Author Interviews | Page 1

Hilary McKay | 'You can’t have random magic floating in when it’s convenient'

After career-altering acclaim for her previous novel, Hilary McKay turns from a land of war to one of magic. Read more

Lara Maiklem | 'We’ll be the plastic age: the throwaway society'

The Thames riverbed proves to be inspirational for former publishing professional Lara Maiklem in a book that’s part memoir, part ode to a love of... Read more

Louise Doughty | 'I thought of Apple Tree Yard as a serious and feminist indictment of the criminal justice system'

The esteemed Louise Doughty reached a swathe of new readers with her TV-adapted Apple Tree Yard—and her latest book cements her reputation.... Read more

Téa Obreht | 'I knew that as an immigrant from the Balkans, I wasn’t going to tell a Native American story'

Téa Obreht’s follow-up to her acclaimed début reframes narratives about the American West. Read more

Malorie Blackman | 'Teenagers are more aware that they have a voice'

Malorie Blackman returns to the realm of Noughts & Crosses with her fifth book in the series, Crossfire, which was inspired by the tumultuous nature... Read more

Steve Cavanagh | 'It’s scary going to writing full-time, but it’s also brilliant'

Steve Cavanagh’s career as a thriller writer looked to have stalled, despite critical acclaim—until Thirteen proved to be very lucky indeed... ... Read more

David Almond | 'The North is a culturally rich place to be, it’s just how it is'

Award-winning writer David Almond reflects on how his broad backlist has been influenced by his surroundings. Read more

Deborah Moggach | 'I do think we mistake solemnity for seriousness'

In her latest novel, author and screenwriter Deborah Moggach delves into the relationship between us and those who care for us. Read more

Lydia Monks | 'Everyone should have a farmyard picture book in their portfolio'

Ahead of the 10th birthday of What the Ladybird Heard, Lydia Monks reviews her career so far. Read more

David Nicholls | 'I didn’t want to do another 50-something man fretting and worrying again'

David Nicholls’ latest recalls the life-changing events of one summer as a man looks back on his first love. Read more

Lisa Taddeo | 'It’s the nuances of desire that hold the truth of who we are at our rawest moments'

Lisa Taddeo spent hundreds of hours with three women in order to document their love lives in a frank look at desire. Read more

Shahidha Bari | 'Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world'

Shahidha Bari’s rumination on the function of clothing, as well as its depiction in art through the centuries, is a sprawling and illuminating read.... Read more

Nathan Filer | 'The Heartland came directly out of the interactions I had as a result of The Shock of the Fall'

Inspired by the response to his award-winning début novel, The Shock of the Fall, former mental health nurse Nathan Filer has turned his hand to... Read more

Abi Elphinstone | 'I think it is important to write about characters who pick themselves up'

Abi Elphinstone discusses her new Middle Grade series, inspired by the Scottish wilds of her youth. Read more

Kerry Hudson | 'I want to do as much as I can to get this book to young people [who are] like I was'

Following two prize-winning novels, Kerry Hudson has written a redemptive memoir in which she revisits the locations of her poor working-class childhood. Read more