This month, we were delighted to meet with another of Ireland’s popular children’s authors, Natasha Mac a’Bháird.
TPP: Which character do you most identify with in The Tower Ghost?
Natasha: Clare – she’s a bit of a perfectionist like me, always anxious to prove herself worthy! She also has a dreamy side, getting swept away by her imagination.
TPP: Is Sycamore Hill like the school you went to?
Natasha: I went to an all-girls convent school too, but it was just a day school in the middle of town, and there weren’t many nuns still teaching. Like Rose, I hated my uniform! My school also encouraged girls to achieve their dreams.
TPP: Will there be more stories about Sycamore Hill?
Natasha: I’ve just started working on a sequel – Clare, Rose and Molly team up again to solve a mystery involving a new girl and a suspicious nun!
TPP: How long have you been writing?
Natasha: I started writing stories in first or second class and never really stopped! I wrote my first chapter book when I was 13 and had my first book published when I was in my twenties.
TPP: What made you want to become a writer?
Natasha: I was a bookworm as a child and loved using my imagination, so becoming a writer seemed a natural thing to do. When I read books, I often wished I could change things about them. Writing my own books gave me that freedom.
TPP: What is your number-one tip for aspiring writers?
Natasha: If you have an idea for a story, start writing and see where it takes you. You don’t need to have everything worked out, and definitely don’t wait for perfection!
TPP: Can you remember the first book you ever read and loved?
Natasha: I can’t remember the first book, but I do know that when I was very young my favourite author was Enid Blyton. I especially loved the Famous Five, the Adventure series and her school series. When I was reading one of those books I would get completely absorbed in the story and forget where I was or what I was supposed to be doing.
TPP: Who are your favourite authors?
Natasha: I love school stories, mysteries and theatre stories, so as well as Enid Blyton, some of my favourites are Elinor M. Brent-Dyer, Noel Streatfeild, Antonia Forest, Michelle Magorian and J.K. Rowling.
TPP: What would you be if you weren’t an author?
Natasha: I also work as an editor, so if I wasn’t an author I might do that full time instead of trying to juggle the two! It would most likely involve books anyway. My other dream career would have been acting, but I’m not sure I was brave enough for that.
TPP: What is your favourite book of all time?
Natasha: It’s incredibly difficult to choose one! I think I would have to go for Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce. Tom is staying with his aunt and uncle while his brother is sick. He’s lonely and homesick, but everything changes when he discovers that in the middle of the night the yard behind their flat is transformed into a beautiful Victorian garden with everything he could wish for, including a friend, Hatty.
TPP: Aside from reading and writing, do you have any hobbies?
Natasha: I like running, although I’m very slow, and I especially like taking part in parkrun on Saturday mornings. I also love going to the theatre, especially to see musicals. I like travelling and exploring new places. And I’m a bit addicted to board games and puzzles.
TPP: What is your favourite part about being an author?
Natasha: I have lots of favourite parts! Getting a first copy of a new book and seeing it on the shelves of a bookshop for the first time are always special moments. I also really love visiting schools, so I can share my love of reading and writing with children. My events with The Tower Ghost have been a lot of fun, as we solve a mystery together, and I love hearing the theories the children come up with about whodunnit!
