A delightful Q&A 

Tell us about yourself

Being a messy minded person with ideas seeming to just run at my
brain I found it very challenging trying to land on a career path. I knew I
wanted to do something creative, as that’s where the happy flows. I
never thought I would be a writer, mainly as I thought you had to be
clever to do that - how wrong I was!

 

Why did you write ‘Here’s Some Hubble for Your Bubble’?

 It evolved quite organically. During my pregnancy I had the urge to
write a children’s story ready for my baby-to-be. After playing around
with some ideas in my head, I came up with a very child-friendly
theme-where a witch with dementia takes on an apprentice. Naively I
proceeded on, blinking away any concerns that the subject matter
might possibly be a tad difficult for any fresh offspring to wrap their
heads around. But then halfway down the page I hit a snag. I
desperately wanted one of my characters to insult two others by calling
them nipples. I knew then I had to decide whether I was going to
continue writing the story I had originally intended or the story that was
wanting to come out.
In the end I went with my gut and gave in to the story wanting out. I still
feel a pang of guilt, however my kids will get their story even if they
have to wait a few more years before they can read it.
 

Why magic?

 I’ve had a think, and determined it’s down to laziness. Originally the
story was about a teacher with dementia, yet I couldn’t land on which
subject the teacher would be proficient in. It occurred to me that I too
would have to know at least something about the subject I chose for
them. After scratching my head a while it dawned on me just how
exasperatingly little I knew. Deciding to shift my focus, I set my mind
onto ideas of what subject I could study on behalf of my character. This
thought lasted seconds before it morphed into what subject I could
make up- and voila, I landed on MAGIC!
Plus I’ve always been a fan of fantasy, so that helped.
 

Is this book part of a series?

 Yes, it’s part one of two - if you can stomach it! That being said it’s a
world I enjoy climbing into so I wouldn’t rule out any more stories about
Cynthia’s coven slipping out.
 

Are there certain writing methods you use?

 All the wrong ones probably. I’m a very slow writer, aiming for around
250-300 words a day - pausing while other writers gasp. I’m also a
keen lover of keeping a notebook on me at all times. It’s perfect for
jotting down the odd idea and the more sane ones too! But maybe the
most important thing for a healthy batch of writing- a cup of tea and a
few pieces of chocolate to keep energy levels up.
 

Do you have any favourite passages in the book and why?

 The wand making and any scene where the whole gang was together-
as it usually meant I got to have a little fun with how all their
personalities bounced off each other.
 

What aspects of your own life helped inspire this book?

 Many moons ago I used to work as a carer in several residential
homes, which is where I got my first up close experiences with
dementia. It’s also where I made a lot of friends, most of which were in
their 80s and 90s. They were sharp, painfully honest with a great sense
of humour.