Northern Highlight - Bethan Clarke
Northern Highlight
Bethan Clarke
Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?
I’m based in a small village just outside Macclesfield in Cheshire. I would describe it as quiet, green and friendly.
What is special to you about working with children's books, and what is your favourite thing about it?
All of the magic! To me, especially as I’ve grown older and now see it through a ‘grown up’ lens, childhood is a time where the possibilities are endless, where things are viewed and experienced for the first time, and as a child a lot of that can be magical. The world can also feel huge and scary, and books and stories can help to make sense of all of it. Or can take you out of the world entirely and transport you to a place that only you can experience in a particular way. Picture books are essentially magic in print. The words and the illustrations all come together and create stories to make readers laugh or help them understand something, to learn something, to feel something.
For me, writing for children means embracing my own silliness (which I love to do!) and sense of humour, and playing about with language and words to create stories (and hopefully magic!).
Tell us about the most recent book you've worked on or come across in your job.
My debut picture book, Holey Moley, with magic-maker Anders Frang (published by Little Tiger) was out in the world in May. It is essentially a story about what happens when a goat called Gus meets a mole called Mavis and tries to guess where she lives. But all the guesses have to rhyme, and poor Mavis can’t get a word in edgeways. It’s very silly and uses lots of rhymes, puns and a tongue twister thrown in too for good measure.
If you could be transported to anywhere in the North/Scotland right now, where would it be?
I would love to explore more of Scotland – I think it’s such a beautiful place. I’d love to visit some of the islands – Shetland, Orkney or the Isle of Bute. I can’t pick one!!
What literary events have you attended or been involved with recently in the North/Scotland?
I had an event at the Edinburgh Book Festival this year which was amazing. I had a great time despite being absolutely terrified! It was my first (and hopefully not last!) big book event so I feel like I’ve learned lots from it that I can use in the future. Other than that, I have been doing lots of local library visits.
I also very recently attended my first SCBWI conference in Manchester which was the best experience. Met lots of people, attended some very inspiring events and workshops and came away with more story ideas and writing/illustrator friends (you can never have enough!)
Name your favourite children’s book set in the North/Scotland.
Oh gosh, there are so many! One that has really stuck with me recently was Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll and I'm currently reading the sequel, Like a Curse, which is currently sat in my TBR pile.
What advice would you give to aspiring publishing professionals living in the North and Scotland?
Don’t let the fact that you don’t live in London stop you from pursuing your writing dreams. Things are changing (slowly), and with remote working and meetings being online it is possible to be anywhere at any time and still connect to all the places you need or want to be. In some ways, the world has become smaller but it has also opened up many more opportunities and made things more accessible.
Also, find yourself some writing friends. Writing can be hard and lonely and having other people around you who understand all of that is amazing.
What would you like to see from children's publishing in the North and Scotland?
More of it! More of the big publishers moving northwards and also the indie publishers already there growing and getting their stories out to a wider audience.
Who are your favourite Northern/Scottish children’s authors?
So many! PB-wise Morag Hood, Jarvis and Dom Conlon.
What’s next on your TBR pile by a northern/Scottish creator?
I’m very behind on my reading – my TBR pile is huge! As well as Like a Curse, I am also really looking forward to reading Melissa Welliver’s My Love Life and the Apocalypse, Marie Basting’s My Family and Other Romans and Sue Cunningham's Totally Deceased.
You can find Bethan on:
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