Boys Don’t Cry is available in two different book jackets (same text inside, obviously!) – as shown below.  The red and white book jacket is exclusive to Waterstones book stores.

Boys Don’t Cry is available in two different book jackets (same text inside, obviously!) – as shown below.  The red and white book jacket is exclusive to Waterstones book stores.

My milkshake bringeth all ye gentlefolk to the yard
and they’re like
it’s better than thine,
verily it’s better than thine
I could teach thee
but I must levy a fee.

My milkshake bringeth all ye gentlefolk to the yard
and they’re like
it’s better than thine,
verily it’s better than thine
I could teach thee
but I must levy a fee.

This is me on BBC Radio 4 discussing my book, Double Cross.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2008_45_wed.shtml

This is me on BBC Radio 4 discussing my book, Double Cross.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2008_45_wed.shtml

Here are some reviews of Boys Don’t Cry.

http://living.scotsman.com/books/A-review-of-the-year.6657162.jp?articlepage=4

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/05/fiction-for-teenagers-reviews

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/dec/04/boys-cry-malorie-blackman-review

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/8159962/Books-of-the-Year-for-Christmas-Childrens-Books.html

http://themilelongbookshelf.blogspot.com/2010/11/boys-dont-cry-by-malorie-blackman.html

http://yafiction-heavenhellandpurgatory.blogspot.com/2010/11/boys-dont-cry-malorie-blackman.html

http://www.overflowinglibrary.com/2010/11/review-boys-dont-cry-by-malorie.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/boys-dont-cry-by-malorie-blackman-2134922.html

http://keris.typepad.com/chicklet/2010/11/review-boys-dont-cry-by-malorie-blackman.html

http://rhiana-reads.blogspot.com/2010/11/book-review-boys-dont-cry-by-malorie.html

http://katiesbookblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/boys-dont-cry-malorie-blackman.html

http://storiesfromthewebblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/written-in-stars.html

http://empire-of-books.blogspot.com/2010/10/boys-dont-cry-by-malorie-blackman.html

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8239438-boys-don-t-cry

http://carlybennett.blogspot.com/2010/10/review-boys-dont-cry-malorie-blackman.html

http://iwasateenagebookgeek.blogspot.com/2010/10/review-boys-dont-cry-malorie-blackman.html

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/5879/Boys-Don-t-Cry-by-Malorie-Blackman.html

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/junior-book/boys-don-t-cry-malorie-blackman/1509677/

http://bookreviewsbysarah.blogspot.com/2010/10/arc-review-boys-dont-cry-malorie.html

http://readingjunky.blogspot.com/2010/09/boys-dont-cry-by-malorie-blackman.html

Oh, those embarrassing photos!  You know the ones I mean –  the photos where you’re caught with a ridiculous expression on your face, the snapshot that catches you in mid-expression change so you look totally gormless – the list is endless.   Here are some of my more embarrassing images.  And check out my videos page.  I swear every video-still makes me look deranged.

I look totally demented!

Charlotte looks lovely.   And her top isn’t totally see-through either.  I won’t be wearing that top again in a hurry.

Hi,

I am constantly asked to provide writing tips so here are a few that have worked for me over the years.

READ.  You can’t write if you don’t read.

Try to read as many different types of stories by as many different authors as you can.

Develop your own style.  Don’t copy anyone else’s.   Your own voice is individual and unique so don’t be afraid to use it.

Try to get into the habit of writing every day.   Keeping a diary is an excellent way of doing this.

Write from the heart as well as the head.  Write about what makes you angry, what moves you to tears, the things about which you feel passionately.  If you feel it when you write, others will feel it when they read.

Don’t fake it!  Don’t write a vampire story for example if you have no interest in vampires because it will show. 

If your stories run out of steam half way through, try plotting out the beginning, middle and end of your story before you start writing.  That way, you’ll know where your story is going and it’s just a question of how you get there.

Try creating a biography (3 or 4 pages) for each of your major characters.  I find that helps in creating characters who become real, live, living people to me.

When I first started writing, I found joining a supportive writing group invaluable.   Friends and family tend to be less objective when it comes to venturing an opinion of your work.  But if joining a writing group is difficult, try recording your story onto your computer or a digital recording device or somewhere where you can play it back a few days later to hear what it sounds like.  The few days gap is important because that way you’re more likely to hear it as it is, rather than how you expect it to be.

Don’t give up!

