Fortnight Of Guests 2012: Diana Hendry

Today I'm interviewing the amazing Diana Hendry, who's written so many books it's untrue!  Her latest book, The Seeing, comes out next month - it's amazing, so keep a look out for it!  And for my review! :D  Now, onto the interview...

Q&A With Diana Hendry

Hi Diana!   It’s a pleasure to have you here today!

Hello Megan!

Could you tell us a little about yourself and your books?

I’ve been writing stories since I was about 12, but I didn’t get published for a long time.  Now I’ve published more than 40 books for children, three collections of poetry and a number of short stories.  I’ve worked as a typist, a journalist, a teacher and a creative writing tutor.  I’ve a son and a daughter and three grandchildren. I live in Edinburgh.

The quote on the blurb of my proof of your upcoming book is:

“I've told you.  Philip can see.  He can see inside people.  He can see the swastikas on their hearts.”

It just instantly got my attention and made me desperate about the rest if the book.  Can you sum up The Seeing in one sentence?

No. Why would I?

What gave you the idea for The Seeing?

As a child I used to have nightmares about there being one Nazi left behind.  He lived  (I imagined) in the air-raid shelter on the sandhills opposite my house.

How much research did you have to do for The Seeing?

The Seeing took a long time to write - many drafts.  So although I did quite a lot of research it was spread over several years.

What's the best bit about being an author for you?

Being excited about a new poem or story.

Have any authors really inspired you?

Yes, a great many.  Seamus Heaney and the Israeli novelist, Amos Oz.

What’s the latest book you read that really ‘Wowed’ you?

A short story by Mark Haddon called ‘The Gun’.  It’s in the recent issue of Granta.

I know you write lots of different genres, but which is your favourite to read and write? 

Poetry every time!

If you could go into any fictional world, where would you go?

I don’t think I want to go into a fictional world.  The delight of a fictional world in a book is that you can get out!

If you could have your dream dinner party with five fictional characters, who would you have? 

I’d rather have real people - writers perhaps.  Seamus Heaney, Amos Oz (see above) Penelope Lively, Paul Durcan and Ali Smith.

What's next for you?

I don’t know!  I’m playing about with ideas - hoping one will grab me and I’ll feel excited by it.

Hope you enjoy The Seeing.

all best wishes,

Diana 

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http://www.dianahendry.co.uk/DH_Site/Home.html

Thank you so much for the interview, Diana!  I hope everyone loves The Seeing as much as I did!

Everyone, if you liked this post, make sure you follow all the FoG events on Twitter at #FortnightOfGuests

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Diana Hendry grew up by the sea and has worked as a journalist, English teacher and tutor in Creative Writing at the University of Bristol. Her poetry has won a number of awards including first prize in the 1996 Housman Society Competition. From 1997-1998 she was Writer in Residence at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary. She lives in Edinburgh.

She has published more than thirty books for children, including Harvey Angell which won a Whitbread Award in 1991 and You Can't Kiss It Better, set in Edinburgh (2003). She also writes adult short stories, a number of which have been published in anthologies and read on Radio 4. Her collections of poetry for adults, Making Blue (1995) and Borderers (2001) are published by Peterloo, and Twelve Lilts: Psalms & Responses (2003) by Mariscat Press. With Tow Pow, in a series of poetic ‘challenges’ she has published Sparks! (2005, also Mariscat Press). A third full collection, Late love : and other whodunnits, was published in 2008. She has also published a collection of poems for children, No Homework Tomorrow (Glowworm, 2003)