Q: What made you want to write for teens?

Well, apart from being in age denial, I’ve always loved books and movies written for teens. My favourite books include the Travelling Pants Series, The Gossip Girls and anything by Carolyn Mackler. And as for movies, I’m a total teen movie addict. I just love Clueless, Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, What A Girl Wants. So, I guess it seemed natural for me to want to write in this genre.

Q: I’ve always wanted to write a book. How do I start?

Just start. You can think about it all you like, but until you put fingers to keyboard you’re never going to realize that dream.

Q: Is your writing autographical?

Not as such. But when you’re writing you can’t help but draw on past experiences. Not of actual situations, but more the emotions. I know what it’s like to feel betrayed by a friend. Or to have the hots for a guy who doesn’t even know I exist. So I can use all this to help me understand my characters and how they’d react in certain situations.

Q: Where do you get your ideas from?

Now there’s a question. I wish I knew. Because then I could have ideas lining up to be picked. Some writers have so many ideas they’re spoilt for choice. Not me. I only ever have one or two at a time. Usually, something I see on TV or read in the gossip mags gives me the seed of an idea and then it develops from there.