Jean Ure

Q: What were you like at school?

Talkative and rebellious

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

A writer. And a ballet dancer.

Q: Which three words describe you best?

Funny; argumentative; reliable

Q: What is your favourite word?

sparkling

Q: What are you afraid of?

Heights

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

This morning, when one of our Jack Russells stole my husband's underpants and ran about with them hanging round her neck

Q: What is your most treasured possession?

Our 7 dogs and 4 cats

Q: What do you do as a hobby?

Read, listen to music, walk the dogs

Q: What strange habits do you have?

Sleeping with a Jack Russell sharing our bed ... is that strange?

Q: What’s your favourite food?

(ahem!) Chips ...

Q: What do you day dream about?

The next book I'm going to write

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

My all-time favourite singer, Gerard Souzay. (Yeah, yeah, I know! Who he?)

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

Integrity

Q: What has life taught you?

Not a lot!

Q: How long have you been a writer?

Years and year ... and years. Had my first book published while I was at school and have been writing ever since.

Q: Where do you do your writing?

Initially, at the kitchen table surrounded by 11 animals

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

Best ... daydreaming about the next book. Completing the next book! Worst ... I can't think of any worst.

Q: Where do you get your greatest ideas from?

Everywhere and anywhere. In my head, out of my head, all over the place.

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

Probably Cherry from SKINNY MELON AND ME. She can dance, she can sing, she can do most anything ... and does it, at the drop of a hat.

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

Never had it!

Q: What was your favourite book as a child?

I had too many to name. One was LITTLE WOMEN.

Q: What book do you wish you had written?

I might - and do - admire other books, but would never wish that I had written them.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Read read read, as much as you possibly can. Experiment with different forms of writing - short stories, poems, essays, novels, articles, diaries. Discover what you're best at. NEVER GIVE UP.