Literary Legend

A literary LEGEND

From Children’s Laureate to author of the incredible Noughts and Crosses series and screenwriting for Doctor Who, Malorie Blackman is having a wonderfully varied and illustrious literary career. We catch up with her to find out how her love for writing all began…

What made you decide to become a writer? A love of stories and reading. Reading wonderful stories made me want to create my own. From the age of 7-8, I used to write stories for my own amusement. It was only when I was in my 20s that I first thought about writing as a career.

Did school impact on your choice of career? Negatively, I’m afraid. I told my Careers teacher that I wanted to go to university to do an English & Drama degree and become an English teacher and she replied that, ‘Black people don’t do that!’ To her racist mind, black people had no place aspiring to go to university. I ended up working as a computer programmer for a number of years before I decided I needed a complete career change.

Have you always had an amazing imagination? Stories and poems have always been a passion of mine – both reading them

Nothing in this world that gets created comes into being without imagination.

and making-up my own. Being an inveterate daydreamer at school led to me frequently getting told-off by my teachers for it. So it’s ironic that daydreaming is now how I make my living! Nothing in this world that gets created comes into being without imagination – and imagination is like a muscle – the more you use it the stronger it gets. Exercise yours!

Who was your biggest influence growing up? My parents, and people like Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali. I’ve always admired people who stand up for what’s right.

Was there a moment in your life that was a turning point and made you want to write about racism? The Stephen Laurence case was the catalyst for writing Noughts & Crosses, but a major part of why I became a writer in the first place was the dearth of childrens’ books featuring black protagonists.

Above: Malorie’s proudest publications which tackle risky subject matter

Write from the heart as well as the head. Care about what you write and write what you care about.

What’s your favourite book? I have too many I love to pick just one. Among them would be V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Beloved by Toni Morrison.

How long does it take for you to come up with a story idea? I always have story ideas. I usually have about four or five on the go at once. The difficult (but exciting) task is to work out which one to do next.

Which of your books are you most proud of? The ones that were risky in terms of their subject matter: the Noughts and Crosses series, Pig Heart Boy and Boys Don’t Cry. Also Cloud Busting because it was told entirely in narrative verse, which at the time was a lot more unusual than it is now. And screen plays? I enjoyed co-writing the Doctor Who: Rosa script with Chris Chibnall and the scripts I wrote for one of my books, Whizziwig which was shown on CITV.

How involved were you in the TV adaptation of Noughts & Crosses? I was lucky enough to be quite involved in that I was sent all the scripts to read and comment on. The rough and fine cuts of each episode were sent to me for my observations. The production company also sent me audition tapes for some of the younger actors so I could give my feedback.

Do you base any of your characters on people you know? The short answer is no – because I don’t want to get sued. I don’t even use the names of friends because they’ll always believe that you are writing about them, which I would never do!

Books, TV, radio and stage – which is the most challenging to write for? They are all challenging but in different ways. Novels are a challenge as they are yours until you hand them over to an editor for feedback but scripts are collaborative from the outset.

Above: Just some of Malorie’s penned literary treasures from first readers to teenage grit

What did you enjoy most as Children’s Laureate? All the schools and places I visited nationwide and the people I got to meet. At the end of my two year tenure it was worked out that I had spoken to over 30,000 teens nationwide.

When not writing, what do you like doing? Reading and playing the piano – badly. Plus I love watching films, going to the theatre, and playing computer games.

Your advice to aspiring young writers? Write from the heart as well as the head. Care about what you write and write what you care about.

Tell us about LoveMyRead and your involvement? LoveMyRead is a subscription-based book club where Frank Cottrell-Boyce and I present the very latest, best books for subscribers each month. We get to read a number of books, sometimes before they are officially published, and we pick the ones we feel will be most enjoyed by the different age range categories catered for by the book club. Which two books would you take to your desert island? The complete, unabridged works of Jane Austen and Toni Morrison.

Any ideas for your next venture? A number actually. Watch this space…

Motto for life? Hold onto hope and never give up.

A child’s book subscription is just £12.99 a month. After sign-up, simply choose an age category, (0-3), (4-6), (7-9) and (10-12). Then on the day of publication you will receive a hotly anticipated and beautifully packaged new book (with some additional treats included!). www.lovemyread.com

WIN! An incredible day out at Holland & Holland Shooting Grounds

Enter now to have the chance to win a two hour shooting lesson and three course lunch for you and a guest worth over £650

The Holland and Holland Shooting Grounds offer unparalleled country experiences, just 40 minutes from central London. Sitting on over 60 acres of British countryside, enjoy over 65 shooting stands offering an extensive range of simulated and clay pigeon traps. After a busy morning of tuition, enter the shoot lodge and enjoy the culinary delights at our restaurant specialising in locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. The Holland & Holland experience is the perfect day out.

Enjoy a three course lunch al fresco with exquisite wine

The Prize:

★ A two-hour lesson including use of the indoor rifle shooting cinema

★ Three course lunch including wine* and entrance to the Sautter Cigar Lounge

To be in with the chance to win this amazing prize simply ENTER HERE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Competition closes 15/04/2021. Guests must be over 17 years old. Subject to availability and latest Government guidelines. No cash alternative for the prize. Prize includes an allowance of clays, cartridges and ammunition. *Includes a glass of British sparkling wine and a bottle of exquisite wine. Prize valid until 31/12/2021. For full Terms and Conditions visit blog.schoolnotices.co.uk/category/competitions

H ighlights

SHOOTING LESSONS

Individual instruction personalised to suit novices to experienced shots. Benefit from the wide range of sporting clay stands and excellent facilities available with our world-renowned instructors.

INDOOR RIFLE SHOOTING CINEMA

The only private non-military indoor live-round facility in the UK, offering rifle instruction with a moving target and live ammunition.

DINING

Michelin-star trained head chef Joshua Hunter has an eye for detail and a love of fresh, seasonal food. Choose from a mouth-watering menu that is quintessentially British, comforting and authentic.

THE SAUTTER CIGAR LOUNGE

Enjoy some of the finest cigars whilst savouring a whisky from an extensive range.