Carol Hedges

Q: What were you like at school?

I was no good at maths or science, but I loved English. I also loved performing in plays. I went to a girls' school.

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

Probably a lot happier than I was!!! I loved writing and making p stories - I don't think I ever thought I'd be a REAL writer, though

Q: Which three words describe you best?

Lively,curious,thoughtful

Q: What is your favourite word?

Apricot

Q: What makes you cringe?

People trying too hard to be 'nice'.

Q: What are you afraid of?

Death (my daughter works in Afghanistan)

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

This morning when one of my cats fell off my desk

Q: What is your most treasured possession?

A photo of my daughter

Q: What do you do as a hobby?

Walk, bake cakes, worry...

Q: What strange habits do you have?

I have to arrange all the objects on my desk in a special way before I can get down to work

Q: What’s your favourite food?

Roast leg of lamb with all the trimmings, followed by strawberry trifle

Q: What do you day dream about?

Having enough money to buy a small house somewhere warm

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

I used to shoplift from Woolworth when I was 12 years old (tights and makeup)

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

I'd love to be a singer - not going to happen, as I can't sing.

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

Definitely yonger!!! Sadly, my face doesn't agree.

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

Charles Dickcens - he's such an inventive writer, and he led such an interesting life from the word go.

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

Loyalty

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

Venice - I used it at the beginning of one of my books.

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

Keep going.

Q: What would you most like to change about yourself?

I'd like to be a bit calmer and less worried about things

Q: What has life taught you?

It's NEVER as bad as you think (although sometimes it is!)

Q: How long have you been a writer?

Since I was about 8

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

A 'published ' writer - probably when I was 40

Q: Where do you do your writing?

In the 3rd bedroom. The window overlooks the garden and the pond. It is very distracting.

Q: What are the best and worst things about being an author?

The best: seeing your book in print for the first time and talking to school classes. The worst: the constant self-doubt

Q: Where do you get your greatest ideas from?

My students. The are always up to amazing stuff and very generous in sharing it.

Q: Which of your own characters do you most identify with?

Jazmin in the Spy Girl books. I had an alter-ego too.

Q: What do you do to combat “writers’ block”?

I just keep writing through it. Or I go for a walk and let the next bit of the plot fall into place in m brain.

Q: What was your favourite book as a child?

Orlando the Marmelade cat

Q: What book do you wish you had written?

Anything by Khaled Hosseini

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Enjoy what you are writing and try to make it the best you can do.