I was so chuffed when the brilliant Nicola Skinner – author of Bloom, Storm, and Starboard (coming soon) agreed to an interview 😁 Enjoy!
Let’s dive in…
First off, tell us a little about yourself…
Hello! I live in a small village outside Bristol with my family and our mad dog called Florence and some of my favourite things are warm countries, nice meals, and reading in bed!
What is your local bookshop and how can people find it?
The nearest independent bookshop to me is Mr B’s Emporium in Bath, and they have a brilliant website online.
Tell us about your books ‘Bloom and Storm’ and of course your upcoming novel ‘Starboard’.
‘Bloom’ is about a girl who finds a packet of old seeds buried in her backyard that brings chaos and magic to her well-ordered life (read review). My main character in ‘Storm’ is a ghost who haunts her old family home until a strange boy appears in her life and leads her into a world of danger… ‘Starboard’ starts with a school trip to an old ship – which subsequently comes alive and sets off the high seas, with two children onboard and a few strange passengers….
What was your nickname at school? (If you had one)
Nicky or Nick.
Were you good at writing at school?
I was, mostly because I was just so interested and into it, and my ‘being good at it’ happened gradually. English lessons were the highlight of my week and a day without an English lesson was honestly just a waste of time.
What was your favourite book as a child?
‘‘Harriet the Spy’ by Louise Fitzhugh. It’s very funny and daring. Harriet is just the coolest character of all time.
What was it that inspired you to become a writer?
I read a lot when I was little and I was always writing letters and diaries and poems. I discovered that in writing I could express myself in ways I couldn’t always in real life, and that writing stimulated ideas and language I didn’t always know was inside me until I wrote. Basically, I like to think of people as cans of things but the label has fallen off? The minute they write, they open up and all sorts of interesting stuff comes spilling out.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Overthinking things. Wanting to make each chapter perfect before moving on to the next chapter. Talking too much about their story to people who might accidentally pour cold water on their new and vulnerable idea. Write as fast as you can, as secretly as you can, as messily as you can, and worry about making it perfect in the rewrite!
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
When I was eight years old, I joined a new school in a new country (we’d just left Brazil for Britain). It was my first day there and I felt very watchful. Our teacher, Miss Davis, asked us to write a short story about a child who discovers a key and where that key leads to. My story was awful – everyone died at the end – but another story, written by someone else, was not, and was read aloud. Something magical worked on me. When Miss Davis finished, it took me a while to realise I wasn’t inside the story, but in a classroom, listening.. ..I still remember how dazed and inspired I felt. The story had completely transported me, and it had been real to me. It was an astonishing moment. That was when I became hooked on writing, and stories, I think. Some part of me is still competing with the girl who wrote that story about a key.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m friendly with quite a lot of other children’s authors, I’m very fortunate to say, and during the last year, their friendship has been hugely important. Some of them I have never met in real-life, only on-line, but I still feel like I can trust and speak to them. How do they help me become a better writer? Most writers flourish with encouragement, and the community of writers I know is hugely encouraging, definitely.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
Trying to become a writer.
Has a book ever made you cry? What was it?
Books make me cry ALL THE TIME. I cried, last night, in the bath, because I’d finished a book I adored. The last children’s book that made me cry was Natasha Farrant’s ‘Voyage of the Sparrowhawk.’ There are some lines in there that are incredibly moving.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Something that makes me stop writing? If I’m tired or stressed I can find it hard to really connect with what I’m writing, but I’m so incredibly stubborn I will write through that anyway.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
I’ve got a really nice ergonomic mouse which has helped my wrist, especially in an editing stage! Not very glamorous but worth it!
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I actually do have a mascot! I have a tiny little Isambard Brunel – he was a famous Victorian engineer and he designed the SS Great Britain (the ship in ‘Starboard’). He’s about the height of my finger. He stays on my desk and looks ferociously at me from under his top hat. His motto was: ‘Nil Desperandum’ which is Latin for ‘Do not Despair’ and I find this quite useful, both for writing and life in general.
What does literary success look like to you?
A long shelf life, ideally. If I could still be writing in twenty years time I’d be thrilled about that.
Do you Google yourself?
Whenever I’ve had a new book out, I do, unfortunately, just to see if anyone has read it and if they’re saying it’s The Best Book of All Time.
And most importantly… What is your favourite biscuit?
You’re right, this is the most important question. I love Mcvities Caramel Digestives. Mmmmm.
Thank you soooooo much to Harper Collins and Nicola! Your choice of biscuit is ‘respectable’ and I too hope you continue to write for the next 20 years!
Wanna stalk Nicola online? Sure, I can facilitate that…
Website – nicola-skinner.com
Twitter – @skinnerwrites
‘Bloom’, ‘Storm’ and ‘Starboard’ can all be purchased through Mr B’s Emporium You can also read my review of ‘Bloom’ here.
And also Rocketship Bookshop in Salisbury >>> Rocketship Bookshop
*If you are an author (or publisher who would like to introduce an author) and would like to do your own q&a, or something else, to feature on the blog then send me an email… It’s a great opportunity to wax lyrical about your work and do some shameless self-promotion.
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