Showing posts with label The ReadItDaddy Interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The ReadItDaddy Interview. Show all posts
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
A fabulous interview with Sophy Henn, Author and Illustrator of "Edie", a wonderful new picture book published by Picture Puffin
Labels:
Edie,
Picture Puffin,
Sophy Henn,
The ReadItDaddy Interview
We've come up with a few questions for Sophy so let's get straight under way! We each came up with five questions so here are my five...!
Hi Sophy, thanks for talking to us!
My pleasure! Thank you both for having me!
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Heavens! Well, I am an author and Illustrator who lives in slightly sunny Sussex. I have a dog called Buster, and I am mainly a mum. I like reading, jumping around, Peanuts, rock pooling and chocolate raisins, among other things.
We’ve really loved reading Edie together. Was she inspired by anyone in particular? (She really reminds me of how I’d imagine “Amelie” from the movie of the same name being at around the age of six :)
Hooray! I am so pleased you enjoyed reading Edie and I LOVE that she reminds you of Amelie. It is such a wonderful film, I am now inspired to refresh my memory and watch it again almost immediately!
Edie is inspired by lots of little girls (though my little girl might have inspired the dressing up page!), all of whom have that utterly positive 'can-do' attitude. I've noticed that sometimes when children start to learn good behaviour from bad and how you go about doing things for yourself and others (around nursery/recption age) they can adopt this rather teacherly attitude, especially when they have a younger sibling to tell what's what! It's not bossy, and it's not nasty, it just seems to me to be a very excitable, joyful celebration of what they are working out about the world. Edie has buckets of that attitude, and it's that and her love of the people around her that drives her to be ever so 'helpful'.
Tell us a little bit about how you approach a new project. How do you go about creating a new character and story and do the visuals usually arrive before the story or vice versa?
When I started with Where Bear? it was definitely a case of the character leading the process, he popped into my head and onto a page before I had really thought about anything. A painting of a little, white bear in a deep, dark forest looking lost. Then the story followed, the same thing happened for Pom Pom Gets the Grumps. But then things changed a bit with Pass It On as I knew I wanted to make a positive, happy and empowering book for pre schoolers. Creating the character happened quite a way into the project, it's the same with the book I am working on at the moment. But with Edie, she really lead the way. Once she was in my mind all I had to do was put her in various situations and see what she would do!
Hooray! I am so pleased you enjoyed reading Edie and I LOVE that she reminds you of Amelie. It is such a wonderful film, I am now inspired to refresh my memory and watch it again almost immediately!
Edie is inspired by lots of little girls (though my little girl might have inspired the dressing up page!), all of whom have that utterly positive 'can-do' attitude. I've noticed that sometimes when children start to learn good behaviour from bad and how you go about doing things for yourself and others (around nursery/recption age) they can adopt this rather teacherly attitude, especially when they have a younger sibling to tell what's what! It's not bossy, and it's not nasty, it just seems to me to be a very excitable, joyful celebration of what they are working out about the world. Edie has buckets of that attitude, and it's that and her love of the people around her that drives her to be ever so 'helpful'.
Tell us a little bit about how you approach a new project. How do you go about creating a new character and story and do the visuals usually arrive before the story or vice versa?
When I started with Where Bear? it was definitely a case of the character leading the process, he popped into my head and onto a page before I had really thought about anything. A painting of a little, white bear in a deep, dark forest looking lost. Then the story followed, the same thing happened for Pom Pom Gets the Grumps. But then things changed a bit with Pass It On as I knew I wanted to make a positive, happy and empowering book for pre schoolers. Creating the character happened quite a way into the project, it's the same with the book I am working on at the moment. But with Edie, she really lead the way. Once she was in my mind all I had to do was put her in various situations and see what she would do!
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| "Where Bear?" by Sophy Henn |
Coffee or Tea?
TEA. Sadly I can't dink coffee anymore, it's too much for me! The last time I tried, I managed half a cup of instant and had to go for a run I was so jittery. But I can safely swig upwards of ten cups of tea day! I LOVE it!
Can you tell us what your favourite books were as a child?
I LOVED Allan and Janet Alhberg's Cops and Robbers. I loved the rhythm of the story and the joyful wickedness of the Robbers wrong doings. And all the wonderful detail in the illustrations which kept me pouring over the pages long after my Mum had finished reading it. I was/am also a huge fan of Milly Molly Mandy and all the cosy goings on of her day to day. And there is a map at the front go every book, who doesn't like a map?
TEA. Sadly I can't dink coffee anymore, it's too much for me! The last time I tried, I managed half a cup of instant and had to go for a run I was so jittery. But I can safely swig upwards of ten cups of tea day! I LOVE it!
Can you tell us what your favourite books were as a child?
