Aren't trophies for sportspeople? I've won a few awards - like the Blue Peter Prize and a BAFTA for Feather Boy. nx

Helo Sarah
It's lovely to hear from you. I'm really pleased you liked Feather Boy. My first book was not for children. It was an adult book called 'To Still the Child' and it was about the the death of my mother, though I pretended it was fiction...
I'm not sure what your second question means???? If it means, do I have a family of my own, the answer is Yes. A boy of 23, studying Arabic at Oxford University. A boy of 19 studying history at Oxford University. And a girl of 14, still at school.
If which book you most like means, which of my own books do I like the best - this is difficult. That's like saying, if you have brothers or sisters, which brother or sister do you like the best? I like them all - for different reasons. If you mean which book written by someone else do I like the best, the answer is - depends on which decade of my life you're talking about. As I have grown older different books have appealed.
Very good luck with your project. Hope you get top marks!!!!! Nicky

Natasha - your other mail doesn't work - so posting here, hope you get it. nx
Hello Natasha

I'm so pleased you liked Feather Boy and The Innocent's Story. Putting
myself in the 'soft shoes' of my reader is part of the day job - so I'm
glad you spotted that too. Clever you. Most of the inspiration behind
Innocent's Story is listed on the website (under Books) and the story
behind Feather Boy begins in the section 'About' and continues in Books.
You see - I went in that spooky house and when I got to the top floor I
heard Robert chatting in my ear.... If you want to know any more, you'll
have to invite me to your school.

Meanwhile, all best with the poster. You could cut this mail out and stick
it on....

Warm wishes

Nicky Singer

Where do any of us come from? I'm thinking about this in my new novel. Check back in 18 months time...

Hello and thank you! Feather Boy is supposed to be a 9-12 read - though lots of adults have enjoyed it. I've just fininished a new book - The Flask - which is for the same age group, but most of my other books (GemX, Innocent's Story, Doll and certainly Knight Crew) they are all for teenagers. How old are you? nx

Yes it has. Who are you?
nx

Dear Diamonds of Sea (do you have a real name - though this is quite a cool one)
What a very nice mail. I'm so glad you liked Feather Boy so much - it gladdens my heart. The answers to your questions are:
1. No - touch wood - I have never had writers' block. I'm sorry if you do. Maybe you are trying to write too many things at once? I find I can only keep one set of characters in my mind at any one time. I get so involved with them, there is no extra space in my brain. Walking is another good way to think. Don't take a notebook (that puts pressure on you to 'to have an idea') just walk and think about your plot/characters/problem. You'll often come back with an idea anyway.
2. See the About page on the website.
3. I do lots of other things: look after my children (I have three), walk the dog, see my friends, pay bills, the sort of stuff most people do. If you mean do I do any other sort of paid work as well - I visit schools and libraries and festivals to give talks or workshops and I play with composers and performers and dancers to make theatre pieces - which is writing of a sort, but not the desk bound stuff and is really FUN.
5. I haven't written any sequels. I wanted to write a sequel to GemX, but the publishers weren't so keen....
all best nx

Would you like me too? I was about three quarters through the book before I realised it needed a sequel and I knew what I wanted to write in it . I rang up the publishers to tell them the good news but they weren't so keen..... That's some time ago and I'm not sure if I could pick up the threads now.

Meanwhile, I've nearly finished a new book - The Flask - about songs and souls and things which live in bottles..... nx

Thank you. My then eleven year old son, Roland, asked me to write something for him and I went down to the beach (I live in Brighton) to think about this, and on my way home I saw a derelict house and I went in. By the time I left, Robert was chatting to me.... nx

Yes - there are very few fathers, or active fathers in my books. I didn't decide to do that deliberately, I think it's just because I'm not used to a father in my own life so they don't feature much in my books. They are often absent or there are step-fathers. In my new book (coming out early next year and currently called The Flask) I realise there are both - ie the main character's father is dead and she has a very present (very decent) stepfather. I never had a step-father. I don't know quite which bit of all this you ask my feelings on. If you mean how did I feel to lose my father when I was 14 - not great is the answer!! Though I think it made me strong, and my family strong in that we all had to pull together. If you mean, how do I feel about not putting fathers in my books, I didn't actually notice that until a reader pointed it out to me. So I guess that didn't bother me - it's just the way it is. all best nx.

Thank you Soph (Soph?). Have you read Knight Crew? My re-telling of the King Arthur legend set in contemporary gangland. It's good - hah though I say it myself.... and has a passionate love story at the heart of it, not unlike the Lancelot and Quinevere story.. I've nearly finished a new book The Flask, but that's more in Feather Boy territory. Yes, I do like cheese. Is this important? nx

Thank you so much, glad you're enjoying it. The plot followed from my desire to try and write a story where you were allowed inside the head of a bomber - quite literally! What would make a person do such a thing, I wondered? I felt I probably wouldn't be able to carry off a book that had as its protagonist a character drawn from an actual religion or culture which has spawned bombers, but I would be able fictionalise a religion/culture and have a western child interrogate it - if that makes any sense. I also wanted the reader not to come at my bomber with any preconceived moral judgements, which is why you don't find out that Akim's the bomber for some considerable time in the book. This makes your reaction to him 'clean', or so I hope. All best to you. Nickyx

Hi Ceri
Believe it or not, there was never any public DVD made of the film - though hundreds of people ask me! I have one spare copy myself which I send out if asked. It's currently on its way back from a school I recently did workshops for. What's your timing?

That's because I made it up! I pronounce it like 'elfin' which is how I always think of her, but writing it just with the 'e' seemed rather twee whereas 'Aelfin' seemed more serious but just as vulnerable. How did you like the book? nxx

Thank you so much, Sophia. There isn't a sequel - do you want to find out what happens to Robert and Kate????! Depending how old you are, you might like some of my other books. I'm really excited about Knight Crew at the moment (really a teen novel) not least because next week it premieres as an opera at Glyndebourne - and it's AMAZING!

Yes - check out the news section. The Knight Crew chorus is chosen now and rehearsals begin in January. I'll post stuff on how it's going.

Yes, I did. And thank you!

Hello Miles and welcome, you are my first visitor! I don't think Feather Boy is any particular genre. It's just a book you have to make your own mind up about. As for my inspiration - check out the Books section of the site, that tells you about the people or events which lit little fires in my brain.

Check the About page