Author Spotlight – Philippa Cameron

This month I spoke to the author of the contemporary Elements Series, Philippa Cameron.

LJ: What are your favourite genres to read and why?
PC: I read around lots of different genres, but if I need something to read during a busy period where I just want to chill, it has to be a detective novel!

LJ: What is one book you think everyone should read?
PC: Pride and Prejudice! It’s a classic, it’s historical, it’s a love story, it’s an early feminist novel…

LJ: Can you describe yourself in five words?
PC: A reading, writing, teaching chocoholic!

LJ: When you’re not writing what could we find you doing?
PC: Reading! And recently I’ve taken up making ecobricks out of single-use plastic…

LJ: Do you have a favourite quote you could share with us?
PC: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

LJ: I’d love to hear more about your latest book, However Dark the Night.
PC: I write contemporary Young Adult fiction, with a dark thread running through my stories. In my latest book, I’ve moved slightly into the dystopian field, but haven’t cast off the dark thread just yet! It’s also a comment on divided societies, but, as with my previous two books, it’s also a love story! Alex can’t tell Erin that he’s fallen in love with her, because he’s classified as a powerful Oxy and she’s a disenfranchised Blue – how much is he willing to lose in order to be with her?

LJ: What is a piece of advice you’d give to someone who is thinking about writing a book?
PC: Keep a notepad nearby at all times, or a writing app on your phone – ideas, a turn of phrase, an entire chapter can come to you at any moment!

LJ: Where do you do most of your writing?
PC: At an old writing desk that’s been passed down to me. Although I have to confess, probably half my writing gets done from my bed!

LJ: Where do you find your inspiration for your writing?
PC: I’ve always loved to write so what I need inspiration for is what to write ABOUT – this I get from my students at the all-girls’ high school where I teach. I love their vitality and enthusiasm for life, but I also know that life has hurt some of them, and I hope that what I write about helps them to get through this.

LJ: If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
PC: Anywhere with a beach! A cottage meters away from the sea, so I can do some body boarding in the morning, before settling down to write to the sound of the waves.

Thank you to Philippa for taking the time to chat with me this month and make sure you check out her books on the links below!

You can find Philippa Cameron‘s books using the links below: