IN THE SHOES OF... Amy Sparkes

 

What's life like in someone else's shoes (or bunny slippers)? 

This month Françoise Price invites author Amy Sparkes to tell us about her day.

Amy Sparkes on a solo walk on Dartmoor

Like many writers, writing fits around other commitments so no two days are ever quite the same. I love this unpredictability as routine and I are not always best friends. To me life is a story. It’s not just something I sit down to create. It’s something I experience every day of my life.

 

The book opens and today’s chapter begins. If I have tricky deadlines or I’m tackling a new novel I might get up around 4am or 5am to write with peace and quiet. My husband bought me a heated blanket which is amazing for early mornings. I’m editing at the moment which can be done in bitesize pieces so I don’t need early starts. It won’t be long before I start writing my next middle-grade novel though. Still it’s all part of a rhythm.

 

My husband and I home-educate, so despite having a houseful of kids, there are no school runs. So I enjoy a lazy cup of tea while I can and learn more Welsh, which is a fabulous language. I hop on the laptop by 7.30am before the kids begin their learning. 

They are very involved with my writing. They know what I’m working on, understand when I have deadlines and if my husband and I are filming things, (yesterday we filmed a book trailer), they’ll often be involved. Sometimes we work together side by side which is lovely. It can still be challenging to balance everything but, overall, it works well and we all celebrate with takeaway pizza whenever I get a book deal!

 

'This morning I’m running a 1:1 Story Godmother session...'

'As usual I’m spinning several different projects simultaneously...' 

Once everyone is settled into work I get myself sorted. As usual I’m spinning several different projects simultaneously – editing an adult historical novel and a middle-grade novel, working on a film and providing feedback for the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize. I’ll dip in and out today depending on available time.

 

I love the variety of my work and as well as these projects, this morning I’m running a 1:1 Story Godmother coaching session. I’m passionate about nurturing writers and helping them feel empowered and equipped. It’s always lovely to meet and work with other authors.

 

After the session it’s time for a leg-stretch. I aim for a solo walk every day. It keeps me fit and gives me a chance to wrangle new ideas, tackle plot problems or spend time with characters. I also love writing important scenes while I’m walking. I’ll go through the scene, playing with variations until I feel I’ve nailed it. For me, only a small part of writing is done on a screen. This means I can work anywhere, which suits my lifestyle. 

Today as I march around my local area I’m working on a tense scene between two characters. Finally I’m happy and I pause to tap it out on my phone before I forget.

'Solo walks keep me fit and give me a chance to wrangle new ideas...' 

Lunchtimes are good for sneaking in extra work like preparing a course or planning work. I sit down to work on ‘Winter Writing Cheer’, an initiative I set up a few years ago to create affordable opportunities for writers while fundraising £1000 a year for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

 

I’m out with the kids most days as we enjoy broad ways of learning in all weathers – forests, the coast, castles, prehistoric locations... all great for exploring. There are a thousand stories to be found... the names on the carved graffiti, the worn stone steps where thousands of feet have walked before us – slowing down is brilliant for observing the world around us.

 

'I’m out with the kids most days... forests, the coast, castles, prehistoric locations...'

Spending time with the kids in interesting and adventurous environments naturally brings inspiration. 

Many of my books focus on siblings because having had and homeschooled six children I’m inspired by sibling relationships all the time – just don’t point this out to the kids or they’ll probably decide they’re owed extra pizza!

 

At the end of their learning time the children disappear to do their own thing. Time to grab a cup of tea and another hour of editing in my attic writing room before cooking dinner. 

Once in the kitchen I soon drift towards the dining room and my rescue piano. 

Unwanted by a community centre and saved from extinction by my husband, it was tatty and covered in crayon marks when it arrived. I’ve never cleaned it up. I don’t need an immaculate piano – I’m happy with one that bears the marks of its backstory and its adventure so far. Just like characters. Just like people. My piano does admittedly need tuning and dusting, (hey we all need work), but it is greatly loved.

 

'My piano does need tuning and dusting, but it is greatly loved.'

While the pasta overboils and turns to mush, I play by ear. Often I’ll spontaneously compose something which taps into characters or play songs which link to the tone of the book. It keeps the story plate spinning in my mind. 

Today one of my characters is propped up against the piano. He often is. He’s in a sad place so I play out his pain, exploring his complicated emotions with my fingers and we listen to each other. His story is partially told but I’m not moving fast enough for his liking. I’ve been writing since 2007 and I’ve never known a character as intense as this man. As the last note sounds I promise him everything is completely under control – then dash to rescue the pasta before the smoke alarm goes off!

 

Evening comes and, after goodnights with the children, I’m back on Zoom running my Writing Middle Grade Fiction six-week course. These sessions are always great fun and it hurtles by. After my laptop is shut down I play classical music on the radio and stretch and read to quieten my busy ADHD brain.

 

And so today’s chapter comes to a close. Fair to say that my life is a fairly fast-paced story at the moment. It’s filled with a host of interesting characters, surprising twists, challenging moments and laughs along the way. But as readers can probably tell from my books, that’s pretty much the way I like it.

*Header image: Tita Berredo and Ell Rose; 

all other pictures courtesy of Amy Sparkes.

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Amy Sparkes has written around 30 children’s books, including the bestselling House at the Edge of Magic series. She set up the Writing Magazine Children’s Book Prize and has written the monthly ‘Writing For Children’ pages for the magazine since 2012. Her debut historical comedy novel for adults The Players: Act 1 – All The World’s A Stage is out in June. 

When not writing or adventuring Amy enjoys tea, Shakespeare and sleep – in any order!

Find Amy at: www.amysparkes.co.uk and www.storygodmother.co.uk

Instagram: sparkes_amy

Bluesky: amysparkes.bsky.social

Facebook: AmySparkesAuthor

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Françoise Price is Feature Editor for Words & Pictures magazine's In The Shoes Of... monthly series.

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Ell Rose is the Illustration Features Editor of Words & Pictures magazine.
Find their work at fourfooteleven.com
Follow them on Instagram and Twitter
Contact them at: illustrators@britishscbwi.org


Tita Berredo is the Illustrator Coordinator of SCBWI British Isles
and the Art Director of Words & Pictures magazine.
Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or www.titaberredo.com
Contact her at: illuscoordinator@britishscbwi.org