I’ve been tagged in this ‘My Writing Process’ blog chain and I was feeling rather proud of myself because I’ve finally got the hang of these things work. So, each week a different author blogs about the book they’re working on next. Last week it was the turn of the fabulous Fleur Hitchcock talking about The Story Adventure – a ghost story of 11,000 words, written with the collaboration of lots of children. And now it’s over to me.
Only it turns out I’m a week late! So not feeling quite so smug now, am I!!! Oops – still here goes!
What am I working on at the moment?
I’m in the final stages of writing a book called ‘I Predict a Riot’. Inspired by the 2012 London riots, it’s the explosive and heart-breaking tale of three kids from very different backgrounds who set out to make a movie and end up involved in a riot, in a summer that will change their lives forever.
Why is it different from other books in the same genre?
Hmm – I’m trying to think what genre it actually is. I guess it’s ‘Pigeon English’ or ‘The Outsiders’ meets ‘Top Boy’ meets Annabel Pitcher or Meg Rosoff. Gritty, contemporary, hard-hitting, heart-breaking teen fiction, perhaps?
But what makes it different? Well, it’s written like a film script for a start. The story is narrated by amateur film-maker Maggie who prefers to watch life through the lens of her camera. When she meets Tokes, the kid with the past, running from trouble, she finds a great subject for her film. And when violence erupts on the streets, led by the ruthless Starfish gang, Maggie has the perfect backdrop for her movie. But as the world explodes Maggie can’t hide behind the lens anymore.
So the whole thing is told in scenes from the film, flashbacks, camera angles – which I suppose reflects my own love of movies, and the fact that I tend to see all my books in quite a cinematic way as I’m writing.
Why do I write what I do?
In all my books I try to address really current contemporary issues. This book is set in fictional neighbourhood of London but it is based on Peckham where I lived for many years, and the characters are based on kids I worked with in youth groups there, and also street kids I met whilst working on projects in South Africa and Namibia. I wanted to reflect the reality of their lives, but also to flip assumptions about class and race on their heads. I wanted to write an explosive book that would make readers cry …break their hearts … make them angry … make them think!
Who are you passing the baton to for next week’s Next Big Thing?
Two of my lovely fellow Bath authors:
Anna Wilson is the author of oodles of fabulous, funny children’s books about her family and other animals (monkeys, puppies, kittens, chickens – you name it!) This year sees her eagerly anticipated teen debut, Summer’s Shadow which comes out on 3rd July. Read her blog here http://acwilsonwriter.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/my-writing-process-blog-tour/
Alex Campbell is the author of a thrilling debut novel for teens LAND to be published by Hot Key Books in 2014. Read her blog here http://alexcampbellwrites.wordpress.com/.