Where do you find the inspiration for your writing?
Everywhere. I don’t tend to plan my stories; they come from an image or just a question that arises in my mind that I follow. For this book, it was the image of a pond in the middle of the forest that came to me while running. I wondered what might emerge from that water, and the rest of the story unfolded from there.
What were your favourite books when you were a kid? As a young reader, did you see yourself in the books you read?
As a kid, I read everything. I wasn’t very discriminating. I didn’t see myself in the books I read in terms of culture or background, but I also wasn’t generally reading books meant for my age group.
What’s the most surprising thing you have learned when creating your books?
Publishing is very much a collaboration. The book I originally wrote is very different from what made it to the shelves, with a lot of input from many people. That was something that I didn’t expect but found really fun.
What is a challenge you have faced as a writer?
Writing takes a lot of time. Just because you have an hour free doesn’t mean you’ll get an hour of writing done. For me, the first fifteen minutes may be me staring at the wall, thinking. But that counts! I think you also have to learn to sift through all of the input from outside sources and take only what is truly helpful because ultimately, it’s your story.
What advice do you have for kids who are interested in writing?
Definitely try on different styles and voices to see what fits you, but don’t write to please other people. Much of what you write will never be seen by anyone so you have to enjoy the process and make sure that the stories you’re writing are stories you would want to find in a bookstore or library. Be yourself and write what you love.