Exclusive Sophie Mckenzie interview!!!!

I am very excited to be posting an interview with the  award winning author Sophie Mckenzie that I got when she visited my school last year. After delivering a brilliant talk about her books and the way she writes them, I brought several of Sophie's books and got them signed. Also, I got to eat lunch with her along with the school Book Club and got to know more about her and her books. I thought that she was a very friendly person!

Here is the interview:

Where do you get the inspiration for your books?

It varies, but for Girl Missing I was on a missing children’s website and I came across a photo of a boy called Ben when he went missing and another of him using age progressing technology. I began to think about how this boy would feel if this boy was looking at these photos when he was older and thinking ‘is that me?’ I also take ideas form different situations and subjects that I am interested in.

What is your favourite book that you have written?

It’s almost like choosing between your children but I would have to choose Girl Missing and because I have spent longer with the characters as a part of the series, the Set Up (which is part of the Medusa Project series.)

What was your favourite genre of book when you were a child?

Adventure books

How old were you when you began writing stories?

7

How long does it take you to write your books?

It usually takes about 4 months.

Why did you start to write?

I started to write because I love both reading and writing stories.

Who designs the covers for your books?

The art director in the publishing house who would commission an illustrator and choose the colours and typeface

How do you feel when your books win awards?

When Girl Missing won The Red House Book Award it was amazing, the most special thing ever especially as it was my first book and it was so unexpected. Also it is different to the other awards because The Red House award is the biggest where the readers

themselves judge it.

What did you want to be as a child?

I wanted to be a writer but I never imagined I could do it. I also wanted to be an actor or a singer.

What sort of books do you like to read?

Exciting books like adventures and thrillers, which also have a relationship and romance in it. A bit like my books!

How do you feel when you see your books on shop shelves?

At first it was weird and always very exciting. It also gives you a big kick and there’s nothing to compare it with.

How long did it take you to get your first book published after writing it?

I wrote ‘Girl Missing’ in 2 months and then I sent it to an agent who found a publisher and it was published within 2 months.

Where do you like to write?                         

I like to write at home.

How do you get in the mood for writing?

I don’t really have to get into a special mood to write, I just get up and start writing once my son has gone to school

What do you use to write?

I use a desktop computer or a laptop like most writers nowadays. It is much easier than writing on paper and paying someone to type it up for you.

What is your favourite thing about being an author?

In the mornings I can just get up and make sure my son gets to school but then I could go back to bed if I wanted to.

What was your favourite subject at school?

English

What are your tips for aspiring young writers?

My top tip would be to read a lot but if you check out my website there are lots of other tips too.

Recently Sophie won another two awards, this is what she says about them on her website:

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Excellent news! Blood Ties has just won its tenth regional award (to add to the national Red House book award) from the lovely voters in the Grampian region of Scotland! And The Set-Up has been awarded both the Portsmouth Book Award (which Blood Ties won last year) and the North East Book Award (yrs 7 & 8)!

I’m very excited - and delighted that both books are proving so popular with readers!!!!



If you want to know more about Sophie and her books visit these websites:Monday, May 17th, 2010


http://www.sophiemckenziebooks.com/
authors.simonandschuster.co.uk/Sophie-McKenzie/65784525

She also has a Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sophie-McKenzie/355619419770?ref=search