I LOVED Allan and Janet Alhberg's Cops and Robbers. I loved the rhythm of the story and the joyful wickedness of the Robbers wrong doings. And all the wonderful detail in the illustrations which kept me pouring over the pages long after my Mum had finished reading it. I was/am also a huge fan of Milly Molly Mandy and all the cosy goings on of her day to day. And there is a map at the front go every book, who doesn't like a map?
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| Sophy at her desk, busy as ever! |
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| "Pass it On" by Sophy Henn |
...and five questions from Charlotte!
What’s the best way for someone like me to start writing stories? I’m trying to write something for the Radio 2 “500 words” competition at the moment and it’s really hard!
I agree, it is hard, but when you eventually wrestle those words into a story that works, it feels pretty amazing doesn't it? Stories start in lots of different ways for me (see above!), which I realise isn't ever so helpful. But however a story starts, once I have the idea, I find it really useful to map the plot out before I get down the actual story writing. Once I have jotted down the story's key elements, in the order they happen, when I get to the writing part it's a bit like joining the dots to make the story whole. I find that kind of planning especially useful if I have to tell the story in a specific number of words as it keeps me on track. I always write to much, but remember it's easier to edit it out than add it in! GOOD LUCK!
What’s your favourite animal (apart from Pandas, of course!) and will they find their way into one of your stories one day?
I honestly love all animals, I can't watch any nature programmes for fear of any being eaten (actually true). But I do have a very soft spot for guinea pigs (if you google guinea pigs in hats it will give you an insight as to why), and I would love to do a picture book filled with them. Though, obviously Olga de Polga is a bit of a superstar and Catherine Rayner's illustrations of her are utterly beautiful, so I would have make sure I was feeling confident! One day.....
What’s your favourite Disney movie? (Mine’s currently Zootropolis but I change my mind every few months!)
I do love Disney and have lots of books on the artists that have worked for the studios. Do check out Mary Blair if you can, she was an incredible artist who worked at Disney in the 1940s-50s, her use of colour is incredible. But back to the almost impossible question....I think the only way I can answer is to divide Disney up a bit...so could we have three separate categories for live action, animation and Disney Pixar please? If so I would probably choose Mary Poppins for live action ( I know there is a little cartoon too, but by and large it's actual people). Aristocats for animation as I love the illustration style of the streets, Thomas O'Malley's voice is ever so soothing and it was my daughters favourite film for a very long time. And then choosing a favourite Disney Pixar is agony, but I would probably plump for The Incredibles as, among many other things, I LOVE the mid century styling. And the Mum superhero obvs!
If you could be anything else in the world other than an author / illustrator what would you want to be?
Definitely a tap dancer. Ideally in the style of Gene Kelly (check him out in Singing in Rain, he makes it look so easy - AMAZING!)
What’s your favourite food? (Mine’s pizza and pasta and chocolate but not all mixed together!)
I agree, it is hard, but when you eventually wrestle those words into a story that works, it feels pretty amazing doesn't it? Stories start in lots of different ways for me (see above!), which I realise isn't ever so helpful. But however a story starts, once I have the idea, I find it really useful to map the plot out before I get down the actual story writing. Once I have jotted down the story's key elements, in the order they happen, when I get to the writing part it's a bit like joining the dots to make the story whole. I find that kind of planning especially useful if I have to tell the story in a specific number of words as it keeps me on track. I always write to much, but remember it's easier to edit it out than add it in! GOOD LUCK!
What’s your favourite animal (apart from Pandas, of course!) and will they find their way into one of your stories one day?
I honestly love all animals, I can't watch any nature programmes for fear of any being eaten (actually true). But I do have a very soft spot for guinea pigs (if you google guinea pigs in hats it will give you an insight as to why), and I would love to do a picture book filled with them. Though, obviously Olga de Polga is a bit of a superstar and Catherine Rayner's illustrations of her are utterly beautiful, so I would have make sure I was feeling confident! One day.....
What’s your favourite Disney movie? (Mine’s currently Zootropolis but I change my mind every few months!)
I do love Disney and have lots of books on the artists that have worked for the studios. Do check out Mary Blair if you can, she was an incredible artist who worked at Disney in the 1940s-50s, her use of colour is incredible. But back to the almost impossible question....I think the only way I can answer is to divide Disney up a bit...so could we have three separate categories for live action, animation and Disney Pixar please? If so I would probably choose Mary Poppins for live action ( I know there is a little cartoon too, but by and large it's actual people). Aristocats for animation as I love the illustration style of the streets, Thomas O'Malley's voice is ever so soothing and it was my daughters favourite film for a very long time. And then choosing a favourite Disney Pixar is agony, but I would probably plump for The Incredibles as, among many other things, I LOVE the mid century styling. And the Mum superhero obvs!
If you could be anything else in the world other than an author / illustrator what would you want to be?
