1) What would you be doing if you were not writing (and we know that acting or being a ballerina is out :)?

I’m not too sure, to be honest. I’ve worked a lot of jobs over the years (because writing pays sporadically at best!) and I still do freelance editing work now, but I can’t think of anything I’m as passionate about as writing in terms of work. Editing probably comes closest. So… yes, I think that’s what I’d be doing if I wasn’t writing. Editing other people’s work. It’s a great job.

2) How did you feel when “The Lost Girl” was published?

It was fantastic. Pub day was awesome; I just spent the day on Twitter chatting to readers and other authors whose books came out the same day. I have to say, though, that the day I got my finished copies of the book was even better. That was when it really hit me that I’d done it, I’d written a book and it was real now and it was going to be on shelves, and that was incredible.

3) Would you consider writing for another genre or is YA what you feel most at home with?

I’ve started a number of adult manuscripts before and I “write” picture books on an almost daily basis because my three-year-old demands it of me, so I don’t think I would ever discount writing seriously in another genre. I do feel most at home with YA and I do love it, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t let a great idea lead me another way.

4) When you were working on the Amarra and Eva characters, what did you find the most difficult? Killing off Amarra or creating Eva?

Creating Eva was the easy part! The book started with her, a female Frankensteinian monster, and her vulnerable, angry, passionate character felt real from the start. Killing Amarra was definitely harder. It had to happen, of course, for Eva’s conflicts to really kick off and I knew it from the start. Still. It was hard to do. I’m one of those authors who sometimes cries when I write sad things, and writing Amarra’s death and the subsequent grief did get me a little weepy.

5) If it was ever possible to do so in real life, would you cheat death?

Only if everyone I love could do it too! I imagine it’s a miserable existence, immortality while everyone around you remains mortal, so I wouldn’t want it if it was just me. (Actually, maybe I wouldn’t want it anyway – it must be exhausting to live forever!)

6) If you had to choose one word to describe your novel, what would it be?

Eerie.

7) Would you give us a clue about what you are working on right now?

It’s a YA space fantasy trilogy based on Indian mythology. I’m super, super excited about it, but it’s very much still a WIP.

8) What was your favourite book when you were growing up which is NOT a classic?

Do the Harry Potter books count? Because they were definitely my favourite. I was obsessed. Fan fiction, fan theories, fan videos, the works. I loved them.

9) Can you tell us 3 fun facts about you?

1. I genuinely wanted to be a stunt motorcylist at one point. I think I was about thirteen or fourteen.
2. Speaking of motorcycles, I once told my best friend a long, elaborate story about how I had a purple flying motorbike (this was years before Sirius’s flying motorcycle!) and flew to Africa the previous night. She believed me. (I also told her I lived on a flying saucer. She had been to my house and was therefore less inclined to believe this one.)
3. My addictions include Netflix, Apple and nutty chocolate. Mmm.