Kathy Evans

We actually met at a party. We have a mutual friend who celebrated her 40th with a big dinner at a country house and we all stayed over. I was a bit cheeky and asked if I could send her something and she gave me her card. Had subbed to her before, without success, but I’d been working on something I had a bit more confidence in and that was the book she took me on with.

It just took so long, there were years of trying before Sophie took me on, and then more years of trying to write something that someone else would love as much as we did. It was frustrating and disappointing and I don’t think I would have kept going without Sophie’s support. It makes a huge difference when someone else, someone who really knows what they’re doing, backs you.

At the Concorde book awards this year, a school gave a presentation about More of Me. It was honestly brilliant - they totally understood that the heart of the book was about identity and growing up, even though it’s a pretty high concept thriller with a weird sci-fi edge. I was thrilling to hear them talk about it in their own words - it softened the blow that was only a runner up for the award! (Darn you, Joshua Kahn!)

If you get any positive feedback from an agent or editor- treasure it. They do not encourage you lightly, they believe in your writing, you just might not have written the right story yet. Don’t give up, you don’t know how close you are - read the picture book Sam and Dave Dig A Hole - they value the journey they’re on but they are also very close to a diamond if only they kept on digging. Picture books have a lot to teach us all. Crumbs, am feeling quite wise now…

It’s a bit easier now it’s actually my job – before I was published I was juggling parenting and running our farm, with writing – I seemed to be in a permanent state of guilt that I wasn’t giving my attention to the right thing and writing seemed like such an indulgence when I wasn’t being paid for it. That’s changed since More of Me was published. I do like being busy though – and if I do something, I want to do it well . I fence competitively, belly dance for fun and I help run SCBWI in the UK which takes up quite a bit of time. Do you know what? I don’t know how I do it, I just do – life’s so short, I want to make sure I’ve packed every moment.