Definitely a tap dancer. Ideally in the style of Gene Kelly (check him out in Singing in Rain, he makes it look so easy - AMAZING!)
What’s your favourite food? (Mine’s pizza and pasta and chocolate but not all mixed together!)
You have some strong choices there, and I like all of them. But if I had to pick one favourite food it would be.....curry, not super hot but definitely on the hot side. I honestly think I could eat curry for almost every meal (even breakfast!).
Thank you so much for having me back on the marvellous Read It Daddy blog!
Very best,
Sophy x
Thank you so much for having me back on the marvellous Read It Daddy blog!
Very best,
Sophy x
"Edie" by Sophy Henn is out now, published by Picture Puffin.
Monday, 19 October 2015
Celebrating the release of the awesome "Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella" with two extremely talented ladies! Let's meet Cerrie Burnell and Laura Ellen Anderson!
Labels:
Cerrie Burnell,
Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella,
Laura Ellen Anderson,
Scholastic Children's Books,
The ReadItDaddy Interview
We're tickled to death today to be joined by two utterly wonderful booky folk. Joining us to celebrate the release of "Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella" let's say hello to Cerrie Burnell and Laura Ellen Anderson!
Hi Cerrie / Laura, thanks for joining us at ReadItDaddy. Can you
tell us a little bit more about yourselves and your new mighty girl
Harper!
CERRIE: Hello 'Read it Daddy' fans I'm Cerrie Burnell , writer, presenter and mummy. Some of you might know me from CBeebies, but I'm also a children's author. My picture books (also with the lovely Laura) include Snowflakes, Mermaid and Ballet Dreams. My first chapter book- which I'm super excited about is called Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella. It follows the story of Harper a girl with a rare, musical gift, whose beloved cat Midnight goes missing. Together with her three best friends, Liesel- a girl who wishes she was a mouse, Ferdie - a serious boy, with a serious scarf and Nate - a boy with mist-coloured wolf, she sets out across the City of Clouds in her flying scarlet umbrella to rescueMidnight and the other disappeared cats.
LAURA: Thanks ReadItDaddy! I'm an author/illustrator by day, and Batman by night. (Ed: We always suspected as much!)
Illustrating Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella was an absolute joy. I've illustrated many other children's picture books and fiction series, and loved every single one. I count myself very lucky.
I'm also the creator of Evil Emperor Penguin, who's first book was released at the beginning of October! Mwahahahaaaar! And I have my very own debut picture book being published early 2017, so watch this space! I love my job and wouldn't want to do anything else, other than perhaps go to Hogwarts and make spells.
Can you tell us a little bit about the books you loved as children?
CERRIE: As a child I couldn't read myself until I was 8 as I'm dyslexic, so my mum read to me, night after night, gently enriching my world with stories. The books I loved best were The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll which my grandma read to me, and I also loved Matilda by Roald Dahl.
LAURA: I was (and still am) a huge fan of the Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy. I loved the illustrations and they inspired me so much. The Twits and The Witches by Roald Dahl & Quentin Blake have always been favourites of mine too. Hilarious and wonderfully illustrated!
We love the format of "Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella", was it a
conscious decision to include more illustrations in the chapter book
format? (It's definitely a format we've seen more and more of recently
and one we definitely approve of!)
CERRIE: I really wanted Harper to be full of illustrations. It's quite a detailed story with a whole world of characters, so beautiful, fun drawings add to the magic. I'm delighted with the result!
LAURA: It's certainly a format I, as the illustrator, am extremely fond of and love to see in a chapter book. The text and illustrations in Harper & the Scarlet Umbrella go hand in hand and compliment each other well, which is why Cerrie and I work so well together :)
(To Cerrie) Are Alex, Andy and Sid as cheeky as they seem?
CERRIE: Yes Andy, Alex and Sid are most definitely as cheeky as they seem on screen. When we’re filming it’s normally a ten or eleven hour day- so you have to be yourself, and all of us like to fill the day with fun.
(To Laura) Can we please have another Evil Emperor Penguin collection
sometime soon?
LAURA: Oooh I'm sure there will be another Evil Emperor Penguin collection soon, but you'll have to wait and see! For now, you can still find the tyrannical seabird getting up to mischief every month in the Phoenix Comic!
Tell us a sneaky wee snippet of what we can expect from Harper's
next adventure! Go on, we won't tell anyone, promise!
CERRIE: There are two new Harper books on the way! (Ed: YAYYYY!) Harper and the Sea of Secrets which has been specially written for world book day. In this adventure Harper and her friends travel to the City of Gulls, to discover that the royal orchestra have had their instruments stolen. With the help of an old smugglers map and a band of beardy fishermen they set out to find the stolen instruments and discover why the sea sings every night.
