Northern Highlight - Kimberlie Hamilton

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT

Photo credit: Neil Gordon 

KIMBERLIE HAMILTON

Why did you become a writer?

I’m one of those people who is curious about everything, and being a writer allows me to explore all sorts of stuff that I find interesting. I write non-fiction and have met many fascinating people and animals whilst researching my books. 

Cover art by Risa Rodil

Published by Scholastic UK

Tell us about where you live.

I live in Aberdeen, Scotland, now but I’m originally from Los Angeles, USA. I think it’s a great advantage to be a writer who is a ‘stranger in a strange land’ because it adds an extra sense of awareness of what’s going on around you. Being surrounded by things that are new or unfamiliar is a wonderful boost to one’s creative juices.

Where do you write? 

The warmest, sunniest room in my house! The weather in Scotland is a lot different from California so my first couple of years here were a hard adjustment. Since it was too cold and horrible to go outside much of the time, I hunkered down in my study with my three cats and just wrote non-stop. The climate here has been great for my writing output, I’ll say that!

What for you is the 'spirit of the North’?

There’s a wonderful sense of community here, especially among the authors I know. We all go to each other’s book signings and launches and share posts and support each other. That’s not at all what it was like as a Hollywood screenwriter, where other writers were often seen as the competition. I much prefer the friendly network we have here in the UK.

Published by Cranachan

Has this spirit influenced your work?

I actually got my start thanks to this cooperative spirit. A fellow member of SCBWI in Aberdeen casually mentioned over coffee that she was going to pitch her book idea on Twitter and I thought, gee, I should try that too, just for fun. I’d never sent a tweet in my life, but that’s how I met the publisher of one of my books as well as my fabulous agent, Lucy Juckes.

Published by Scholastic UK

Who for you are the great northern writers?

One of my favourite northern writers is James Herriot. I write non-fiction about animals and so did he, and his books were a huge influence on me. I even made a special pilgrimage to Yorkshire just to visit his former home. JK Rowling, a fellow author in Scotland, would be on my list too.

If you could be transported to anywhere in the North right now, where would it be? 

I’d love to be in a cozy cottage somewhere in the Scottish Highlands right now. Maybe on a remote Scottish island… that sounds pretty heavenly.

What would you like to see from children's publishing in the North?

I’d like to see more editors and publishers! Most tend to be located in London and the same is true for authors and illustrators. I’m thrilled by the number of fantastic book festivals in the North, and presenting at the Edinburgh Book Festival last summer was a highlight of my career.

What's your favourite children's book set in the North?

Hogwarts is located in Scotland so I’d have to say the Harry Potter series!

 You can follow Kimberlie on:

Twitter @kimberlie1967

Instagram kimberlie.hamilton