists to find one that feels right. Sometimes a name just happens – like for Arnold, the big brash American jock. Once he was Arnold, I couldn’t imagine him being anything else! 

For others, like the Videshi aliens, it came from a mix of the world I was building and what I wanted from them. Videshi are mysterious and strange, and I imagined India being a future space power, and so picked a Hindi word – Videshi – meaning stranger, or foreigner. 

What inspired you to write this book?

Well, I love good sci-fi, especially the Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars kind of thing. So I wanted to create something with that feel. But also, a big theme of the book is the idea of command and responsibility, self-control and self-confidence. Beth, the main character, has to step up and become the Captain, and figure out what she can and can’t do. And for me, this was a lot like the experience my daughters were going through as teenagers, stepping up to take part in the adult world. Much of what Beth learns are things I was trying to say to my own daughters.

How important are stories to you? What books are you currently reading? 

I think stories are what really make us human. As many others have said, we’re basically storytelling apes. We look at a world that’s far too big and complex to hold in our heads, and we turn it into stories that we can hold. And we say, I know this isn’t true, but it’s true enough to get going with. We say, these things didn’t happen, but when I tell you them, you can understand how they would feel. We say, you haven’t been here, but I can make you feel like you have.

At the moment I’m reading a lot of middle-grade fiction, which is great fun! I’ve just finished Dashe Roberts’ Bigwoof Conspiracy, which is hilarious, some zombie excitement in Wranglestone by Darren Charlton, and Joan Haig’s really lovely Tiger Skin Rug book. I’m also chomping through absolutely tons of old Judge Dredd comics :-)

It was lovely to see quotes from children on the Press Release. What has been your favourite quote to date and why? 

It was fantastic, wasn’t it? I was so chuffed! I think my favourites are the ones that say, “I’m not normally into science fiction, but …”. I love sci-fi, and I love how it allows you to tell stories about people, and I hope I’ve managed to convert a few readers!

Oh, and this year some children dressed as Orion Lost characters for World Book Day, and that was amazing! 🤩

How do you think children's books can help children and families during the pandemic we are currently facing?

It’s all very strange right now, isn’t it? The news is grim, people are stockpiling, parents are worried, and kids pick up on that. But it’s also weirdly boring, because you can’t go out, even to school.

I love all stories, including TV, film, and games. But books (and audiobooks) have a special magic because they change depending on what you bring to them, and what you need right now. The same book can deliver adventure and escape, comfort and hope, laughter and empathy, danger and courage. When you’re inside a book, you are its heroes, and some of that stays with you. With the best books, it stays with you forever. That’s probably something we all need right now.

What are you currently working on?

I’m editing my next sci-fi novel, which is a story about robots, and in between that I’m writing a series of dragon books for younger children. It’s quite a mix!

Author Interview with Joan Haig - Tiger Skin Rug - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

                                                           

Welcome to the amazing interview with debut author Joan Haig. Her book, Tiger Skin Rug, was published in January by (Pokey Hat Children's Books) Cranachan Publishing. It takes readers on a magical journey from a Scottish village to an Indian mountain and from the back streets of London to the palaces and sewers of Mumbai. The story brilliantly explores the power of legends whilst also focusing on themes such as families, friendship and forgiveness. 

The following interview considers the origins and the inspirations behind this incredible story. You'll also get an opportunity to find out more about the author's life. It is hoped that this will encourage you to read and purchase this wonderful book. If you would like to support an Independent Publisher and Debut Author then please follow this LINK

We hope you enjoy!

Fly into the night. What adventure can we expect when we start to read Tiger Skin Rug?

A wild one! The children – brothers Lal and Dilip and their new friend Jenny – set out to help keep an old promise. Their adventure features the London underground, Coventry backstreets and Mumbai rooftops. There’s also a riddle, a street fight, and a villain… and a magical tiger.

The book has a cultural feeling with settings in England, Scotland, and India. How did you make these different places work together to make the plot feel grounded and realistic?

