« Back to the Q & A Part 3

What did it feel like to finish Scattering Like Light, and the trilogy as a whole? Was it hard to say goodbye?

It was strange – exciting, because I’d been thinking about the ending since I finished Small Blue Thing, and it was great to actually get to write it. But it was sad too, knowing that it was the end and that my time with the characters was finishing.

Did anything that happens in the final book take you by surprise?

No, not really. It had been planned as a whole along with Perfectly Reflected, so I was pretty sure that I knew where I was going. The editor suggested some changes which were a good addition. I always like that when it happens.  Just because I come up with the original idea doesn’t mean that others can’t help me to improve it.

Did you answer all the questions you wanted to?

Yes, I don’t think anything was left dangling. You’ll have to let me know if I’ve missed anything! I like creating a certain symmetry and that’s a lot easier to achieve if you are planning a whole series of books in advance.

What have you enjoyed most about writing these books? What have you found most difficult?

I’ve loved getting to know the characters. In fact, I know them so well now that I instinctively understand how they will react in a given situation, which makes the writing really easy. I’ve also loved meeting the readers. Scattering Like Light was written last year, after the publication of Small Blue Thing, and I was getting a lot of feedback from fans. I was able to take some of that feedback on board and adapt things. I also used a few names from girls who had written me my first fan mail – see if you can spot yourselves!

The most difficult thing has been fitting it all in. As I’m now out and about talking to people about the books as well as still doing my day job, it squeezes the time I have for writing.

Is your daughter Ellie happy with how the trilogy ended?

Mostly, although it did make her cry! She gave some very important feedback on the ending, which gave me the confidence to change it. I know there are some other details which she would change though.

What do you have planned next? And would you ever consider revisiting the world of Callum and Alex?

I’ve been planning another London-based series, and I’m about to start writing that. I also have lots of other ideas which are fighting to be heard.

I have toyed with the idea of doing a Dirge-related book, maybe with some of their back stories, but I’d need a good plot to go alongside that to make it interesting, and I’ve not thought that through yet. And I don’t know if anyone would be interested either!