Interview with Author Melissa Abraham (Are We There Yet?)

What made you want to be an author?

My author journey hasn’t been straightforward, although I’ve always enjoyed being creative. When I was little, I would write stories and illustrate them during the long summer holidays. But, as I grew older, my interest in writing began to fluctuate. It wasn’t until I started working as a teaching assistant for young children that I rediscovered my creative spark! I noticed the funny things they said to each other and the staff, which gave me some insight into their friendships and perspectives on the world and inspired me to write again. And so, I took it from there.

How did you get started / How did you get started in children’s books?

I already had some ideas floating around in my head, which I developed using advice from ALL the blogs I was reading at the time on how to craft a picture book. I also took a free short online course titled ‘Start Writing Fiction’ with The Open University. Although the course was not specifically aimed at writing for children, I found it incredibly useful in helping me develop writing practices, participate in writing exercises, and learn how to give and receive feedback (which was pretty nerve-wracking).

What is your advice for a beginning writer?

I know this sounds obvious, but the best thing to do is write! Even if you’re unsure of how to start – write something; anything, and then edit or revise later – the most important thing is to get those ideas onto the page. First drafts are NOT meant to be perfect! Also, attend writing workshops and read as many books as possible in the genre you want to write in (this is where I extol the virtues of libraries – and librarians, some of whom have been my biggest cheerleaders). Try to get a mentor or into a mentoring program. Lastly, join a critique group and find a writing community for feedback and support; X, formerly Twitter, is a good place to start, and there are various writing groups on Facebook (usually free to join), including the Society for Children Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

What was the strongest influence you had when you were growing up (books, series, graphic novels, comics)?

This may be a little surprising, but I’d say films were my strongest influence, followed by books, especially family/fantasy films from the 1980s – as a child of that time (I’m showing my age now), I grew up watching The Goonies, The NeverEnding Story, Labyrinth, and Gremlins to name but a few, stories about ordinary children/young people going about their everyday lives when something extraordinary happens, which really helped to ignite my imagination and led me to believe that I too could experience something weird and wonderful!

What’s your favorite thing to write about?

Ooh…I would say reflecting on the stories I have written – friendship and family relationships are probably what I like to write about most with mainly human and sometimes anthropomorphic characters.

When you’re writing, do you prefer using a keyboard or pen and paper?

I like to use both – I may start writing a rough idea in my notebook, and when I’m ready to develop it, I switch to my laptop.

What was it like writing Are We There Yet?

It was fun writing this story because it gave me the opportunity to step into the shoes of my youngest niece (when she was about seven) and picture her daily walk to school past the same grand houses and buildings, imagining who lived there and what they did (which was part of the game she used to play with her mother called ‘what shall we talk about?’).

What is your favorite page?

This is a tricky one to answer, but I’d say my favorite page from the book is when Sareta and her mother are at the shops, and Sareta wonders aloud what they will buy for her Aunt Abi. She mentions various objects from well-known fairytale stories and, includes a unicorn. I especially like the illustration of Sareta waving to the unicorn – she makes it seem like such a normal thing to do!

Do you think you were like Sareta as a child?

Well, I wasn’t quite as vocal as Sareta in class, but I did (still do, I hope!) have a big imagination like hers.

What’s your favorite question that Sareta asks?

When she asks, “Are lions afraid of the dark?” as we all know lions have a reputation for being fierce and predatory, but even the king of the jungle must have things it fears (even if the dark isn’t one of them!).