Jean Ure, a children's author, is one of my favorite British writers. Her books have had a lot of influence on me, ever since I was young! Being one of the most popular authors in England, Jean has a tight schedule - I consider myself very lucky to have had this chance to contact her! Her books mainly feature family and domestic problems, similar to that of the famous and much-loved Jacqueline Wilson.
LilaStorm: Who is your favorite adult (writes adult fiction) author and your favorite children's author?
Jean Ure: My two favorite adult authors are Jane Austen and Hilary Mantel. Some of my favorite children's books when I was young were "Winnie the Pooh", "Little Women", and "I Capture the Castle".
LilaStorm: Do you have any ambitions?
Jean Ure: Yes! To carry on writing.
LilaStorm: How many books have you sold?
Jean Ure: I honestly don't know. I have been doing it for so long.
LilaStorm: What is your favorite book that you have written?
Jean Ure: This is impossible to answer! But two of my favorites are (at the moment) "Ice Lolly" and "Lemonade Sky".
LilaStorm: What do you do in your spare time?
Jean Ure: I read, I answer emails, I listen to music, I watch DVDs, I chat with other authors and I look after our six dogs and three cats.
LilaStorm: How long have you been writing books?
Jean Ure: I have been writing books for ever! My first one was published when I was 16 and I'm a bit older than that now . . .
LilaStorm: Are you friends with any other authors?
Jean Ure: Oh, yes, lots! Here are a few: Adele Geras, Linda Newbery, Sally Prue, Anne Cassidy, Jacqueline Wilson and Mary Hooper. I wonder how many of those names you know?
LilaStorm: How long, on average, does a book take to write?
Jean Ure: Only about three months, but it could take up to a year to plot and plan, to daydream and get to know my characters.
LilaStorm: Who is your favorite character?
Jean Ure: How could I pick just one? That's a bit like asking a mum to say which of her children she loves best! But one of my favorites is Lol, from "Ice Lolly".
LilaStorm: Which book was most difficult to write?
Jean Ure: A book for young adults called "Plague", which I wrote some years ago. I got in such a mess with it that I almost didn't finish!
LilaStorm: Any tips to young writers?
Jean Ure: Probably the most important is to read as much as you can. And write as much as you can! The more you write, the better you will become.
Thanks Jean! As you can see, being an author involves a lot of discipline and enthusiasm. By the looks of it, Jean's number one tip is to read! Writing ambitions? REMEMBER - reading is the key to writing!