To everyone who came my event at the Sheffield Pennine Theatre last night, thank you so much for making me feel so welcome.   And thanks to Pauline for chairing the event.   I could’ve carried on chatting away and answering questions for another hour probably!

I’ll be at the following public events for the launch tour of Boys Don’t Cry.
Hope to see you at one of them!

Thursday 28th October
7.00pm: Sheffield Off The Shelf Festival, venue: The Pennine Theatre
More information 

Monday 1st November
4pm – 6pm: Waterstone’s Kensington public signing
For full details please contact Waterstone’s Kensington on 0843 290 8419

Tuesday 2nd November
6.00pm – 8.00pm: Waterstone’s Leeds public signing
For full details please contact Waterstone’s Leeds on 0843 290 8443

Thursday 4th November
7.00PM – 8.00pm: Waterstone’s Worcester talk & signing
For full details please contact Waterstone’s Worcester on 0843 290 8705

Friday 5th November
1.00pm -2.00pm: Foyles Charing Cross talk & signing
For full details please contact Foyles on 020 7437 5660

5.30pm -6.30pm:  W H Smith Brent Cross public signing
For full details please contact W H Smith Brent Cross on 020 8202 4226

Sat 6th Nov
10am – 12am: Waterstone’s Bromley public signing
For full details please contact Waterstone’s Bromley on 0843 290 8189

Watch this space for links to various audio interviews I have done recently…

I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all those of you who have taken the time and trouble to write to me. Be assured, I do read and appreciate all my letters and emails, so keep them coming!

The majority of the letters I receive about the Noughts and Crosses series ask if there are going to be any more stories after Double Cross (the 4th in the series). Watch this space… (You’ll notice it’s not a flat out ‘no!’.)  Please see the Noughts and Crosses page for more information, comments and personal views on this series of books.

Watch this space - I’ll be updating this page with my top writing tips soon!

What if YOU were left holding the baby?

You’re waiting for the postman – he’s bringing your A level results. University, a career as a journalist – a glittering future lies ahead. But when the doorbell rings it’s your old girlfriend; and she’s carrying a baby. You’re fine to look after it, for an hour or two, while she does some shopping. Then she doesn’t come back and your future suddenly looks very different…

My first book, Not So Stupid! was published by Livewire Books for Teenagers in November 1990 and since then I have written over 50 books, including Noughts & Crosses, Pig-Heart Boy which was turned into a BAFTA winning serial, Hacker and Whizziwig among others. I have won a number of literary prizes (Click on the Awards link for further details).

I have written TV scripts, including a number of Byker Grove episodes, Whizziwig episodes and Pig-Heart Boy (the first 4 episodes) as well as a couple of original dramas for CITV and BBC Education. I wrote a play for the Polka Theatre called The Amazing Birthday which was performed in February and March 2002. I’m a graduate of the National Film and Television School, and divide my time between book and script writing.

Before I was a writer, I had a number of jobs including Database Manager, Systems Programmer, Documentation Assistant (in other words, a glorified filing clerk) and I had a number of temporary summer jobs whilst I was doing my O and A Levels, including working as a telephonist/receptionist/typist, a Catering Assistant and Saturday jobs at Littlewoods and British Home Stores. The worst job I ever had was working as a kitchen porter. I lasted a day and a half!

When I was at school, I wanted to be an English teacher but tripped and fell into Computing instead. I worked in the Computing industry a number of years, after which I did an acting course, then became a writer.

I have lots of interests and use some of them in my writing. I love going to the cinema and the theatre. I like comedies and dramas on the telly – dramas seem to be getting much more scarce. So-called reality shows don’t do much for me. BRING BACK DRAMAS!!! (And preferably something else besides medical or detective dramas)

I love, love, love music. I’m predominantly a jazz-funk/soul head but my taste is pretty eclectic. I’m into Joe (what a voice!), Outcast (whose songs are constantly different and fantastic), Muse (pure genius and something to say), Lupe Fiasco (his song with Jill Scott is wonderful), Rob Thomas (not a single duff song on his Something To Be CD!), Maxwell (seriously soulful), Green Day (did I mention, I love songs that have something to say), Akala (like Green Day he has something to say and I love how he says it) and Nickelback (their ‘Saving Me’ video is amazing and ‘How You Remind Me’ is one of my favourite songs), Stevie Wonder (pure genius), Marvin Gaye (the first songwriter to make me cry) and the list goes on.  And on.  And on!  

If I could have one selfish wish in this world, I’d wish I could sing.