Book 2 is called Harper and the Circus of Dreams. It's all about a grand and mysterious circus that hangs in the clouds and travels by wind, yet the circus is oddly familiar to Harper, who is sure she has been here before. With her precious cat Midnight and her friends in tow, she befriends a storm stirrer and learns that circus holds many strange secrets.
LAURA: There shall be more magic, friendship and perhaps the odd fisherman...
next adventure! Go on, we won't tell anyone, promise!
CERRIE: There are two new Harper books on the way! (Ed: YAYYYY!) Harper and the Sea of Secrets which has been specially written for world book day. In this adventure Harper and her friends travel to the City of Gulls, to discover that the royal orchestra have had their instruments stolen. With the help of an old smugglers map and a band of beardy fishermen they set out to find the stolen instruments and discover why the sea sings every night.
Book 2 is called Harper and the Circus of Dreams. It's all about a grand and mysterious circus that hangs in the clouds and travels by wind, yet the circus is oddly familiar to Harper, who is sure she has been here before. With her precious cat Midnight and her friends in tow, she befriends a storm stirrer and learns that circus holds many strange secrets.
LAURA: There shall be more magic, friendship and perhaps the odd fisherman...
Fantastic stuff! Thank you both SO MUCH for answering our questions and stopping by the blog.
As well as "Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella" (which was released on 1st October by Scholastic) don't miss Cerrie and Laura's other brilliant books including "Mermaid" which was a well deserved ReadItDaddy Book of the Week.
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| Cerrie Burnell |
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| Laura Ellen Anderson |
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
#ReadingRocks! The ReadItDaddy Interview - We talk to the utterly lovely Tracey Corderoy, author of "NO!" (Little Tiger Press)
Labels:
Little Tiger Press,
No,
Reading Rocks 2013,
The ReadItDaddy Interview,
Tim Warnes,
Tracey Corderoy
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| Tracey (and doggy pal Dylan!) |
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| NO! By Tracey Corderoy and Tim Warnes (Little Tiger Press) |
ReaditDaddy (Daddy): Hi Tracey and thanks for taking time out of your hectic schedule to talk to ReadItDaddy. Tell us a little bit about yourself and of course your new book (with Tim Warnes), "NO!"
Tracey Corderoy: Hi! Well, I live in a hidden valley in the middle of trees, more trees, and squirrels (mostly in the trees), and I spend my days happily writing stories.
I’m a former primary school teacher and, while I was teaching, I loved to read stories to the children in my class. I believe stories hold the key to unlocking the imagination. They allow us to escape to amazing places; to do things we’d never get to do, and I longed to be able to create that magic too.
I’m currently having a great time writing all sorts for all ages. My stories range from picture books, (rhyme and prose) to young fiction and now, also, to novels for older children. My characters are diverse and hopefully engaging, and my stories always start with them. Then we simply have to work out the journey together!
My latest book, “NO!” introduces Archie. Undeniably adorable, this little rhino clearly has a mind of his own. We see how his growing fondness of a small word has very BIG implications. Not least for him, when Archie takes that dreaded, “NO!” word just a bit too far…
ReaditDaddy (Daddy): We think it's going to be a huge hit with parents (who, like us, hear that word a LOT and usually in exactly the same places as mummy and daddy Rhino!) Was there a particular little person who inspired Archie? (Go on, you can tell us, we won't tell anyone, promise!)
Tracey Corderoy: Let’s just say I’ve been a parent of (very adorable!) small children too. And, as I said, I was a primary school teacher, so I think those two things combined gave me lots of great starting-point material!
ReaditDaddy (Daddy): We thought "NO!" had a great 'daddy' character in it and it's a fab book for both boys and girls. Do you think authors are finding the demand for cross-gender books more tricky to write?
Tracey Corderoy: Personally, I love writing stories that appeal to both boys and girls. I think the key is finding amazing characters. Characters that anyone can’t help but root for. But sometimes, I think, it is tricky to appeal to both boys and girls simultaneously, and more so, perhaps, the older the child you write for.
Wonderful picture books have the potential to cut through divides and appeal to both genders, and a variety of ages too. But, as I say, the characters, setting, and the voice have to be just right to do this. (Very tricky, but luckily I like challenges!)
ReaditDaddy (Daddy): As you probably know, we love your other books (particularly a certain series featuring a rather groovy granny with a penchant for pointy hats). Are you allowed to talk about any top secret projects you're working on? (again we promise we won't tell anyone!)
Tracey Corderoy: Ok, then – but only if you promise not to tell! Right, top secret projects – well, I’m happy to say that I’m currently working on a sequel to “NO!” So, YES - and no - that’s not the new title - but hopefully you’ll see more of Archie quite soon!
There’s another Granny picture book in the pipeline too. It’s coming out in the autumn, as well as a young fiction series based on the magical Hubble Bubble duo, which I’m having fun writing right now, along with more charming Willow Valley stories.