The children visit the sites they do for reasons specific to the plot, but also because I wrote about places and cultures I know. I moved to Scotland from a warm climate when I was a young girl. Lal’s first impressions of the country (and of Coventry and London) are not dissimilar to my own. Similarly, I needed Lal to see things about India that he might not have noticed when he’d lived there – I drew on memories, letters and diaries from living in India as a teenager. In some ways, the different settings work together to show that you can find the familiar in unfamiliar places.

Is there a message in the book you would like readers to connect with?

Most of all, I would like readers to enjoy the adventure. If by the end they’ve gained a connection to one of the characters, paused to reflect on the tiger’s narrative, or are moved by the way the story resolves, I’d be tickled pink. I don’t expect all readers will connect with the same message, though; in my debut-author dreamworld, readers return and see something new each time.

What/who inspired you to write this book?

My Auntie Lilian, the best storyteller in all the lands. She was always going to write about a mysterious tiger skin rug. Her story was stolen by dementia before she told it to anyone. In 2015 after a diagnosis of thyroid cancer, I retreated to Moniack Mhor for a creative writing course; I wanted to write something for my children, who inspire me every day. Auntie Lilian’s story (or its kernel) was stolen again – this time, by me.

What ingredients do you think makes a great book for children but will also be loved by adults?

Ooh, tricky Q. I don’t know if there are any set ingredients, but the right kind of humour is great if you have it to hand. There’s the humour that works on two different levels, but for me the best kind provokes genuine laughter on the same level for everyone. Another ingredient is relatability – in a good book, readers will relate to characters as they do to real-life people, and that isn’t always determined by age. Characters needn't even be the same species. (I’m thinking here of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, or my other five-star rodent read, The World According to Humphrey.) And, of course, sometimes the magic ingredient is... magic (1 tbsp or thereabouts, sprinkled lightly).

Do you think reading for pleasure helps you become the author you are?

I can only speak for myself, but yes. Reading for pleasure has made me the person I am. My childhood in Zambia included packages from Scotland of ‘Storyteller’ audio cassette tapes with read-along magazines; I boarded a flight to India after reading Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy as a teenager; Graham Greene and a posse of poets let me cry on their shoulders throughout university; and a friend who knows me well brought Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle to my hospital bedside. I like to read new books, and widely, but I think it’s been helpful to me as a writer to examine what it is that has made those old favourites stick.

We love the book cover for Tiger Skin Rug. Do you think the book cover plays an important part? 

Very much so – it makes the book stand out before anyone’s even opened it, and it looks awesome on the tables of well-known bookshops 😉 It won the 2019 #BookCoverWars against some seriously tough competition. What makes this contest extra special is that it is open to all. My small Scottish publisher got to compete with its top-notch cover work against some giants in the world of children’s literature. Small publishers are usually priced out of contests; we’re hugely grateful for the inclusivity of the #BookCoverWars. (P.S. The tiger's eyes shine!)

You are taking part in the WriteMentor summer program. Would you like to tell us a little more about that? 

Yes, please! It’s a fabulous scheme set up to support new and aspiring writers. Successful applicants are buddied with a published or agented author who works with them on their manuscript for a YA or children’s novel. The window for applications is 15-17 April. To learn more about my mentoring preferences and promises, please take a look at my website: www.joanhaigbooks.com. Let’s shine this summer with #WriteMentor!

What role do you think books can have in helping adults and children through this current situation and beyond?

Such a positive one. Books give us comfort, reassurance, prompts for tricky topics, and opportunities to look at our situation in different ways and walk in other people’s shoes. You can travel and connect across spaces and cultures in books – EVEN during lockdown! Books are portals to other worlds: we need to make sure everyone can access them, and we need to keep them open. Always.

What are you working on at the moment? 

A children’s illustrated nonfiction book with author Joan Lennon for Templar/Bonnier (out in 2021). I can’t wait! I’m also chiselling away at my children’s fiction. At the moment it’s a giant writer’s block – but inside there’s an adventure story about island cats, a storm and a secret (shh!).