I’m so so pumped to have Maria Kuzniar AKA ‘Mia Kuzniar’ on Stoomio. She is a ridiculously talented writer with a zest for travel – and it is this passion for worldly exploration where the idea for The Ship of Shadows series was born.
First off, tell us a little about yourself…
Hello! My name is Maria and I’m an author living in Nottingham. I love having adventures around the world and when I can’t travel, I adore nothing more than diving into a good book instead!
Tell us about your first book The Ship of Shadows…
My very first book, The Ship of Shadows, is out now!! It’s filled with pirates, adventure, magic and plenty of cake for the journey.
If are not sure whether you should add The Ship of Shadows to your kids’ TBR pile read my review. (Spoiler – YOU SHOULD)
What was your nickname at school? (If you had one)
My nickname is Mia, which is what absolutely everyone has called me since I was at school so now it’s very strange to be called by my proper name, Maria. I feel a bit like I’m in trouble with my mum every time I hear it!
Were you good at writing at school?
I was. One of my earliest school memories is being sent to get a special sparkly sticker from the headteacher for a piece of writing I did. I was terribly bad at maths though and still can’t manage my timetables so it all evens out!
What was your favourite book as a child?
I loved Northern Lights by Philip Pullman and still adore it to this day.
What was it that inspired you to become a writer?
Reading lots and lots of books made me want to write stories of my very own. I loved the idea of getting to create my very own world and imagine whatever I wanted into existence on the page.
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Thinking that you have to be perfect! It doesn’t matter if you’re not great at spelling or grammar, just get those ideas down on paper, that’s the most important bit.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
That writing isn’t just putting words on a page—reading, researching, spending time daydreaming and doodling ideas all count as writing, too!
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
My grandfather used to tell me stories when I was younger, about his hugely adventurous life. (He once even saw a boy being eaten alive by crocodiles!) They completely swept me away and I couldn’t get enough of them. It taught me how transportive language can be and how powerful stories are.
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
I would love to go back and tell my younger self that you don’t have to write stories that are similar to your favourite books. It’s much better to dream up something that is all yours and write the story that you really want to read that nobody else has written yet!
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I’m friends with lots of authors, we like to make gigantic group chats where we can ask each other for advice, send lots of funny gifs and generally distract each other when we really should be writing instead! They help me become a better writer because they inspire me every day and their support gives me more confidence in myself.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?
I’d love to be something really cool like a spy or an explorer but I’d probably just still be teaching English in another country.
Has a book ever made you cry? What was it?
Oh yes, I cry really easily at books, films and TV shows! I’ve probably cried at lots of books but one of the earliest ones was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Overthinking everything! If you worry too much about what you’re writing, it’s impossible to write.
Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
I read over 100 books a year so people are always surprised when I tell them that I get reader’s block a LOT! It usually happens when I’m extra busy or have lots of writing to do but an excellent book always brings it back eventually.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
Oh yes, I sometimes get thoroughly stuck when writing but it’s usually for a reason—either I need to take some time off because I’ve been working too hard or I haven’t done enough thinking or plotting so I’m not sure what to write! It’s very frustrating and I usually end up eating too many biscuits but once I’ve figured out what the problem is, I can start trying to fix it.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
No, I didn’t, which is probably a bit strange considering that one of my favourite parts of writing is thinking up names for all of my characters. I have a notebook filled with just names!
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
Definitely on stationery. There’s something inspiring about a brand-new notebook and lots of stickers. . . so inspiring that I have a whole cupboard of them!
What did you do with your first paycheck?
With my first paycheck as an author, I bought myself a nice new laptop that I’ll hopefully write a whole bunch of books on! The keys make a nice clacky sound—apart from one or two that crunch instead after I’ve snacked while writing. . .
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
I would choose an adorable rabbit with floppy ears to sit next to me while I write.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
I’m not sure, I have lots of odds and ends and random chapters stuffed into drawers! But I probably have around four unpublished books that are finished.
What does literary success look like to you?
I’ve always dreamt of seeing my book in a bookshop so the moment that happens will make me very happy!
Do you Google yourself?
Of course! It’s REALLY hard not to!
And most importantly… What is your favourite biscuit?
I can wolf down an entire pack of milk chocolate rounds in one sitting.
A huge thanks to Maria for taking time to let you have a peek into her life. If you’d like to know more:
Website: https://www.mariakuzniar.co.uk | Instagram | Twitter
Maria Kuzniar interview on Fun Kids Live radio / podcast.
And of course if you’d like to get your hands on her first book… Waterstones | Amazon
*If you would like to do your own q&a to feature on the blog then send me an email…
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