Interview with Author Sally Nicholls
 | MESSAGE FROM SALLY NICHOLLS Sally Nicholls writes: Yay! Pass on my hellos to your book group - they all sound like very discerning readers. Q: Where did you get the inspiration to write about a boy dying of cancer? A: It was something that had been at the back of my mind for a while - I had a friend whose mother died, and a couple of other friends who were ill. There are a lot of books written about death, but most of them are about grief, not mortality. I wanted to explore what it would be like to be a young person and know that you only had a few months left to live. I started doing some research about children with terminal illnesses, and the more stories I read, the more I realised that theirs was a story I really had to tell. Q: When will the film be released? A: Hopefully in the autumn - it doesn't have an official release date yet but there is a facebook page 'Ways to Live Forever' where new information is posted. Q: Were you interested in being a writer even when you were at school? A: Yes, but I thought I would have to slog for many years with another job before I'd get to do it full time. Q: Are there any teen books you'd recommend to our club? A: Hilary McKay's 'Saffy's Angel', Jaclyn Moriatry's 'Finding Cassie Crazy' (both quite girly, but very funny). Meg Rosoff 'How I Live Now', John Green 'Looking For Alaska' (might be a bit old (there's sex) but both great reads). Oh, and anything by Frank Cottrell Boyce. PS Ooh, and tell them 'Sally Nicholls - Writer' has a fan page now, where I'll be posting extra bits and new information about the film. |
