cathy_cassidy.jpgHow much do I heart Cathy Cassidy?

Let me count the ways…

She’s a super talented author-girl, she’s got a teepee in her garden, she drives the coolest camper van in the world, she loves chocolate, she has a fab website, she…actually, why don’t I just let you see for yourself…

Wow Cathy, you have been busy this year - Sundae Girl AND Lucky Star, we know you’re super talented but how do you manage to write so many amazing books in such a short space of time?
Um… not easy! I am not the best organised person in the world, and my fantasy would be a 30-hour day, a ten-day week, a six-week month, etc… that way I could fit in the writing, the touring, the school visits, and have time left over for friends and fun, too!!!

LUCKY_STAR_COV_standard.jpgSo, which is your favourite and why?
I like both books, but Lucky Star is definitely my favourite. It’s up-beat, adventurous and rebellious, with lots of twists and turns. I love the characters in Lucky Star… they’re mixed up teenagers, lost, lonely and with a talent for trouble… but together they shine!

Lucky Star sees the return of a familiar face, Mouse from Dizzy, what made you want to write more about this character and does this mean we’ll be seeing the return of other characters in future books?
Mouse was the only character in Dizzy who didn’t get a happy ending, and I always felt a bit guilty about that! I’ve had shedloads of emails and letters over the last few years asking for a sequel to Dizzy - Lucky Star isn’t exactly a sequel, but it does pick up Mouse’s story later on, when he’s 14. I have no plans to go back to any of my other early characters, but never say never…

Do you use real life experiences to help create characters, situations and dialogue in your books?
Like most authors, I’m a magpie, always on the lookout for bright, shiny things to weave into a story. Real life experiences can spark off an idea, as can things I see, hear, daydream or imagine. Meeting real teenagers often gives me ideas for characters and names, too!

You’ve got a brand-new website, tell us all about it…
My website had a fab re-design in April, and I love it… it’s very interactive and cool! Readers can review my books, chip in with their views on a variety of topics in the blogs, and post their photos, drawings and poetry online. There’s always a fab writing comp running on the Writer’s Workshop section, and a starry new comp linked to Lucky Star running right now… take a look on www.cathycassidy.com

sundaegirl_standard.jpgWhat was life like as a teen girl, Cathy?
Not as eventful as it is for some of my characters! I never had my tongue pierced or got expelled from school, never spray painted the school gym or had a dad who dressed like Elvis! I was a quiet,
daydreamy teen who longed for a more exciting, dramatic and romantic life… so I sat in my room and wrote down the daydreams, and that was the start of my writing career!

Seriously, I think growing up can be tough, especially today. I hope my books help kids to cope with the tricky moments and find some of the magic about being a teenager, too.

Do you read teen books and if so, could you recommend any to us?
Teen books are my fave thing to read. Recent faves include What I Was by Meg Rosoff; Ruby Red by Linzi Glass; and Fat Kid Rules the World by KL Going. I’m also a BIG fan of Think Pink by lovely Lisa Clark… the world needs more sets of rose-coloured specs.

What makes you jump-in-the-air-happy?
Festivals… or, failing that, any combination of friends, chocolate,
woodsmoke and freedom.

Speed round!

What’s your favourite:

Film: Donnie Darko
Book: At the moment, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Music: Placebo, The View, Green Day.
Food: chocolate
Magazine: Red (like to take sneaky looks at my kid’s copies of Kerrang, too…)
Place: My tepee….
City: London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Kathmandu or Kandy! Shop:
Paperchase…. bliss!
Website: This one!

What’s next in the world of Cathy? Are you writing right now? Can you give us a sneaky insight?
I’ve just started writing a new book, Gingersnaps, which will be out next year… it’s about a girl with waist-length strawberry blonde hair and a cute but crazy boy… that’s all I can say right now, ‘cos it’s early days!

Do you have any tips for would-be writer girls?
1. Read lots - you’ll learn loads about plot, style and dialogue as you
go.
2. Carry a notebook to jot down ideas/thoughts.
3. Daydream. It’s free exercise for the imagination - all of my stories start off that way!
For more tips on writing and a fab competition for under-16s, check out the Writer’s Workshop section on my website, www.cathycassidy.com