EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW….
Wednesday 22nd August 2007
Reader Naomi Smith met and interviewed me at the recent Edinburgh Book Festival… find out what we talked about and ask some nosy questions of your own!
Naomi: You’re a really big author now, but if your books had never been published, what would you be doing?
Cathy: Teaching art, writing short stories, being an agony aunt and bringing up my kids in the Scottish countryside. I’d be dreaming of making it as a children’s author, though!
Naomi: Who is your fave character from the books and why?
Cathy: Mouse, definitely. I loved him in Dizzy, so lost and alone, and was determined to give him a happy ending in Lucky Star. I loved writing about Mouse and his talent for trouble… the world needs more boys like Mouse!
Naomi: What has been your worst job ever?
Cathy: Shredding up roast chickens in a BHS cafe to make chicken sandwiches when I was a teenager. I was a veggie – not good. I was also a spectacularly bad waitress….
Naomi: If you had a magical power, what would it be and why?
Cathy: I’d like to grant wishes… or maybe fly!
Naomi: What was your most embarrassing moment?
Cathy: Getting my swishy skirt trapped in the toilet door on the flight to Sri Lanka this spring. I was stuck, blocking the aisle, and the stewardesses couldn’t get the trolley past me… the whole plane was smirking. When the door opened again and I was released, there was a round of applause, but by then I was too embarrassed to go to the loo anyway!
Naomi: You’ve said you are quite a shy person, how do you overcome that to talk in front of loads at people, like at the Edinburgh Book Festival?
Cathy: I am shy, and I get REALLY nervous, but I’ve learnt that I can survive – and often people don’t even notice that I’m nervous! Shyness is a pain, but never, ever let it beat you… go for it!
Naomi: What’s the best thing about being an author?
Cathy: It’s a dream come true for me, and I get a real buzz from seeing my books in a shop, but the best thing ever is getting feedback from my readers and knowing that they love the stories as much as I love writing them.
OK, your turn now… if you’ve got a question for me, post it below… I’ll answer the best online!
hey, im molly i love your books my favourite is sundae girl.
can you tell me what interested you to write this book?
thanks
moll ..x..x…x
p.s how do i get to meat you?
I wanted to write about a mixed up family, and also about what it’s like to live with someone who has a drink problem… it’s an issue I feel quite strongly about. Lots of things from my own childhood, liking coping with the death of a grandparent, found their way into the story, too. To find out if I’m visiting a town near you, check out the Cathy’s Camper page of my website and come along and say hi!!!!
Hey Cathy,
I was just wondering,
How did you get the idea of writing Scarlett?I mean she seems really troubled,and you make it all sound so real,was it your childhood or something?
Thanks,
Sarah xxx
hey i’m millie i love your books one of my favourite is scarlett what inspired u to write a story like that?????? luv millie xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Millie & Lisa. Scarlett wasn’t based on my childhood, but I did want to write about a girl whose parents broke up as it’s a subject I do feel strongly about… my parents rowed a lot when i was a teen. Ireland was a big inspiration too… all the magical stuff really inspired me!
Cathy xxx
Why did you choose to write for teenagers, instead of younger children or adults?! xxx
Hi Lisa! It’s just the age group I like to write for – maybe I never quite grew up!
Cathy xxxx
Emma
As a child did you ever think off being an author or did that just come as an adult? If you did want to be a author who was your inspiration?
Hi Emma! As a child I loved daydreaming, and writing just took that idea one stage further! I longed to be a writer, but I didn’t really have a role model – I never met any authors when I was a teenager!
Cathy xxx
Cathy – do your children model Kit and Hannah from Driftwood?