I was lucky enough to catch up with Manga author and illustrator Neill Cameron when he visited libraries on World Book Day this year. I asked him a few questions about his work, while he drew me an awesome robot in my copy of Mo-bot High! Here's what he said...

	Have you always been a writer?
	Yes and no! I’ve been making up stories and drawing comics since I was a kid, but I’ve only been doing it as a full-time real job for a couple of years now. I think I didn’t quite believe it was a real job for a long time.
	Where do you get your ideas from for your books?
	That is a very good and enormously difficult question. I mostly get ideas when walking around or sitting on trains, letting my mind wander and drift around and come up with things on its own; making random connections and finding new and interesting ideas. Or failing that, I just take a random Thing That is Awesome and add Robots.
	What is a typical day for you?
	Get up horribly early, play with my son for a bit, take him to nursery, then come home and draw robots all day. It’s a pretty nice routine, can’t complain.
	Do you have a favourite place where you work on your books?
	A lot of my work illustrating comics is pretty time-consuming and hard work and requires me to be sat at my computer in my studio all day, but the bit I really enjoy is the early stages, coming up with ideas and starting to write and doodle and sketch out story ideas. This is the most fun and creative part in a way, but also it’s the one bit I don’t need to be at my computer for, so I can just take a little notebook and go and it in cafes and parks and actually see the sunshine now and then.
	Which of your own books/characters do you like best and why?
	I’ve only written and drawn one book so far, so I’d have to say it is that one! Mo-Bot High: Book One. It’s about a girl who goes to a school where everyone has giant robots. The characters in that are very close to my heart as – well, when I was at school I always wished I had my own giant robot.
	Who was your favourite author when you were a child?
	Even before I could read, my Dad would read me and my brother The Hobbit and then Lord of the Rings at bedtime every night, so I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t love JRR Tolkein. (I think eventually Dad got bored of reading us those great long books over and over, so he bought us the story on tape.)
	Are you working on any new material now?
	I’m working on a follow-up to Mo-Bot High, but it’s all a bit top secret right now!
	Do you have any advice for would-be authors?
	Don’t let the worry that you’re not a good enough writer or artist stop you from getting started. Just do it anyway. The lessons you learn will make your next thing better, and before you know it, you WILL be good enough.
	To find out more about Neill's work why not visit his website: www.neillcameron.com