Anne-Marie Conway’s HOW TO BE MORE HEDHOG has recently hit the shelves so we’ve been talking to the author herself about drama (the theatrical kind!), dark chocolate and diaries!
- Tell us about you in 25 words or less.
I teach Drama and am an author of middle-grade fiction. I have a gorgeous dog, Jesse, who takes me on walks twice a day.
- Your middle grade book, How To Be More Hedgehog is about to be published. Can you tell us a little bit about how it came to be?
It’s about a girl called Lily who has a stammer. I have taught a few children with have struggled with fluency over the course of my career, but one girl really captured my heart. She was passionate about Drama, and it was so difficult for me to see how the other children in her class reacted when she was trying to get a word out or stuck on a particular letter. Doing Drama really built up her self-esteem and helped to show her that she did have something valuable to offer.
- Ok, here’s a challenge… can you sum up your book in five words? [runs and hides!]
Be more hedgehog! It works!
- What does a typical day look like for you?
Three days a week I work in a school teaching Drama and on those days, I leave the house early and arrive home late, exhausted! On my non-teaching days, I start with a lovely dog walk, a coffee and then I either write or work out what to make for dinner (I love cooking) I have a Ukrainian family staying with me at the moment, so I’ve been spending time with them as well.
- What makes you happy?
Dog walks, being creative, putting on big musical theatre shows!
- What’s on your TBR pile at the moment?
I am about to start a course in counselling children and so I have a long reading list. The first on the list is called ‘How Children Play’.
- What’s your worst habit?
Um…dark chocolate (completely addicted)
- Your favourite word(s) and why –
I love the word ‘caramelize’ but I always say it wrong for some reason.
- What are your top tips for budding writers?
Read as much as you can, keep a diary, and don’t follow rules (writing rules)
- Is there anything that’s surprised you about the publishing process?
If I’m honest, everything! I was very naïve when I first started writing. It has been a very steep learning curve.
- Can you give us a glimpse / hint at your current WIP? (I can bribe you with cake!)
It has something to do with my Ukrainian guests and a little girl who is terrified of dogs.
- Did we forget anything?
I don’t think so. I enjoyed chatting!
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? coffee
Paper books or e-books? Paper books always
Cake or chocolate? Chocolate
Write or type? Type
Poetry or prose? Prose
Hot or cold? Hot (but I’ve started having cold showers)
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