And if you like robber dogs (who-don’t-mean-to-be-bad-and-once-they-know-they-ARE-are-SO-sorry-and-immediately-turn-to-cupcakes) then just watch this space, that’s all I’m saying! You know…?
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte): Quite an interesting one this. Charlotte asks "Where do you write?"
Tracey Corderoy: Hi Charlotte! I write in my study, at my desk - with my dog, called Dylan Dog. He likes to sleep right by my chair. He waits for tea breaks because tea breaks mean biscuits and Dylan is very fond of biscuits, and fairy cakes too, come to that. Mog, my cat, sometimes comes in too (usually through the window). Then there we all are, they sleep and I write stories!
I also write in trains, in my bed, and in the garden when it’s not raining. If I get an idea when I’m the bath though, then I call for my daughter, also called Charlotte. My Charlotte then kindly sits outside the door with my note book, my pencil (and her rabbit, Truffle!). Then I call out what to write in my notebook and she does! How very good of her is that!!
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte): This is Charlotte's killer question for authors - "Who is your favourite Princess?" (Disney or otherwise)
Tracey Corderoy: Ha! I know the answer to this one, Charlotte. No catching me out. Oh no! Though I have to say it’s a very, VERY good question!
Ok, so my favourite princess is my little princess from, ‘NEVER say no to a Princess!’
So she starts off being … well, really just horrid. She shouts and she stomps and she says she will CRY if she doesn’t get just what she wants. (I’m sure you’re not like that at all, are you? Are you???)
Anyway, guess what, Charlotte? She does ALL that but her tears lead to a big, soggy surprise. And then she starts to learn to be nicer. Quite a lot nicer, actually.
There’s a dragon in it too, but don’t worry - he doesn’t eat my princess. So it’s all quite fine in the end! (Well, apart from the palace, which is still (just slightly) popped.)If I couldn’t choose my own princess then I also really like Cinderella, a LOT!
(We're making a mental note to pick up "NEVER say no to a Princess" as soon as possible!!)
Thank you so much Tracey, we hope you and Tim have huge success with NO! and we cannot wait to see those other top secret projects we promise not to talk about too!
Find out more at the Little Tiger Press 'Reading Rocks' website and don't forget to visit those other fantastic blogs on the tour too!
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
The ReaditDaddy Interview with Ben H. Winters, Author of "The Last Policeman" and the second book in the trilogy, "Countdown City" (Quirk Books)
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| Ben H. Winters. Looking very relaxed for a man who brought about the end of the world |
ReaditDaddy: Hi Ben and congratulations on the success of "The Last Policeman" and on the publication of the next book in the trilogy "Countdown City" - Tell us a little bit about yourself and your books.
Ben H. Winters: A little bit about myself: I’m your basic bassist-turned comedian-turned-journalist-turned-playwright-turned-novelist. I’ve lived all over the United States (and, during college, in Oxford, England, for a year) and have landed for now in Indianapolis, Indiana. My wife is a law professor, and we’ve got three small kids.
A little bit about my books: I’ve written in various “categories”, as the marketing folks like to say, from humorous nonfiction to supernatural thriller. But The Last Policeman and its sequels feel, to me, like the kind of writing I will do for my career, which I guess I would call serious-minded genre fiction. Big plots, big situations, big ideas.
ReaditDaddy: Tell us about your typical 'writing' day - what gets you up and motivated in the morning?
Ben H. Winters: In terms of what gets me up in the morning, you may refer back to the three small kids mentioned in answer #1 (Yep, we wholly identify with that - ed).
But, usually, between family responsibilities and teaching gigs, I get about three or four hours of strictly writing time a day, and I have evolved over the years a rather complicated system of using that time productively: I divide the hours into distinct blocks of time, and then assign each time block a specific task. I try not to think in terms of word counts (“I must write 1500 words today!”) but rather in terms of substantive time spent (“I must spend three hours today inside the world of this book!”) It works for me, and I’ve gotten a bit crazy about it.
ReaditDaddy: We don't mind telling you that we found "The Last Policeman" unputdownable (I still haven't caught up with the night's sleep I lost because I just could not bear not to finish it in one sitting, and went straight back in for a second reading too!) Why do you think the book has struck such a chord with people?
ReaditDaddy: We don't mind telling you that we found "The Last Policeman" unputdownable (I still haven't caught up with the night's sleep I lost because I just could not bear not to finish it in one sitting, and went straight back in for a second reading too!) Why do you think the book has struck such a chord with people?
Ben H. Winters: Thank you so much, and I hope that you find Countdown City and the third one, which I’m writing now, to be as compelling.
I think the chord I’ve struck is the one that we all share, every single one of us: we will die one day. You will and I will and all of your readers will and so will all of mine.
