NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT ROS BEARDSHAW Why did you become an illustrator? I always loved drawing, more than anything else in the world, and so I copied characters from books from and early age, particularly Snoopy. I learned how facial expressions can change simply by drawing an eyebrow in a different position.   After school, I went on to do an Art Foundation Course, then a degree course specialising in illustration at Manchester Polytechnic. Amongst others, I was taught by David Hughes and Jill Barton who were successful illustrators. Their influence was strong.    I was fortunate enough to exhibit my degree show work at the ‘Young Designers’ show in London which was a brilliant launch pad for me. I was picked up by art buyers for the greetings card market and also by my agent, Heather Richards, who I’ve been with for almost 30 years! After a few years designing cards and giftwrap, I got in to educational publishing and then children’s publishing, my fi...

SPECIAL GUEST NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT Hive South Yorkshire Can you tell us about Hive and your work with young people in Yorkshire?  We’d love to! Hive South Yorkshire is over 5 years old now. We’re here for everybody aged 14-30 with an interest in writing, no matter what their goals are. We love opening the writing door to people who might not have had much experience, or access, and we love working with people who’d like to have a career in writing or publishing, signposting them to great opportunities, and introducing them to new writers and forms. We support writing development through regular, free, writing groups (in Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Barnsley) and writers’ days with professional writers and projects, live events, collaborations, competitions, podcasts and publications.  We urge anyone 14 to 30 in South Yorkshire, and the nearby north, to get in touch if they have any kind of interest in words. We’re at www.hivesouthyorkshire.com      What ar...

NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT MEG MCLAREN Why did you become a children ’ s writer/illustrator?   I ’ ve written stories for as long as I can remember and I ’ ve always drawn, but my skills were in copying - I could never think of anything original to draw.   For me it was a decorative device and not a storytelling one.   Maybe it ’ s because I don ’ t really remember reading picture books.   I was in my twenties when I properly discovered them, and the way that the words and images worked together made total sense to me.   I ’ d never realised I could use the pictures to move the story along and be part of the narrative.   That made drawing so much more interesting to me. I was hooked and I ’ ve made picture books ever since.   Tell us about where you live.   I live in the Highlands, in a little village just outside of Inverness.   My house backs on to a large expanse of woodland and has views across the Moray Firth to the Black Isle and the m...

    NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT   STUART ATKINSON Why did you become a children’s writer/illustrator?   When I was a young amateur astronomer   producing my astronomical society’s monthly newsletter, I was recommended to a publisher for a project by astronomer and broadcaster Heather Couper and they asked me to do it. I was amazed, and didn’t think I could do it, but I knew it was too good an opportunity to pass up so I dived in…  Nine books later, I’m still loving writing and editing books about astronomy for kids, and starting to write fiction too. I’ve recently submitted my first middle-grade science fiction novel to agents. (Not scary at all...!!) Published by Laurence King Publishing Illustrated by Brendan Kearney Designed by Claire Clewley  Tell us about where you live.   I live in the lovely Cumbrian town of Kendal (yes, where the mint cake comes from!) and it’s a great place for a writer because - when there isn’t a global pandemic on - it’s a ve...

  SPECIAL GUEST NORTHERN HIGHLIGHT TITA BERREDO, GLASGOW CHILDREN'S WRITERS GROUP Can you tell us about the Glasgow Children’s Writer’s Group? In reality, it is a branch of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), which I run — we are the Glasgow hub. But a long time ago, when it was still run by Maisie Chan, our group became non-SCBWI-member friendly and we have kept it this way. It is actually a win-win situation because most of the children’s writers who want to invest in their careers end up joining SCBWI anyway. But keeping it open to non-members allows us to support the writers who cannot afford a membership and yet are just as focused in their careers. We used to meet once a month at Gallery of Modern Art. It was the perfect spot because it is right beside a library and in the heart of Glasgow. As a result of the pandemic, we have moved to online meetings, and I must say, whilst being a bit less social we have found it more productive. I am a big fan...

 Northern Highlight Alice Bartosinski Why did you want to work in the  children's  book industry? I loved reading as a child and used to max out my library card on every visit. Later on, I did an English Literature degree and found I kept gravitating towards children’s books when I was picking essay topics. There’s a sort of sense of wonder and curiosity in all good books for children that I’ve never found in  quite  the same way in books for grown-ups.   Tell us about where you live. I live in Cumbria, where I grew up. Cumbria is GREAT. The people are friendly and relaxed, but also have a lot of energy and are very down to earth. The fell walking is amazing, though I endlessly complained about it as a young teenager. When you get high enough, the landscape sometimes changes so much you feel like you’re in another world, or on the moon.   Where are you happiest working? I do love being in the office with my jolly and creative colleagues and friends. Wo...