Adele Geras is a writer of books for
children, young adults and adults and has published over 90 books.
Adele will be appearing at the festival on Saturday 15th
June with crime writer Geraldine Evants to talk about the highs and
lows of being a writer.
Thank you for giving up your time for this interview Adele.
Firstly, tell us a bit about
yourself…
I've been writing books since 1976 and
have published 95 or so....mostly for children though four adult
novels as well. These are going to be reissued by Quercus (publishing house) as ebooks
when they publish my fifth adult novel next year. That's called
'Cover you eyes'. I live in Cambridge now but for 43 years we lived
in Manchester.
At the festival you will be
discussing what it's like to be a writer, what are the most common
questions you get asked about being an author?
Children ask things like: “Are you
rich?” and “How long does it take to write a book?'”
Before I published books for adults,
they would always ask: “Will you write a real book when
you've had the practice?'” ALL children's writers get asked that
question which makes us want to scream! The others are: “Will you
be the next JK Rowling?" or else "Should I have heard of
you?"
You’ve written books for children,
young adults and adults, do you prefer writing for one particular
audience? What are the different challenges of writing for different
age groups?
I love writing for young adults and
adults best. I don't differentiate much between those two groups
except for the fact that the protagonists are younger in the YA
books. And adult books are generally longer.
I recently discovered that Sophie
Hannah, crime writer, is your daughter and will also be attending the
book festival. Are you happy that Sophie became a writer like
yourself?
I am thrilled skinny that she's a
writer and more than that, she's an extremely successful one and I
love her books! What would have happened if she'd written books I
found hard to read, I don't know but as it is, I look forward to
every new one from her and she's also amazingly prolific and
hardworking. She is an example to her mother, really which is just as
it should be!
This year’s festival is ‘a sense
of place’, have you read anything recently that really captures the
sense of a place and made you want to visit?
Well, it didn't make me want to visit
but you get a very good idea of Alaska from 'The Snow Child' by Eown
Ivey. And I'm enjoying 'In Zodiac Light' by Robert Edric which is set
in a lunatic asylum as they used to be called. I can visualize that
exactly from the novel, which is about Ivor Gurney, the poet and
composer.
How did you get involved with the
Felixstowe Book Festival?
Elaine Simpson-Long, whose blog I have
been reading for years, and who's always reviewed my books most
kindly, invited me to get involved. I had no idea Sophie was also on
the programme till much later...shame we're not on the same day or
she could have given me a lift! I recently met Elaine when we
moved to Cambridge. We share a love for baking cakes and the 'Mapp and Lucia' books!
When you’re in Felixstowe, aside
from appearing at the festival, what else are you looking forward to
doing or seeing when you're in town?
I will try and come early in the day
and look about a bit and maybe go to an event which is earlier than
my own! I love going to new places. I wish I could stay overnight but
alas I have to get back...
Adele's talk will take place on Saturday 15th June between 3.30 and 4.30 pm at The Orwell Hotel.
Tickets cost £5 and can be purchased here.
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