When I get the time(!) I’m going to resume my piano lessons.  I MISS THEM   

I used to play the saxophone.  My number one favourite activity however is reading – natch! To be honest, I read more children’s books than adult books, because I love stories with a strong, imaginative plot and interesting characters.

Some of my favourite books are Holes by Louis Sacher, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In the Night Time by Mark Haddon. I’ll read anything by Alan Gibbons, Catherine R. Johnson, Minette Walters, Benjamin Zephaniah, Melvin Burgess, Keith Gray and Jackie Kay to name but a very few, as they’re such fantastic writers.

Jessica Strange doesn’t look like her brothers and sisters. She begins to suspect that she is not a mouse and goes on a tour of the farmyard to see if any of the other animals can help her out. Madam Butterfly thinks she must be a cow as she has four legs, but Mrs Cow thinks she is an ant as she is so small. Will she ever find out what she really is?

When Jack and Dad take Dizzy for a walk, she gets up to all sorts of mischief behind their backs. A hilarious and warm account of a loving family and a naughty dog.

When Jack and Dad take Dizzy for a walk, she gets up to all sorts of mischief behind their backs. A hilarious and warm account of a loving family and a naughty dog.

Girl Wonder is Maxine, whenever there is a problem she will always find a way of dealing with it, even if the solution turns out to be worse than the problem. Living with her resourceful mother and the two terrible twins, Edward and Anthony, Maxine finds life full of fun and event. This is part of a charming collection of humorous stories about a black family living in London. Malorie Blackman chose her favourite stories from previous books to produce a new volume of the very best of the stories about Girl Wonder.

Sinclair is no ordinary teddy bear. At night, when his owner Emily is fast asleep, he becomes a Wonder Bear, flying all over the world, and magically changing himself into new materials to save people in danger. One night he’s a very busy bear indeed. First in India, he changes into steel to mend a broken track before a train full of people arrives. Then in France, he transforms himself into a powerful magnet to help the Madame free her pet dog Lucile. In Australia, Sinclair turns into a window in a glass-bottomed boat to help his friend Captain Baz. Then he becomes stretchy rubber to save a little boy from the water. But after all that hard work even Wonder Bears get sleepy, and as the sun rises, he flies home to Emily before she wakes up.

Ellie is the rudest, most spoilt child her grandma has ever met. So Grandma, who is a little bit magic, decides to teach her a lesson and switches Ellie’s body with Jolly the cat’s. As Ellie starts to make friends with the other animals in the house, the mice and the spiders, she learns how to be a good friend.

This book tells Malorie’s story, from her school years and business studies at university to her career in computing and her family life. It includes an interview and the journey to becoming a successful writer.

Danny and June are bored. So June dares Danny to go with her to wake the Marty Monster.

Over the shark-infested seas they sail, climbing up the high mountain where the dangerous wolves lurk, past the jungles where the fierce wildcats stalk, round the bubble lake where the blubber blob bathes, to the cave of the Marty Monster…

Five…four…three…two…one. Lift-off!

What can Lizzie do when big-headed Jake challenges her to a race in space? She’s GOT to beat him. But Jake has a super-duper, deluxe new spaceship that runs on special fuel…

Zoom to Pluto and back with this super space story from award-winning author, Malorie Blackman.

At her new school, Mira discovers she has a very unusual teacher – a teacher who turns into a real-life dragon when she eats crisps! This comes in very handy when the class run into trouble on a school trip to the seaside…

I’d like to clear up something which has recently come to my attention. The details of fees and VAT on this page refer to school visits only.

I most certainly do NOT charge people to write to me, nor do I expect a fee to read letters and emails. What a bizarre idea! I love getting letters and emails and I’d like to assure everyone reading this that if I get them, I do indeed read them. I also try to reply to as many as possible, so please keep them coming! Don’t forget, I’m also contactable via Facebook.

School And Library Visits

Yes, I do school and library visits but I tend to get very booked up. October (Black History Month) and March (school book weeks) tend to get booked up first. I don’t do school visits in December, January, February or July.

Apart from that, I’m all yours!

Please contact me for fee details. I charge by the half day. You may only want me to do one session but by the time I’ve got to you and got home again, at least half a day has passed. My fee is exclusive of any travel expenses. VAT is charged on top of the fee.

My author sessions are for Years 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 only. I do not do school assemblies. My creative writing workshops are aimed at years 5, 6 and 7 only.