All The Last Policeman does is make it specific: Not just, we are born to die, but we are born to die on October 3 of this year. So, uh, now how do you live? Now how seriously do you take your job, your mortgage, your wedding vows? Something about weaving those questions in to a classic tough-guy-noir storyline resonated with people.
ReaditDaddy: Hank Palace is a fascinating character, really focused on duty despite facing the inevitable end of the world. Did you base him on anyone in particular?
ReaditDaddy: Hank Palace is a fascinating character, really focused on duty despite facing the inevitable end of the world. Did you base him on anyone in particular?
Ben H. Winters: I did not consciously base this character on anyone, but it has been pointed out to me in retrospect that he bears a strong resemblance in certain ways to my father. His career was not in law enforcement, but my dad is quite rigorous in his sense of commitment to responsibilities, of all kinds; the sort of man to very carefully check and double-check that he’s left a fair tip on a restaurant bill, while everybody else is impatiently waiting.
There’s more than a bit of that in my man Hank.
ReaditDaddy: Not sure if you're allowed to answer this but we hear rumours that "The Last Policeman" could end up as a TV series. Any flesh to put on those bones or are you sworn to secrecy? (We loved the idea of Jim True-Frost as Palace btw! Absolutely bang on the nail!)
ReaditDaddy: Not sure if you're allowed to answer this but we hear rumours that "The Last Policeman" could end up as a TV series. Any flesh to put on those bones or are you sworn to secrecy? (We loved the idea of Jim True-Frost as Palace btw! Absolutely bang on the nail!)
Ben H. Winters: I can’t tell you much, not because I’m sworn to secrecy, but because I don’t really know anything. A well-established production company has taken the option, they are developing it, and hopefully it will one day be on a pilot, which would hopefully one day be a TV show. Which’ll be great if it happens, of course, but I try to carry the whole Hollywood-comes-calling side of this career in the basket marked that would be nice, as opposed to the one marked things that will definitely pay my mortgage.
ReaditDaddy: You're a busy bee, with novels and writing for stage in a constant cycle. We're a children's book blog but we obviously read and review other things too - any thoughts on writing for children? (heck of a tough audience!)
ReaditDaddy: You're a busy bee, with novels and writing for stage in a constant cycle. We're a children's book blog but we obviously read and review other things too - any thoughts on writing for children? (heck of a tough audience!)
Ben H. Winters: Oh, indeed. I’ve actually written two novels for young readers—The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman and a sequel, The Mystery of the Missing Everything, both published by HarperCollins here in the US.
They feature a dogged and idiosyncratic seventh-grade girl named Bethesda Fielding; in the first one, she discovers that her nerdy band teacher was once a punk-rock singer. I love writing for kids, and I certainly intend to do more, especially as my own little ones get older and begin to engage with real books.
ReaditDaddy: How does it feel to write something that people have set in their minds has a fairly predictable end (After all, The Last Policeman is set in a world shortly before a massive meteor will wipe out all life on the planet). How do you keep building the element of surprise?
ReaditDaddy: How does it feel to write something that people have set in their minds has a fairly predictable end (After all, The Last Policeman is set in a world shortly before a massive meteor will wipe out all life on the planet). How do you keep building the element of surprise?
Ben H. Winters: Hopefully what keeps this trilogy interesting is that though we do know how it ends, in the big-picture sense, each of the three novels has its own complete story, a mystery that is discovered, reasoned out, and solved, against the backdrop of the impending doom.
So we’re invested in seeing Palace do his thing, and all the ways the doomsday threat impedes his work, and—again, hopefully—we’re also invested in watching him struggle to remain tough and true to his values as the world inches toward chaos.
ReaditDaddy: So one night you come home and on the 6 o'clock news there's an announcement that a gigantic meteorite will wipe out all life on earth in six months. What would you do? :)
ReaditDaddy: So one night you come home and on the 6 o'clock news there's an announcement that a gigantic meteorite will wipe out all life on earth in six months. What would you do? :)
ReaditDaddy: Fantastic stuff, and thank you very much for a fascinating interview and insight into what you do. We absolutely cannot wait for Book 3 :)
Update: Massive congratulations to Ben for his recent Edgar win for 'The Last Policeman' - Well done and great acceptance speech!
Monday, 25 March 2013
The ReadItDaddy Interview - Clara Vulliamy, author and illustrator of the latest Martha and the Bunny Brothers book "I Heart Bedtime"
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| Martha Hearts Bedtime! |
ReadItDaddy (Daddy): Hi Clara and congratulations on your new book "I Heart Bedtime" which looks fantastic. Tell us a little bit about it and what inspired the story?
Clara Vulliamy:
Thank you very much! In I Heart Bedtime, Martha is trying to get her bouncy bunny brothers Monty and Pip into bed EARLY, so she can have some extra special time with best babysitter Grace-next-door. But this is a something of a challenge…
Bedtime is a fabulous theme for a book – it’s a daily family saga of sometimes epic (and exasperating) proportions, and it’s full of detail and different routines. Funny, sweet, and – in the bunny household - utterly chaotic.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy): We're massively grateful for all the support you've given our #ReaditMummiesandDaddies2013 campaign (you are a star!) Can you tell us why you think it's important for parents to read to their children?
