Natalie Williams-Knight

Q: What were you like at school?

Curious, talkative and friendly

Q: What did you want to be when you were a child?

A journalist and writer

Q: Which three words describe you best?

Passionate, fun-loving, bold

Q: What is your favourite word?

Hey!

Q: What makes you cringe?

Prejudice

Q: When did you last have a really good laugh?

everyday!

Q: What is your most treasured possession?

My family

Q: What do you do as a hobby?

Shell collecting

Q: What’s your favourite food?

Trinidad Roti

Q: What do you day dream about?

Reading books onboard a beautiful sailboat on a warm Caribbean day.

Q: What’s the most outrageous thing you’ve done?

White water rafting and swinging from trees in Costa Rica

Q: What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Diplomacy

Q: Do you feel younger or older than your current age?

Younger

Q: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Already did. Met Nelson Mandela at the opening of the South African parliament years ago. He shook my hand and recognised my Caribbean accent!

Q: What quality do you most admire in a person?

A sense of fairness and respect for others.

Q: What is the most interesting place you have ever visited?

As a fearless, intrepid young reporter I've visited many interesting locations some probably too gory outside of the news context. An old haunted plantation house in New Orleans and Hemmingway's home in Cuba were pretty cool.

Q: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?

Be yourself always.

Q: What has life taught you?

Love your family and friends fiercely everyday.

Q: How long have you been a writer?

Since I was seven years old

Q: Was there a specific moment in your life when you decide to become a writer?

When I was nine years old I produced a little newsletter about the Avenue where I grew up in Trinidad. I called it the Avenews, and when I wrote up the first edition, I didn't realise the things all the old folks told me at their kichen tables would be described these days as gossip and probably shouldn't have been printed!! It caused quite a stir, I got in to trouble and I loved every minute of the drama created by words told to me!

Q: Where do you do your writing?

At my desk at home in England. When I'm in the Caribbean I write outdoors as much as possible.

Q: Where do you get your greatest ideas from?

Mostly for me it's from news and current affairs - things that are happening all around us everyday. I often times see the makings of books, musicals, movies and plays in everyday life.

Q: What was your favourite book as a child?

I loved all the Enid Blyton books and later the Famous Five adventure series.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Write for yourself first, even if its just in a journal.