A Q&A interview with Catherine Emmett
Catherine Emmett’s spooky picture book Trick or Treat? pits a sweet little girl against a witch, before a twist which will surprise everyone. Catherine answered our questions about the book.
This is a great Hallowe’en story. Can you tell us anything about how the idea started?
I was actually reading a different picture book about people dressed up for Halloween and it got me thinking, what if someone ASSUMED that someone was wearing fancy dress… but they weren’t? What if someone was trick or treating and met a REAL witch?
It felt like the idea had so many opportunities for humour and a great twist that I couldn’t wait to write it!
How do you work ie do you have a set time to write, is there anything you find most useful in generating ideas?
I don’t have a set time to write as my life with 3 boys is too chaotic. I also find that for picture books I need to wait until the inspiration strikes me. I tend to write a lot in the ‘spaces in-between’ – when watching my kids play football, in the car if we’re going on a trip and often late at night. I’m no good in the mornings at all as I just stare at the clock and contemplate how early it is!
For ideas, I find just being open to everything can help. I’m always testing whether ‘that’ could be a good idea. My kids give me lots of ideas too.
Why do you think witches have such appeal for young readers?
I think little readers love to be a little bit scared. There’s nothing better than something a little bit spooky when you’re all cuddled up safe with your adult! I think witches are so intriguing and secretive that children can’t help being drawn to them – there’s that hint of danger mixed with the chance to see what witches really do!
How do you make stories scary enough to thrill, but not frighten?
I think humour is the key here. Even the scariest / grumpiest character can be appealing if they are drawn with humour. A ‘winding wailing wood’ can be terrifying, but if the ‘wizard’s fart’ on the next page elicits a giggle, then that breaks the fear factor.
You are the author of many favourite picture books. What do you enjoy about writing this kind of text and what its challenges?
I really love writing picture books – having a good twist and a good idea makes me really happy. I often find whittling down the plot the most difficult part, as I find it difficult to pare a story back enough.
I also find writing in prose difficult (this is my first non-rhyming book) as I find it hard to establish a voice in prose. Sometimes it feels like ‘words on a page’ instead of a fully finished story. Using alliteration and some internal rhymes helped me with the voice in this book.
How important is economy in a picture book text and how do you go about achieving that?
It’s so important! You have so few words to work with you really need to make sure that they are all earning their keep. It’s super important to look at whether any word could be replaced for something that works harder. You also need to leave space for the illustrator to bring their humour – Laura Brenlla has done such a brilliant job of bringing humour via her gorgeous illustrations.
If we asked you to come up with rules for the perfect picture book text, what would you suggest?
Oooh this is fun! I would say:
-
- A great twist
- A vulnerable, lovable character
- A strong original plot
- An emotional punch
- Beautiful illustrations!
Do you have any tips to share with those wishing to write picture book texts?
I would tell people to focus on their craft. Really focus on the writing and try to enjoy the process as much as possible – that’s the only part of the process you can control and the writing joy is real.
All the hopes and expectations are fun, but they can also be heart-breaking, so now I focus on writing what I love and really figuring out what it is that I love to write. That’s genuinely led to more satisfaction than any awards or shortlistings.
Catherine Emmett grew up in Newcastle. She is the author of the bestselling and prize-winning picture books King of the Swamp (Simon & Schuster) and The Pet (Macmillan). She spent 14 years making spreadsheets in London before moving to Essex with her family, where she now spends her days surrounded by words, animals, and noisy boys.
Trick or Treat? By Catherine Emmett, illustrated by Laura Brenlla is published by Oxford Children’s Books, £7.99 pbk.