Delighted to welcome the lovely Cathy Faulkner to the blog today. Cathy’s gorgeous verse novel Digging For Victory was published earlier this year and we were swept away by Bonnie’s story. Read on to find out what’s next for Cathy!
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Tell us about yourself in 25 words or less?
I thrive on being busy and always have a creative project (or five) on the go.
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Your MG novel, Digging For Victory, came in May this year (congratulations!). Can you tell us a little bit about how it came to be?
When I was teaching my Year 5 class about World War Two, I invited a local resident to come and tell us about her childhood experiences in the war. She told us something so interesting that we hadn’t read about in any of the children’s history books, and I thought I just had to make a story out of it!
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What does a typical day look like for you?
If I’m writing, I’ll always start by critiquing a friend’s chapter to warm my brain up. I’ll then probably spend ages reading what I’ve already written, researching bizarre details on the Internet, drinking lots of tea and tidying up my study. If I’m stuck on a plot point, I’ll go out for a walk or do some gardening until the solution comes. I tend to get most words written in the evening. If I’m not writing, I’ll be teaching at the University of Bristol.
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What’s on your TBR pile at the moment?
Far more than I have words for here! The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow is currently at the top of the pile.
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What are your top tips for budding writers?
Read as much as you can and don’t be afraid to experiment and play with ideas.
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Ok, here’s a challenge… can you sum up your book in five words? [runs and hides!]
War, mystery, heroism, friendship, verse
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What makes you happy?
Being on a clifftop by the sea, singing on the stage, printmaking, learning new things, spending time with my family
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What’s your worst habit?
Hiding mess behind cupboard doors
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Is there anything that’s surprised you about the publishing process?
The amount of time it takes to get a book published!
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Can you give us a glimpse / hint at your current WIP? (I can bribe you with cake!)
It’s another historical novel, also in verse, set in an earlier period than Digging for Victory.
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? Tea
Paper books or e-books? Paper
Cake or chocolate? Both – preferably chocolate cake!
Write or type? Type
Poetry or prose? Poetry
Hot or cold? Hot