Clara Vulliamy:
I’m proud to be on board!
Getting children hooked on reading begins a lifelong love affair with books. Reading aloud to them, when they are babies and small children and when they are older too, does several incredibly important things:
it draws them in to the thrill of the story and develops their powers of imagination and observation,
it tells them that YOU love books too (there’s no better advertisement than that!),
and it’s a love thing - showing them that, for these few moments, there’s nowhere you’d rather be than right here.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy): I love your artistic style, describe a typical day when you're busy creating!
Clara Vulliamy:
I start working early – the family ‘workers’ have left the house by 7.30 – so I’m at my desk with a strong coffee pretty much then.
If I’m writing, there’s lots of end-of-pencil-chewing, staring out of the window, day-dreaming. I might spend all morning writing one sentence and all afternoon rubbing it out.
But if I’m illustrating it’s much more delicious – squeezing out paints, cutting and sticking… think nursery school but not on one of those agonizing tiny chairs.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy): Finally from me before I hand over to Charlotte (and this is the killer question) name 5 books you'd take to a desert island!
Clara Vulliamy:
That IS a killer! Only 5??
I would take:
- Babar for his elegant green suit and spats;
- Winnie the Pooh for my great pal Piglet;
- A poetry anthology for some learning-by-heart;
- His Dark Materials for the soul;
- ...and an A to Z of London to remember all the places I love.
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte): Do you have any bunnies at home as you really draw nice bunnies.
Clara Vulliamy:
Thank you so much, Charlotte!
I love drawing bunnies, especially their soft pink noses and their long ears (that are a great way to show feelings – droopy for sad, perky for happy).
I did have a bunny called Mistletoe, but now I have two guinea pigs called Delilah and Maccabees. They keep me company and love to chat ALL THE TIME!
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte): What's the hardest thing to draw?
Clara Vulliamy:
I used to think that cars were the hardest. The cars I drew looked like potatoes on wheels. But just recently I’ve been doing a book that has LOTS of cars in it, and I have loved doing them!
But I still can’t draw a tractor or a train…
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte): Who is your favourite Disney Princess (or other Princess)?
Well – I hope this is right, I THINK she’s a princess – my favourite is Snow White. It was one of the first films I ever saw at the cinema, and I thought she was very pretty. And I thought the witch was absolutely terrifying. There are lots of rabbits in that film, too!
(Charlotte says "Snow White is MY favourite too! She's the most beautiful Disney Princess!)
Huge gigantic massive thanks Clara for popping by to say hi to us and for answering our tricky questions. We wish you all the very best with your book launch!
"I Heart Bedtime" by Clara Vulliamy and published by HarperCollins Children's Books is out on the 28th March 2013. We'll be reviewing it very very soon so keep an eye out for our verdict! In the meantime if you'd like to win a copy, pop on by our competition page! Tweet us something Bunny and Funny with the hashtag #iheartbedtime for a chance to win !
Friday, 22 March 2013
The ReadItDaddy Interview - Emma Yarlett, Author and Illustrator of our Book of the Week this week - "Sidney, Stella and the Moon" (Templar Publishing)
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| Emma Yarlett and her debut children's book "Sidney, Stella and the Moon" (Templar) |
With our best questioning expressions (no red crayon moustaches for us though, unfortunately) we managed to collar Emma during her busy launch schedule to pop a few quizzical musings to her.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy)
Hi Emma, congratulations on your first book for Templar "Sidney, Stella and the Moon" - Tell us a little bit about yourself and your first book!
Emma Yarlett
Thank you! It's so exciting to be published and 'out there'.... although it is a little scary letting go of something so personal, this is my very very first authored and illustrated book and so is very close to my heart.
I began it way back in 2010 when I was studying in my final year at Falmouth University College, and it has been on an incredible journey, slowly twisting, changing and adapting into the final book that you see today. I've changed a lot on the journey too- going from a Miss Bennett to a Mrs Yarlett, and making the big decision to stay permanently in the lovely warmer climates of Cornwall.
Children's picture books are very much at the heart of my illustration work, but I've worked on a whole host of other things too- from an animation to Waterstones, to greetings cards for Hallmark, to an educational play with the one and only Julia Donaldson! It's been a fantastic 2 years as a professional illustrator- and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy)
We're always interested in how authors / artists organise (or disorganise!) their day. How does your typical day go?
Emma Yarlett
But after that, every day looks so so different- sometimes I will be painting, sometimes I will be researching on my iMac, sometimes I will be chatting through ideas with friends and publishers, sometimes I will get away and go on a lovely walk to get my brain thinking in the fresh air and sometimes you might even find me in Starbucks surrounded by a sea of paper!
