When did you first start writing?

My first taste for writing came when I was 10 years old.  I won a competition at school.  I remember the teacher asking us to be creative and either draw, paint or make something.  I came up with the idea of making my own poetry book, where I cut out a few pictures from magazines that I liked (mostly animals) and made up a poem to go with each picture.  Much to my surprise I won!  The one that sticks in my mind was a picture of a shaggy old English sheepdog.  "There was an old English sheepdog, I used to call it Mog".  I can't remember the rest!  It wasn't until years later, I started a home correspondence writing course, through which I had various pieces published, but found that my full time job got in the way of my writing, so unfortunately my writing was put on hold for a short while. 
It was when my daughter Evie was born in 2006 that I found my passion for writing again.  Board books, picture books, chapter books.  I absolutely love them.  I got made redundant from my job as a Typist in 2009 and that is when I decided that I wanted to persevere what I love doing the best.  As soon as my daughter started school, I found I had more time on my hands so I decided to put every effort into my writing and concentrate on writing for children which I thoroughly enjoy. 

Where do you get your ideas from?

To be honest, ideas are all around me.  Most of the time it can be something that someone says that sparks off an idea.  Sometimes I am prone to waking up in the night after I have dreamt about something and quickly have to write it down.  Even if its 2am in the morning!  (Ask any other writer, its true!).  My daughter sometimes comes out with some quirky comments which can lead me to an idea.  Walking down the street, looking at every day things, objects, pictures and incidents can lead to all sorts of ideas.  Reading the newspaper and magazines too are a great source of inspiration.  I find it useful to always to have a notebook to hand.  I never know when an idea will come into my head.  I was once stood in the queue waiting to collect my daughter from school.  Myself and a few other mums were having a conversation where one of them told me about her daughter being upset at losing a tooth, but couldn't find it anywhere.  It turned up in a very odd place.  Inside her lunch box, embedded inside an apple that she had taken a bite of!  That story is now "Wiggly Wobbly Tooth". 

What writers have inspired you and why?

As a picture book writer, my first attention was drawn to Julia Donaldson, Author of The Gruffalo.  This is one of the very first picture books that I read to my daughter and we absolutely loved it.  I loved the whole rhyme and how easily the words just flowed.  Anything that rhymes, I love.  My earlier influences are Dr Seuss, Roald Dahl and also Jill Murphy, the Author of The Worst Witch Series.  I also love reading Enid Blyton books, although I haven't quite got through them all yet.  There are quite a lot!  Those books have never gone out of fashion and if I ever write a children's novel, Enid Blyton is my inspiration.  One of the first older books that I read when I was about 12 years old, was a Judy Blume book called "Are you there God, it's me Margaret".  Also a brilliant writer. 

When did you first start writing?

My first taste for writing came when I was 10 years old.  I won a competition at school.  I remember the teacher asking us to be creative and either draw, paint or make something.  I came up with the idea of making my own poetry book, where I cut out a few pictures from magazines that I liked (mostly animals) and made up a poem to go with each picture.  Much to my surprise I won!  The one that sticks in my mind was a picture of a shaggy old English sheepdog.  "There was an old English sheepdog, I used to call it Mog".  I can't remember the rest!  It wasn't until years later, I started a home correspondence writing course, through which I had various pieces published, but found that my full time job got in the way of my writing, so unfortunately my writing was put on hold for a short while. 
It was when my daughter Evie was born in 2006 that I found my passion for writing again.  Board books, picture books, chapter books.  I absolutely love them.  I got made redundant from my job as a Typist in 2009 and that is when I decided that I wanted to persevere what I love doing the best.  As soon as my daughter started school, I found I had more time on my hands so I decided to put every effort into my writing and concentrate on writing for children which I thoroughly enjoy. 

Where do you get your ideas from?

To be honest, ideas are all around me.  Most of the time it can be something that someone says that sparks off an idea.  Sometimes I am prone to waking up in the night after I have dreamt about something and quickly have to write it down.  Even if its 2am in the morning!  (Ask any other writer, its true!).  My daughter sometimes comes out with some quirky comments which can lead me to an idea.  Walking down the street, looking at every day things, objects, pictures and incidents can lead to all sorts of ideas.  Reading the newspaper and magazines too are a great source of inspiration.  I find it useful to always to have a notebook to hand.  I never know when an idea will come into my head.  I was once stood in the queue waiting to collect my daughter from school.  Myself and a few other mums were having a conversation where one of them told me about her daughter being upset at losing a tooth, but couldn't find it anywhere.  It turned up in a very odd place.  Inside her lunch box, embedded inside an apple that she had taken a bite of!  That story is now "Wiggly Wobbly Tooth". 

What writers have inspired you and why?

As a picture book writer, my first attention was drawn to Julia Donaldson, Author of The Gruffalo.  This is one of the very first picture books that I read to my daughter and we absolutely loved it.  I loved the whole rhyme and how easily the words just flowed.  Anything that rhymes, I love.  My earlier influences are Dr Seuss, Roald Dahl and also Jill Murphy, the Author of The Worst Witch Series.  I also love reading Enid Blyton books, although I haven't quite got through them all yet.  There are quite a lot!  Those books have never gone out of fashion and if I ever write a children's novel, Enid Blyton is my inspiration.  One of the first older books that I read when I was about 12 years old, was a Judy Blume book called "Are you there God, it's me Margaret".  Also a brilliant writer. 

Where do you like to write?

Anywhere quiet and without distraction suits me just fine.  Most of the time I just like to sit and write in complete silence.  Sometimes I have a little chillout music on as it helps me relax.  In the evening, I like to sit in bed and write.  I am easily distracted by the TV downstairs so going upstairs away from it all is also a good thing.  The library is the best place of all.  I love to sit in the children's section.  Very quiet (well most of the time anyway) and surrounded by lots of lovely books. 

Tell us something about yourself we didn't know!
 

My full name is Margaret Jean, though since I was born I've just been called Jean, which is what I prefer.  There were too many Margarets in the family and it was confusing!