What are you most looking forward to at the 2016 Festival?
I am most looking forward to meeting all the children and all the wonderfully enthusiastic people who organise the festival! When did you realise you wanted to be a writer? I realised I wanted to be a writer and illustrator when I was seven years old and at boarding school. We had to write letters home ever week, but I would send an illustrated story home instead. What book do you find yourself re-reading most often? I think I re-read the ‘Just William’ books by Richmal Crompton most. He is such an optimist, he always cheers me up. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? I would love to be a singer, but I can’t hit the right notes! I used to want to act, but I think now that I do that through my books, so I can’t really imagine doing anything else that I would enjoy so much. And finally, we have a number of aspiring writers attending the Festival. What one piece of advice would you give them? Read a lot and find your own voice.
I am most looking forward to meeting all the children and all the wonderfully enthusiastic people who organise the festival! When did you realise you wanted to be a writer? I realised I wanted to be a writer and illustrator when I was seven years old and at boarding school. We had to write letters home ever week, but I would send an illustrated story home instead. What book do you find yourself re-reading most often? I think I re-read the ‘Just William’ books by Richmal Crompton most. He is such an optimist, he always cheers me up. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? I would love to be a singer, but I can’t hit the right notes! I used to want to act, but I think now that I do that through my books, so I can’t really imagine doing anything else that I would enjoy so much. And finally, we have a number of aspiring writers attending the Festival. What one piece of advice would you give them? Read a lot and find your own voice.