Delighted to have award-winning YA author Tracy Darnton on the blog today, following the release of her first picture book My Brother Is An Avocado. Illustrated by the talented Yasmeen Ismail, this is an original story about a big-sister-in-waiting imagining (rather vividly!) what her baby brother is going to be like. And as Tracy tells us below, whether you are writing for tots or teens, all stories need a good twist. Read on to find out more…
Author Tracy Darnton
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I wrote at school but got sidetracked by exams and going off to do a law degree and become a solicitor. I came back to it much later in life when my kids were at school and I volunteered in the school library. Just after I finished an MA in Writing for Young People, I won the YA short story prize with Stripes and The Bookseller. One thing led to another and I’ve had three YA thrillers published by Stripes/Little Tiger starting with The Truth About Lies.
Your new picture book, My Brother Is An Avocado, is an engaging story about being a sister-in-waiting, and a fun guide to how babies grow during pregnancy – what inspired you to write this book?
My niece was expecting a baby and I started to think about the milestones as a baby grows from teeny poppy seed to giant watermelon. What if by using a well-meant euphemism or metaphor a sibling thought they were going to get an actual lemon or an avocado? That struck me as a more interesting way to explore all the excitement and the anxieties of a new baby in the house. Is this ‘onion’ going to make them cry, will everyone like a ‘Brussels sprout’ or will they fit in the bath with a massive ‘watermelon’? And, of course, can you cuddle an avocado?
You also write thrillers for Young Adults – how did you find writing for children at the younger end of the publishing spectrum?
I like how it’s less than 400 words as opposed to 65,000 – that’s a definite bonus. And it’s obviously very concept based which is fun to play around with. It’s actually been a slower process than writing a YA thriller – four years from signing the deal to publication. There are definite pluses – I have started doing visits with tiny tots in my avocado dress with all my cuddly crocheted vegetables and a heap of actions which has been really fun. I always missed out on World Book Day outfits with the thrillers but now I’m hoping someone will go dressed as an avocado. One thing is definitely the same – the importance of a twist at the end!
What was it like to work with fabulous illustrator Yasmeen Ismail and to see your characters brought to life on the page?
I met lovely Yas for the first time on publication day when we went round bookshops together in Bristol. I’ve always loved her style so it was brilliant to see what she made of my words.
Do you have any top tips for people looking to write for different age groups and across genres?
Variety is the spice of life. So go for it. BUT I’m lucky to have Jo Williamson as my agent who covers the range of the ages I’m interested in. Not all agents do. I don’t maintain different Twitter, IG accounts or websites for my different writing hats as life’s too short but it would probably make good marketing sense to do so.
What are you reading right now?
I always have several books on the go. I’m just finishing Amy McCaw’s Mina and the Undead ready for the Chills and Thrills panel at MCM ComicCon Excel, A Calamity of Mannerings by Jo Nadin, Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation and The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix.
Can you tell us a little about your writing routine? And does it include any special drinks or snacks?
I don’t have a routine. I just feel guilty about not having one. When I’m trying to finish something like my current WIP I do the Pomodoro technique because I’m a terrible procrastinator.
I couldn’t do without my coffee machine. We have a community shop in the village and I’m addicted to their yogurt raisins.
What’s next? Can you share anything about your current WIP?
There’s another picture book in the pipeline to follow up My Brother is an Avocado. I’m also writing a multi-narrative YA thriller, so watch this space.
About the author: Tracy Darnton is an award-winning author of YA psychological thrillers Ready or Not, The Rules and The Truth About Lies which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and was a World Book Night title. Her first picture book My Brother is An Avocado, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail, is out now with Simon & Schuster. She lives in a quiet village near Bath.
