Introducing the authors who will be at the Tenby Book Fair, http://bit.ly/27XORTh, the first event of the Tenby Arts Festival http://bit.ly/24eOVtl .  I’m looking forward to having many more such chats over the next couple of weeks. 

So far I’ve interrogated interviewed Rebecca Bryn: http://bit.ly/1XYWbtF, Thorne Moore: http://bit.ly/1P6zDQh , Matt Johnson: http://bit.ly/1RUqJFg , Christoph Fischer: http://bit.ly/1svniAr , Sally Spedding: http://bit.ly/1VNRQci, Wendy Steele: http://bit.ly/1PMoF8i ,Kathy MIles:  http://bit.ly/1twN3Bg , Carol Lovekin:http://bit.ly/1Y2z6HT, Colin R Parsons: http://bit.ly/1tvBc5G and Lisa Shambrook: http://bit.ly/28NMI5v:  and Alex Martin:  http://bit.ly/28VLsQG  and  Judith Arnopp:  http://bit.ly/290cJMl And thanks to Thorne Moore for interviewing me: http://bit.ly/1VTvqGq  Over the next week or two I’ll be introducing the rest of the authors. I’ll also be showcasing the publishers who will be in attendance and who will be giving short talks and may be able to give advice to would-be authors: http://honno.co.uk/ , http://www.fireflypress.co.uk/   and  http://www.cambriapublishing.org.uk/ ,

There may also be a short chat with John and Fiona of http://showboat.tv/ who, as usual, will be filming the event.

Today I’m nattering with one of my oldest and dearest friends, award winning children’s’ author,Sharon Tregenza.

 

 

Hi Sharon, come into my parlour, said the spider … and all that!!

Hmm. I think it’s good to be here. (She is laughing, folks. Honest)

 Yes, sorry about that. Just getting into the mood for chatting about children’s books. So, first question. (as if I haven’t already let the cat out of the bag), What kind of writing do you do?

I write for children – mostly mysteries with a touch of magic. I’m working on a Picture Book at the moment, though

Why did you choose to write in your particular genre.

I didn’t, really. It chose me. I was living in the Middle East and got to know a group of writers. Through them I met the editor of a children’s magazine and she asked me to submit some of my work. That grew into a regular stream of stories, articles and verse, all for children. I wrote several hundred pieces over the next twelve years. Great fun

What were you like at school? (Bet I can guess!!)

Small and giggly (Yep!!), oh and speedy. I held the school 100 yards record for years.

Were you good at English?

Yes. I won the English prize three years running.  (Now, why doesn’t that surprise me! She is an award winning author after all) Hmm, this is starting to read like an ego fest.  (Rubbish!!) Ask me  a different type of question.

Okay. Who are some of your favourite authors?

5. Louis Sacher
6. Norton Juster
7. Toni Morrison
8. Daphne De Maurier
9. John Steinbeck
10. Terry Pratchett
11. Margaret Attwood
12. Thomas Hardy
13. Oliver Jeffers
14. Maurice Sendak — how long have you got? J (Sniff!! You seem to have missed someone out!)

 So, where do you write and what is a typical writing day for you?

There isn’t a typical writing day. I wish there was. It depends on meals, muse and mood. I have frequently tried to follow a set routine, but it never lasts. Late, very late, at night is my favourite time to write though.

Where I write? I live in a lovely converted chapel and although I have a smart study – I mostly write on the dining room table beneath a huge arched window. (I can vouch for this lovely place – had many a great writing weekend there)  Eh! Is this my interview or yours (She’s  laughing again, so I’m okay)

 Sorry. So, tell us, what process did you go through to get your book published?

 My first book, ‘Tarantula Tide’ won the Kelpies prize and was immediately published by Floris Books as a result. Entering a competition is an exhilarating way to get published. It all happened very quickly. Exciting.  

 

My next book ‘The Shiver Stone’ was published by Firefly Press.

 Serious stuff now! What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working on three books simultaneously. The picture book I mentioned and two Middle Grade mysteries. There are fires and secrets and magical peacocks and missing songbirds all mingled together in my head. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it’s just a big mess.  J

What’s next on the horizon for you?

Hopefully I’ll have another book out later this year. I want to finish the three books I’m working on too and have plenty of fun with the process. I’m meeting someone from the Arts Centre this week to talk about giving a course on writing for children. I’ll also be involved with the ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ for children in association with local libraries. That’ll be interesting. So I’ve got lots to look forward to.

 And, from the sound of it, so have many children!

Look out for Sharon here.

Website: www.sharontregenza.com

Email: sharontregenza@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/sharontregenzabooks

Twitter: twitter.comsharontregenza

Buying links: 

 Shiver Stone:

  Amazon.co.uk : http://amzn.to/1UagTH5

 Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/2935KYm

 Firefly Press: http://bit.ly/2935JE2

Tarantula Tide:

 Amazon.co.uk: http://amzn.to/292nLCB

 Amazon.com:http://amzn.to/292EchQ