I can’t touch dry sponge. It gives me the same icky feeling I imagine people get when they scrape their fingers down chalkboards. It makes washing up quite tricky.
2. What is your nickname?
Em. I know I’m in trouble when people call me by my full name.
3. What is your greatest fear?
I’m not sure I can put it in words. It makes me feel too scared to write down.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Relatable. Funny. Heartfelt. Exciting. Unpredictable. Pacy. Dramatic. Sincere. Sometimes gross!
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Determined. Fun. Silly. Sincere. Uplifting.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Oh wow, what a question. I think it has got to be a character with magical powers. But all the best characters have hidden depths and darkness so the more I think about it the harder it is to decide. Can I choose to be the little mermaid, but just for a day to see what it's like to live in the ocean?
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I think I’d have to go forward 1000 years. I’d be fascinated to see what has changed and how much is still the same and if any of our predictions have come true. Maybe aliens will have taken over.
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Try to love the skin your in. I spent years being self conscious that I was too tall and now I’m older and wiser I am grateful to be on this planet right now and not worry so much about appearances. Being tall is very helpful when you have to reach high things! Oh whoops, I read that the wrong way round. Ok I’ve got it now. My 10-year-old self would say, wow, you’re old! Why haven’t you got a theme park ride designed around one of your books yet?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
It’s got to be my family.
10. What/who made you start writing?
I love stories and characters. I can still remember the first books I read that moved me and I’m always fascinated by being able to dip inside someone else’s head and life when you open a book. My parents wrote children’s books and I tried to find a different career to them but I couldn’t resist getting into children’s books. When someone reads one of my books and enjoys it, that is the best feeling.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
I love palindromes, so I think I’ll choose racecar. Or kayak.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Jennie by Paul Gallico. I loved that book as a child and I really want to find time to read it again. I might get fed up with that decision after a while though. How about Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. That’s probably a better choice!
Emily Snape is a children's author and illustrator living in London. Her work has appeared online, on television, in shops and even on buses! She loves coffee and notebooks, and has three cheeky children, Leo, Fin and Flo, who keep her on her toes and give her lots of inspiration for stories. For more information, see www.emilysnape.co.uk.
