Northern Highlights - Aneesa Marufu

 NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS

Aneesa Marufu


Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words? 

I live in Manchester and I would describe the place as lively, diverse and busy.

What is special to you about writing children's books, and what is your favourite part of the process?

i think the reason I love writing for young adults is because that was the age I truly fell in love with reading. My biggest hope of writing for that age group is to be able to ignite that same passion for reading in teenagers today.

Tell us about the most recent books you've worked on

My debut, The Balloon Thief, published on World Book Day at the beginning of March, is a South Asian inspired Young Adult fantasy about Khadija and Jacob, from two opposing races. As the book unfolds, the characters must put their differences aside to tackle a greater threat, and in doing so learn the importance of friendship and forgiveness.

The Balloon Thief, Chicken House Ltd 2022


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

I would probably be transported to Edinburgh. It is a city with so much historical beauty and there is so much to see and do there!

What literary/kid lit events have you attended or been involved with recently in the North/Scotland?

As we are just coming out of the other side of the pandemic, all my events have so far been virtual, however I am looking forward to a few in-person events I have lined up later in the year, particularly the Northern YA Lit Fest as it will be great opportunity to meet other authors from the North. 

Name your favourite children’s book set in the North/Scotland

The Ghost of Gosswater by Lucy Strange is a thrilling gothic tale set in the Lake District that had me hooked from beginning to end!

What advice would you give to aspiring authors living in the North and Scotland?

To take advantage of the literary events that still remain virtual, which has definitely opened up a lot of doors for authors in the North that were previously restricted by distance. 

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

More opportunities for those wanting to progress into careers in publishing as the majority of opportunities still remain in London and the South of England.

Who for you are the great Northern/Scottish children’s writers/illustrators?

There are so many, but names that immediately spring to mind are Danielle Jawando, Beatrix Potter, Kenneth Grahame and David Almond. 

What’s next on your TBR pile by a Northern/Scottish creative?

Every Line of You by Naomi Gibson


Twitter - @AneesaMarufu
Instagram - aneesa.marufu 
Website - aneesamarufu.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mentor Scheme 2024 - Applications Open

Image
Children's Books North 2024 Mentor Scheme Applications Open! Applications are now open for the Children’s Books North Mentor Scheme! The scheme offers twelve aspiring publishers living in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Scotland four hours of mentoring with a publishing professional over four months, with the goal of demystifying the industry for new talent. Mentoring will work on a 1:1 basis and mentees will be matched with a mentor that suits their interests and experience, whether that’s editorial, production, design, marketing, sales or agenting. For more info on publishing roles, see document here for a list of different departments within publishing. Applications are open to anyone interested in beginning a career in publishing. No previous experience is needed and we also welcome applications from those looking to change career path. The only essential is a love for children’s books and to be based in the North of England or Scotland. Scroll to the ‘How to Apply...
Read more

Northern Highlights - Jenny Bloomfield

Image
NORTHERN HIGHLIGHTS Jenny Bloomfield    Where do you live, and how would you sum up the place in three words?   Leeds - Urban, Dales, Evolving   What is special to you about creating children's books, and what is your favourite part of the process?  Children's books are mini-works of art and a favourite book will be looked at hundreds and hundreds of times - not many books get this much attention from their audience! I am always drawing (I've drawn every day since 1st September 2014 - you can see every single day on my instagram @Jennybloomfield ) so I love being able to transfer my sketchbook observations and ideas to a living breathing story. For instance,  The Worry Jar , has some scenes at a swimming pool and I was able to go back to all the drawing I did sitting on the side of the pool while my kids were having lessons.   Jenny's sketches by the pool The Worry Jar, Oxford University Press, 2022.       Tell us about your upcomin...
Read more

Looking North: The Children's Books North Directory

Image
Looking North:  An indispensable di rectory of Children's Books North members We are delighted to be launching our Directory of Members, which lists published children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals based in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Scotland.   Tilda Johnson said: ‘ The Directory is a key resource in our aim to connect the children’s book professionals living in our regions, to promote our members' work, and to champion the importance of regional diversity in children’s books and the publishing industry.’ Members are listed along with their details, short bios and recent covers, enabling booksellers, librarians, schools, festivals, literacy organisations, agents and publishers to easily get in touch. The Directory is also a valuable resource for authors and illustrators looking to connect with other creatives working in their region and to forge new networks. Our plan is to update the Directory annually, as the network grows. It wi...
Read more