When did you start writing and why?

In the ‘90s I worked at teen mag Just 17 and used to review books. I’d read great novels which inspired me to write one too, but then again, I’d also read not-so-great books which inspired me to roll up my sleeves and try to do better!

What were you like as a child?

When I first started school I was super-shy and too scared to say I didn’t know what was going on in class. In particular I struggled with reading and writing. Eventually, a teacher guessed I had hearing problems, and once that was understood and treated, things got easier. I was taken out of class for extra help with my reading and soon more than caught up. Once I got going, I completely devoured books and was never out of the library across the road from my house.

What superpower would you like to have?

I’d love to have the power to sense when someone’s about to be mean and suddenly zap a powerful dose of empathy directly into their brains before they say or do something hurtful.

Do you have any pets?

I have an elderly cat: the beautiful-but-bitey Dizzy. Not that she bites me… she’s like a Velcro cat when I’m around and likes to firmly attach herself to my chest at any given opportunity. I also have a young Westie called Bonnie, who is 85% total gorgeousness and 15% pest-a-delic. (I’m still trying to find out where her volume control is! #BARKBARKBARK)

Where do you write?

I have a writing cupboard at home. Well, technically it’s a room, but I think that’s a bit of an optimistic description! And occasionally I’ll pack up my laptop and go to the nearby café for a change of scene. The benefit of writing in the café is that I have scones on hand when my energy’s flagging.

What happens in your virtual author sessions?

I love that virtual sessions take on a cosy feel; it’s more like a friendly and hopefully fascinating chat with students, compared to standing up in front of them in a classroom or hall ‘presenting’ my talk. I like to run it as a bit of a fun show-and-tell, holding things up to the camera, such as notebooks overflowing with Post-Its, demonstrating how I plan my stories. There’s always a Q&A section at the end too, which is fun and interactive.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

I’m lucky; I’ve written more than 100 books for different age groups and genres. I just love jumping from a historic adventure like my WW1 novel My Family the Enemy to World of Wanda – about a 12-year-old runaway with ADHD – to short, dyslexia-friendly books such as The Accidental Vikings. It keeps my writing fresh. And the real treat is when I get invited to talk to students, either in-person or virtually. Honestly, seeing real people instead of writing about the ones in your head is a total joy!

What is your favourite book that you’ve written?

I loved writing World of Wanda! It was inspired by the fact that my son had just been diagnosed with ADHD and I really wanted to write a story that would give readers an insight into what it’s like to have a head that’s packed full of constantly whirling hamster wheels (as my main character Wanda describes it!). And of course I hoped that some people reading it might recognise themselves in the story too.

What’s your favourite children’s book to read?

I’m a real world fan, as I think a lot of children and young people are. I’m going to cheat here and recommend two that I’m itching to re-read: Bus Stop Baby by Fleur Hitchcock, about a young teen who stumbles on a foundling, and Runaways by EL Norry, a fast-paced and moving story of a boy and a girl both escaping different and difficult home lives.

And finally, what’s your top writing tip?

Be nosy! Listen to things, notice things, and scribble those things down in cute notebooks. Some of these noodlings can inspire a whole story, or a fun scene, or even a delicious character in your future writing.

You can book a virtual visit with Karen at https://karenmccombie.com/author-events/