Today I am doing a teensy bit of admin, and then putting together a sample of my new book ready for my publishers... so today is an exciting day! I might even have a Jaffa Cake and Hot chocolate to celebrate.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy)
Emma Yarlett
Other illustrators I am really liking are Owen Davey and David Roberts. I'm also enjoying the tough graphics of old Soviet Posters, the eclectic work of Kandinsky and the odd bit of Bauhaus.
ReadItDaddy (Daddy)
Emma Yarlett
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte)
What is the hardest thing to draw?
Emma Yarlett
ReadItDaddy (Charlotte)
My favourite Princess would have to be Princess Kate Middleton- she had the best wedding dress ever. But if I had to pick a Disney princess it would definitely be Cinderella.
Who is your favourite Princess (Disney or otherwise!)
Emma Yarlett
Brilliant stuff! Thank you so much Emma for taking the time to answer some fairly tricky questions (that Disney Princess one gets 'em every time :)
"Sidney, Stella and the Moon" is available from Templar Books in hardback right NOW! Go gettit!
Friday, 1 March 2013
ReadItDaddy Interview Time - We put 6 super-taxing questions to Joanna Gray, Author of "The Little Raindrop" (Top That! Publishing)
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| Joanna Gray and her Children's Picture Book debut "The Little Raindrop" - Awesome smile, Joanna! |
ReadItDaddy: Congratulations on your first book "The Little Raindrop" coming from Top That on March 1st. Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Joanna: I live in Leeds with my husband, our three children; Nathan (6), Will (4) and Karin (4) – yes they are twins, and our dog, Buster. I work in the Head Office of a Bank where my day job is analysing numbers. It is about as far away from what people expect from an author as possible!
I’m a very energetic, happy person and I love to live life to the full. I love spending time with my family and friends, usually outside running around with the children having fun.
When I’m not being a Mum, working in my day job, or writing, I like to read. I have also recently become quite addicted to Twitter (Yep, us too :)
ReadItDaddy: What was the inspiration for "The Little Raindrop" ? (apart from the - er - interesting weather we've had recently :)
Joanna: Ever since I was a little girl I’ve wanted to write a book but as I grew up and became more mathematically focussed I put that dream aside. However, after having my eldest son and spending countless hours enjoying reading books to him I began to start thinking about writing again. The Little Raindrop was an idea that came to me as I was trying to get to sleep one night. I had to get out of bed and write it all down before I could get to sleep.
ReaditDaddy: We're a bit green when it comes to how books come together but are fascinated by the ties between author, illustrator and publisher. How closely did you get to work with Top That and Dubravka Kolanovic (the illustrator) while the book was in the early stages before going to print?
Joanna: I didn’t at all. I had done my research, and I knew that first time authors very rarely have any say in the illustrator of their book, unless they have arranged it themselves first and submitted the finished book to the publisher. I was quite nervous seeing The Little Raindrop pictures for the first time, but Dubravka has done such an amazing job and Little Raindrop is everything I hoped he would be.
Working with Top That! around the promotion of the Little Raindrop has been a fantastic experience. They are really helpful and have offered me great support for my various ideas.
ReadItDaddy: Tell us a little bit about your influences - what children's books, authors and illustrators do you admire?
Joanna: I am a huge Julia Donaldson fan. I think my favourite of her books is “Tiddler, The Story Telling Fish”, although “Night Monkey Day Monkey” is also really good. I always enjoy reading the Little Wombat books by Angela McAllister, and my children love Giles Andreae’s “Morris the Mankiest Monster”. I admire him very much, but that particular book makes me feel quite ill, it is that well written and illustrated!
When it comes to illustrations I have quite a traditional taste. One of my favourite pictures from a book is drawn by Caroline Pedler in “Bedtime for Little Bears!”. I love the soft pastel drawings, so Top That!’s choice of Dubravka as The Little Raindrop’s illustrator fit in extremely well with my ideas of how I wanted the book to look.
Charlotte: Who is your favourite Princess? (Mine's Snow White but I like Mulan too!)
Joanna: That’s a tough question. I think I will have to say Belle, but Rapunzel is a close second.
Charlotte: Do you have any pets? I love Rabbits and Guinea Pigs but mummy and daddy won't let me have one (yet!)
Joanna: We have a dog called Buster. He is a mongrel, and he is 10 years old. He’s a very special part of our family, and we love to take him on long walks in the woods. He isn’t very good at hide and seek though, he usually stands next to me when I’m hiding and barks at me to tell me to throw his ball for him!
Our thanks to Joanna Gray and Top That! Publishing for the interview opportunity! "The Little Raindrop" is out today. Look out for our full review (just above this post!)
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