I do two types of session

- Creative Writing Workshops
- Writer’s sessions

Creative Writing Workshops:

Workshops are given to a maximum of one class at a time. They do not work otherwise. I try to make these as much fun as possible for all involved. I do NOT teach children how and when to use adverbs and adjectives. I DO give them exercises to get their imaginations going and flowing, to stimulate their curiosity and to show them that ideas can start with an object or even half a sentence. We do diary and empathy exercises using either extracts from my books or an extract from one of the Pig Heart Boy episodes. (I bring the video tape with me.) Sometimes, I give the students a paragraph which I then get them to carry on for me. We use different objects as a starting point to explore storylines and characters. We may also write different types of poetry along a number of themes. Sessions are totally interactive and I try to get as many children as possible to read out what they’ve written throughout the session.

Writer’s Sessions

I talk about being a writer – how I got started, why I write what I write, the writing process, where I get my ideas from, etc. I read excerpts from various books to illustrate the points I make and then I throw it open to questions – my favourite part of the session. I try to make my sessions as interactive as possible so it’s not just me spouting on for an hour. I’m quite happy to talk to around 200 children/young adults in these sessions.

Please contact me at the email address below if you’d like to arrange a school/library visit.

School And Library Visits

A WRITER’S HORROR STORY (OR HOW NOT TO DO IT)

I arrive at the station.
There’s no one to meet me.
Phone the name I’ve been given.
That person’s on holiday.
I’m put on hold, for what seems like forever

When at last someone speaks, they give me directions.
‘Turn left, left, right, left, then right, right, then south!
It’s a good hour’s walk but the view is amazing.’
So I pick up my bag, full of books, sheets and objects.
It weighs half a ton and I’m already tired.

Stumble and fumble my way to the library.
I’m late and I’m knackered.
Why didn’t they meet me?
‘The kids are all here. Go straight in and meet them.’
‘Can I go to the toilet?’

‘But the kids are all restless. And there’re no adults with them -
they’ve gone for a coffee.’
‘How many children?’
‘Two hundred and eighty.’
‘But a workshop’s for thirty. I explained when you phoned me.’

‘Well, they’re here now. You’ll wow them. You’ve no need to worry.’
‘I’ll just do a session. How old are the children?’
‘From three months to sixteen.’
‘But my talks are for the nine plus – as I said in my letter.’
‘But now you’ll reach everyone. That’s so much the better!’

‘Have the children read any of my books?’
‘I don’t think they have – no.’
‘So they don’t even know me?’
‘I’m sure they’ll still love it.’
‘Will my books be on sale at all, after the session?’

‘Our children won’t buy them, if they’re not Harry Potter.
So we didn’t get any – I’m sure you don’t mind.’
But I do, yes I do. I DO mind, you will find.
‘I sent in my invoice, I hope that you got it.’
‘Ah… Er… there’s a problem. I’m afraid we forgot it.

Wait for eight months and we’ll happily pay.
Let’s not talk about money. Let’s just have a good day!’
‘If you don’t mind me asking, why was I invited?’
‘We had surplus budget. And it was use it or lose it.
And Jacqueline Wilson was busy.’

‘Can I at least have some water?’
‘You didn’t bring your own?’
A sigh and a wish that I’d stayed in my home.
‘We love your Ms Wiz books. We think you’re all right!
But I must say Ms Blacker, we thought you were white!!’

(This is a true story! – with apologies to Terence Blacker, the TRUE author of the fantastic Ms Wiz books)

By Malorie Blackman

If you’re going to treat me like in the poem above, please don’t bother to contact me. I’m too old to go through that kind of nonsense any more.

If you’d like to write to me about any of my books or contact me to arrange a school, festival or library visit, please use the following:-

childrenspublicity@randomhouse.co.uk

or my snail mail address is:

Malorie Blackman
c/o Children’s Publicity Department
Random House Children’s Books
61-63 Uxbridge Road
London
W5 5SA

For enquiries about books and book rights, translations, film and/or television rights please contact my agent:

Hilary Delamere
The Agency (UK) Ltd
24, Pottery Lane
Holland Park
London
W11 4LZ

Telephone: 020 7727 1346
hdelamere@theagency.co.uk

Smarties Silver Book Award 2004 (Category 6-8) – Cloud Busting

BBC Big Read Top 100 Title (Number 61) – Noughts and Crosses

FCBG Children’s Book Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Sheffield Children’s Book of the Year Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Wirral Children’s Paperback of the Year Award 2003 – Noughts and Crosses

