FAMILIES’ BOOK CLUB

For us at Families, cuddling up on the sofa and sharing a story with our children is one of our favourite parts of the day. Nurturing a love of books is a great way to bond as a family, encourage imagination and take time out to relax. This month we’re excited to share a new series for readers age 6+ that we’ve just discovered, written by prolific author Vivian French. Rachel Bailey catches up with her about what it’s like to have such an active imagination and to celebrate the publication of the 2nd book in the Lottie Luna series, Families are giving away both books to one lucky reader!

Having written over 300 books you must be writing in your sleep! Do you have a favourite/ most unusual place to write? Not really. I mostly use my iPad for stories, and I can take that anywhere... I travel a lot, and trains are a great place to write.

Your books cover a whole range of ages. From picture books to teenage fiction and even nonfiction. That’s quite a talent, you must have an amazing imagination. Did you ever have an imaginary friend as a child? Oh yes! I had several, much to the embarrassment of my long suffering family. My particular friend was a lion called Jesus, who came everywhere with me. My poor grandmother was mortified when we were going to church, and I stopped in the porch and said very loudly, ‘Lie down, Jesus! Wait for me here! You can’t come in.’

Did you always know you wanted to be an author and is there an age you particularly like writing for? I never thought of being an author. I always wanted to be an actor, or a long distance lorry driver, if the acting failed me... and I was an actor for quite a while. I loved it! I was working in children’s theatre; I guess it taught me a lot about what children like... and, even more importantly, what they don’t like. The books didn’t happen until I was in my 40s. I was story telling by then, and a wonderful children’s author called Diana Hendry suggested I tried writing. An age I like writing for? H’mmmm... the Lottie Luna age group is especially fun to write for.

Have you ever had to make up a story on the spot? Oh yes! Especially when I was story telling. Sometimes in schools I work with an illustrator, and they and the children draw pictures... and I have to make up a story right then and there. And I make up stories for my youngest grandson if I’m baby sitting.

You’ve been awarded an MBE for your services to literature, literacy, illustration and the arts, and have also been the recipient of the Scottish Book Trust’s Outstanding Achievement Award. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Probably the Picture Hooks mentoring scheme, although that’s mostly due to the brilliance of my co-founder, Lucy Juckes.

Can you tell us a bit about your Picture Hooks mentoring scheme? Lucy and I felt that there was a huge hole in the system for picture book illustrators who had graduated, and who wanted to move into the world of publishing - but were at a loss as to what to do about it. We decided offering five graduates nine months of mentoring by an established illustrator would be a way to help; luckily we have a vast book of contacts! At the end of the nine months the graduates and their mentors get to show their work at the National Gallery Of Scotland, and the exhibition then tours. We set the scheme up in 2012, and it’s gone from strength to strength... it runs biannually, so we’ll be exhibiting again in 2021.

What’s your favourite childhood book/author? Oh help... so many! Hans Christian Andersen, Grimm, Alison Uttley, John Masefield, Lewis Carroll, Denys Watkins Pitchford, E Nesbit, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens - but only if illustrated by Arthur Rackham... the list would be pages long. I discovered Dickens when I was about fourteen, and I’ve adored him ever since.

If I had to choose just one book it would be The Rose Fairy Book; I was given when I was nine. I’ve always loved it dearly, because the illustrations are by Vera Bock. I’ve still got my copy, and the pictures give me a tingle down my spine every time I open it. Is there a book you wish you had written? Not really. I really wish I’d already written the book I’ve just been contracted for.

Did you write books specifically for your daughters when they were growing up? Where do you get your inspiration from? My daughters were quite old by the time I started writing, so I didn’t write for them. It was more for the child I’d have like to have been but wasn’t - and to tell stories. I do love stories.

You’ve travelled around the world touring and running writing workshops. What’s the most exotic place you’ve worked in? Sri Lanka, maybe... or Oklahoma state. That really is exotic. I once went to a school where the head teacher had been kidnapped the day before, taken out to the desert, and tied to a cactus!

Lottie Luna and the Twilight Party is available from 5 March 2020 priced £6.99. www.vivianfrench.co.uk Instagram: @french.vivian Twitter: @fivekingdoms

SPECIALIST TOUCH TYPE COURSES TO SUIT ALL LEARNING STYLES

Dedicated classroom in Maidenhead (near J8/9 of M4) • Structured approach to develop muscle memory, accuracy and speed • Structured spellings taught • Small class to promote rapid learning • Specialist skills to support all learners inc. Dysgraphia, Dyspraxia or Dyslexia • Specialised software which reinforces understanding of vocabulary and spelling • Keys introduced sequentially following a phonics program • Multi-sensory learning - students see, hear and type each word YVONNE THOMAS • 07929 528642 • www.dttts.co.uk Cert Ed, SpLd Level 5, Literacy/Numeracy, ADD/ADHD Coach

have one copy of both Lottie Luna and the Twilight Party and Lottie Luna and the Bloom Garden to give away to one lucky reader!

For your chance to win, all you have to do is answer the question below and email your answer to competitions@familiestveast.co.uk

What is the name of Viv’s new book? A Lottie Luna and the Twilight Garden B Lottie Luna and the Bloom Party C Lottie Luna and the Twilight Party