Welcome to our latest blog post! Today, we’re thrilled to present a wonderful Q&A with the talented Gaynor Andrews, author of Pandora and the Story Forge. Illustrated by Marie-Alice Harel, this debut picture book takes readers on a journey to a place where stories are not just told—they are crafted.
In our conversation, Gaynor dives into the inspirations behind her imaginative storytelling, the joys and challenges of writing for children, and the magical synergy between text and illustration. Whether you’re a budding writer, a parent seeking the next bedtime favourite, or a fan of beautifully crafted children’s literature, you’ll find plenty of gems in this delightful chat.
1.What inspired you to create the magical world of Pandora and the Story Forge? Did you have any specific influences or experiences in mind?
Pandora and the Story Forge is a picture book about the power of words and the magic of stories. I didn’t set out specifically to write this book. It was one of those stories where the opening lines seem to appear from nowhere and write themselves.
But, of course, it was very much influenced by my own love of words and the joy of passing that on to children. As a parent and primary school teacher, inspiring children to read for pleasure has always felt like one of the most important jobs there is. There’s some incredible, unknowable process whereby children who listen to stories day after day become storytellers themselves. So I knew that Pandora’s stories, once read, would magically unravel, ready to be gathered up again by a new generation of story forgers.
‘Then the strangest thing happens. The magic unfurls.
A story, once read, shakes itself and uncurls.’
2. What was your favourite part of the book to write, and what was the most challenging?
There’s a repeating pattern in many of the verses where the third line is a collection of ‘beautiful words’. I had a lot of fun with these, making lists of all the loveliest sounding words I could think of – moonglow and starshine and seafoam and spray – and weaving them into the story.
This made it easier in some ways (because I could swap out one of my lovely words for another if it helped with the rhyme) but it also gave me an additional challenge of finding words that went well together and tied in with the theme of the verse.
When Pandora is scrabbling in the hedge, for example, the line is: ‘gnarly and knobbly, rummage and rush’. The words describe the branches and the little hedge creatures scrambling through them and it sounds fun, even if younger children don’t understand the meaning at first. I thought it would be interesting for older children to notice the alliteration and perhaps even spot those silent letters at the start of words.
But mostly, I wanted children to just find words fun and discover the excitement of using them in their own stories.
3. Marie-Alice Harel’s illustrations are stunning. How did you feel when you first saw her artwork for your story? Did any of the illustrations surprise you?
As soon as Libby Hamilton from Rocket Bird Books suggested Marie-Alice as the illustrator for Pandora, I looked her up and was blown away by her amazing, atmospheric work. I knew the illustrations were going to be gorgeous. I love the borders around many of the pages, where little snippets from the story –brambles, bats, shipwrecks and lots of dragons – reappear hidden among the elaborate patterns. Marie-Alice introduced the dandelion motif which dances through the spreads. It doesn’t feature in the text at all but is perfect for the message of the story.
4. Do you have a special routine or ritual when you sit down to write, or do you just dive right in whenever inspiration strikes?
I work full time so Saturday mornings are my writing times, usually while everyone else is asleep. But ideas often drift into my mind between waking and sleeping so I always have a notebook by my bed. If I’m really hooked by an idea, I will keep at it obsessively and not really come up for air until I have a full first draft. Even then, I will niggle away at it constantly until I’m happy with how it’s turning out.
5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received, and how has it shaped your work?
Never send a story off until you’ve taken a little time away from it. Even when I’ve read it over and over, I still see something new if I’ve taken a little break from it and particularly if writing in rhyme – see next question!
6. Writing in rhyme can be both fun and challenging. What draws you to writing in rhyme, and do you have any tips for getting the rhythm just right?
I write in both rhyme and prose. Some stories just demand to be written in rhyme and the first line or rhyme often floats into my mind. I have tried re-writing non-rhyming stories in rhyme and vice versa, but often they seem to decide by themselves, really.
When I’m writing in rhyme, I clap out the rhythm (looking very strange if I’m doing it on a train!). It’s even more important to take a break from the story if it’s a rhyming one because that’s when you start stumbling over lines that seemed to work perfectly before. Find other people to read it – failing that, use the Read Aloud feature on Microsoft Word. Any line that can cause someone to falter when first reading it needs reworking.
The most common problem with rhyming stories is where the reader is forced to say a line unnaturally, stressing parts of words we wouldn’t normally stress (like ‘in-TO’ instead of ‘IN-to’. Look for a dictionary that shows stress marks to indicate primary or secondary stress if you need to confirm where the stress lies.
7. On a more personal note, what’s something outside of writing that brings you joy or inspires your creativity?
I enjoy handicrafts – knitting, crochet, patchwork – and have tinkered with all sorts of crafty things over the years. It’s been fun making Pandora and her companions to accompany me on school visits. I also love gardening and run a gardening software business with my husband, which gives me an excuse to visit beautiful gardens and take hundreds of photos of plants.
8. Finally, what’s coming up next for you?
I’m really looking forward to taking Pandora into schools and running my first workshops with children. Two of my poems will feature in the Dirigible Balloon’s second anthology, Sky Surfing: Excellent Adventures in a Poetry Balloon, which is expected to be published in the autumn (edited by Jonathan Humble and profits to be donated to Juvenile Arthritis Research). And I will also be running a SCWBI workshop, Feel the Beat, on 16/9/24, where the focus is on getting the rhythm right in rhyming stories, so this autumn will be a very exciting time.
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? Mostly black tea at home but a flat white if I’m out and about.
Paper books or e-books? Oh, paper books definitely. Because I live in a pretty remote area, I rely on ebooks from the library but I much prefer to read real books.
Cake or chocolate? Both!
Write or type? I scribble ideas on any notebook that’s to hand but always type everything up. That way, I can save every version and know that I won’t be hunting for an elusive piece of paper.
Poetry or prose? Both but mostly poetry.
Hot or cold? I‘d rather be cold bundled up in hats and scarves than wilting in tropical heat!
Click here to read a review of Pandora and the Story Forge!