Lancashire Children’s Book of the Year Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Fantastic Fiction Award 2004 – Noughts and Crosses

Stockport Children’s Book of the Year Award 2000 – Key Stage 4 – Tell Me No Lies

BAFTA for the Best Children’s Drama 2000 – Pig-Heart Boy

Wirral Children’s Paperback of the Year Award 1999 – Pig-Heart Boy

UKRA Award Winner 1998 – Pig-Heart Boy

Stockport Children’s Book of the Year Award 1997- Key Stage 3 – Antidote (Doubleday/Yearling)

Excelle/Write Thing Children’s Author of the Year Award 1997

Young Telegraph/Fully Booked Children’s Book of the Year Award 1996 – Thief!

W H Smith’s Mind Boggling Book Award 1994 – Hacker

Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Children’s Book of the Year Award 1994 – Hacker

Pig Heart Boy won the Best Children’s Drama BAFTA.2000 and the Prix Danube Children’s Jury Prize 2001. It was also short-listed for the Chicago TV Festival 2001, the RTS Best Children’s Drama award 2000 and the Race & Media Best Drama award 2000.

Play Time, my graduation film at the NFTS won a Certificate of Merit at the 31st Chicago International Film Fest

Smarties Silver Book Award 2004 (Category 6-8) – Cloud Busting

BBC Big Read Top 100 Title (Number 61) – Noughts and Crosses

FCBG Children’s Book Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Sheffield Children’s Book of the Year Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Wirral Children’s Paperback of the Year Award 2003 – Noughts and Crosses

Lancashire Children’s Book of the Year Award 2002 – Noughts and Crosses

Fantastic Fiction Award 2004 – Noughts and Crosses

Stockport Children’s Book of the Year Award 2000 – Key Stage 4 – Tell Me No Lies

BAFTA for the Best Children’s Drama 2000 – Pig-Heart Boy

Wirral Children’s Paperback of the Year Award 1999 – Pig-Heart Boy

UKRA Award Winner 1998 – Pig-Heart Boy

Stockport Children’s Book of the Year Award 1997- Key Stage 3 – Antidote (Doubleday/Yearling)

Excelle/Write Thing Children’s Author of the Year Award 1997

Young Telegraph/Fully Booked Children’s Book of the Year Award 1996 – Thief!

W H Smith’s Mind Boggling Book Award 1994 – Hacker

Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Children’s Book of the Year Award 1994 – Hacker

Pig Heart Boy won the Best Children’s Drama BAFTA.2000 and the Prix Danube Children’s Jury Prize 2001. It was also short-listed for the Chicago TV Festival 2001, the RTS Best Children’s Drama award 2000 and the Race & Media Best Drama award 2000.

Play Time, my graduation film at the NFTS won a Certificate of Merit at the 31st Chicago International Film Fest

Jackson Winstanley Sweettooth (or Jack for short) is a mouse who lives with Matthew and the rest of the Bailey family. He gets the blame for a lot of things – Mrs Bailey thinks he’s swallowed her ruby and nibbled at Shani’s birthday cake. And Jack’s biggest enemy is Beauregard Battersby-Bunge, the pesky ginger cat from next door. But everything gets better when another mouse, Blossom, comes to stay with the Baileys – soon Blossom and Jack are the best of friends!

Whizziwig is a small, furry alien who has crash-landed on Earth and ended up on top of Ben’s wardrobe. Once Ben has recovered from the shock of this unexpected arrival he’s delighted to learn that Whizziwig is a ‘wish-giver’ able to turn wishes into reality. But it’s not as straightforward as it sounds. The wishes have to be made for someone else, and by accident, so it isn’t long before some very strange, and very funny, things start happening.

What were you like at school?
I was a bit of a dreamer and I was always getting told off for laughing too loudly. I’m afraid I still laugh too loudly, but at least no one tells me off any more! People always mention my laugh though… can’t think why!

Did you like school?
I preferred my secondary school to my junior school. I went to an all girls grammer school in London called Honor Oak Grammar School It doesn’t exist any more though. It used to be on the north side of Peckham Common.

What was the first book you had published?
It was a book called Not So Stupid! which is a collection of horror and science fiction stories for young adults. More than half of the ideas for the stories in this book came from nightmares I had…

What was your first novel?
Hacker. It was my first novel but my fifth book.

Do you earn a lot of money?
No! I wish I did!

