1.
Can you tell us about your debut novel The Puppet Spell?
The
Puppet Spell is a quirky fantasy tale for all
ages, in which teenager Lexa’s life is thrown off-kilter when her rebellious
twin sister Lucinda steals an invisibility potion from their uncle’s store
room. Accompanied by her nerdy partner-in-crime Marlon – and her uncle’s
unreliable, not to mention dangerous, chimera - , Lexa is pulled into an
unknown universe threatened by a man with a grudge known as the Puppeteer. With
the world’s politicians turning into sinister puppet-creatures, Lexa needs to
find her sister and escape the puppet spell.
2.
Where did the idea come from?
I
wanted to write a traditional fantasy adventure with a modern twist. I’d been
working on another book series for years but it just wasn’t working out, so it
was refreshing to invent a whole new set of characters. The original idea
for this was in an old notebook I found in my room. I’d written the beginning
of a story about a hidden laboratory a few years back, and I started thinking
about how I might finish it. One idea led to another and The Puppet
Spell was born!
3. What does a typical day devoted to
writing look like for you?
I
wish I had a whole day to devote to writing! As I’m a student with an
unpredictable workload, I tend to write whenever I can, in the gaps between
lectures and deadlines and other things that come up last-minute! I’m a night
owl so I write best in the evening, and sometimes in the early hours of the morning.
If I get stuck, I’ll read a book for a bit or go on Twitter or Goodreads. I
don’t have a strict routine but I like to get at least 500 words a day.
4. I’ve read that you enjoy video
games, so what are you playing right now?
Right now I’m playing Pokemon White
2 (at 21, I’m still a massive Pokemon nerd!) I’m also playing Lego Lord of the
Rings.
5. Do you think playing video games
helps with the writing process in any way?
It actually gave me some ideas for The
Puppet Spell, in which a lot of the magic is based around illusions and
imaginary worlds, which are like a kind of virtual reality.
6. Darkness Watching is
the first book in your new Darkworld series. What has the
process of bringing a new series to life been like?
I’ve had the idea for years, so I
had quite a lot of background material to begin with. It definitely made it a
lot easier, and it was really fun coming up with a new cast of characters and
getting to know them. It’s certainly very different from The Puppet Spell
– and certainly not for a young readership! But it’s been a very fun process,
and I’m currently having a lot of fun writing the third book in the series!
7. Did your writing process change
in any way between your first novel and your newest?
I actually spend less time on planning
than I used to. I spent years planning the first book I wrote, even going as
far as to outline every scene on a spreadsheet – but when I finally started
writing the book, it turned into something completely different. I still work
from an outline, but I also like to be surprised when I’m writing – which tends
to happen whether I like it or not!
8. Is there a particular movie that
you preferred over the book version?
I actually prefer the film versions
of The Lord of the Rings, much as I admire Tolkien. It looks so much
more epic on the big screen!
9. Who would play the Puppet
Master in a film adaptation of your novel?
Argh…I never know how to answer
these questions! Someone who could play a sinister villain who’s also slightly
unhinged.
10. Where do you see writing
taking you in the next few years?
Hopefully to a lot of places I’ve
never dreamed of! I have lots of ideas for new books in the making, although
I’m currently focused on the Darkworld series. But it’s about the journey, and
I’m loving it!