Are you in any of your books?
I never put myself in any of my books until Noughts and Crosses. Weird as it may sound, the person whose character is closest to my own is Callum – a white boy!

Do you put other people you know into your books?
Never. I used to use the names of people I knew in my books but then those people would think I was writing about them – and I wasn’t. Now I make sure I never use the names of friends. It makes life a lot easier.

What’s your favourite book of all the ones you’ve written?
That’s a hard question to answer as obviously all my books are very dear to my heart. If I had to pick just one though, it’d probably be Noughts and Crosses.

Who is your favourite character in all the books you’ve written?
Vicky from Hacker, Cameron from Pig-Heart Boy and Callum and Sephy from Noughts and Crosses.

What’s your favourite book that you haven’t written?
I’ve got hundreds of favourite books so there’s no way I can just pick one. But I try to read everything by writers such as James Berry, Philip Pullman, Philip Ridley, Catherine Johnson, Jacqueline Roy, Jacqueline Wilson, Melvin Burgess, etc. One book that would be in my top ten though would be Holes by Louis Sacher. If you haven’t read it, get hold of a copy as soon as possible. I thought it was brilliant!!

Do you write every day?
I try to. I work whilst my daughter is at school.

Which of the covers on your books is your favourite?
My favourite covers are Animal Avengers (illustrated by Stik who’s a genius!), Noughts and Crosses and An Eye For An Eye. I think Noughts and Crosses and An Eye For An Eye are very simple but incredibly effective. And I love the Animal Avengers cover because it seems to be almost 3D. The tiger seems to be about to leap right off the cover. Stik, who illustrated the cover and the story inside (it’s a graphic novel) did such a brilliant job, I hope I have the chance to work with him again.

Do you prefer writing scripts or books?
I love writing both. I’ve been lucky enough to adapt a number of my own books for TV such as Thief, Whizziwig and Pig-Heart Boy (the first four episodes). I’ve also written a couple of original dramas for children’s TV. The Amazing Birthday was my first theatre play. It was performed at the Polka Theatre for six weeks in February/March 2002. I hope to write a lot more TV, film and theatre plays as well as books.

Do you ever copy other writers ideas?
No way. I would never copy anyone else’s ideas. Like them or loathe them, at least I can say, hand on heart, that the ideas in my books are mine. In fact, I was once in the middle of writing a novel when I saw a book based on a very similar subject in my local bookshop. I immediately stopped writing my one and started writing something else.

Do you want to write adult books?
Yes, I do and in fact I have a couple of ideas and I’ve actually plotted out one of them. The problem is finding the time to sit down and do them – but I will one day.

Do you illustrate your books?
No. I wish I could, but even my matchstick figures need a lot of help.

How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends. If it’s a picture book, it can take anywhere from two days to a month. If it’s a longer novel like Pig-Heart Boy or Hacker, it can take from four months to almost a year – but a lot of time is sent mulling over the ideas in my head and letting things stew before I even start writing. A lot of my writing takes place in my head. Writing it down or typing it out is the final part of that process. The Noughts and Crosses trilogy took over five years to write in total with the last book in the trilogy, Checkmate, taking just over two years.

Where do you get your ideas?
I get asked that question a lot. Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere – you just have to be open to receiving them. My ideas have sprung from newspaper articles, things on the telly, conversations I overheard, things I saw in the street, visits to other countries, things I’ve been told, things that happened to me or friends of mine at school – like I said, anywhere and everywhere.

What would you do if you weren’t a writer?
If I wasn’t a writer, I’d still like to be involved in books in some way, so maybe I’d work in a publishing house, or in a bookshop or as a librarian or as an agent. I’m not sure, but definitely something to do with books.

Was it difficult to get published?
It was for me. It took me two years to get my first book accepted for publication. I got rejection letter after rejection letter and I must admit I came that close to giving up once, but then I pulled myself together and thought, ‘I’m going to be a writer and I’m not going to take no for an answer.’ Thank goodness I don’t know when to admit defeat!!

What was your favourite subject at school?
English. Followed by Chemistry, although I wasn’t terribly good at it. My worse subject was probably Maths, even though I enjoyed some aspects of it. The most boring subject I did was Geography.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to write?
Keeping a diary is a good way of getting into the habit of writing every day. If you do keep a diary, write down your thoughts and feelings about things, not just the dry facts like ‘I went to school today’. Find your own style and your own way of expressing yourself. Don’t copy anyone else. And most importantly, READ. In my opinion, if you don’t read, you can’t write.