Hoot Review Special - Kitty Wells AKA Lee Weatherly

Scribbler! was delighted when Kitty Wells – AKA Lee Weatherly, took some time out to talk to us. Below is a brief description about Lee, the questions and answers we could not fit into our latest issue, and another chance to read our review of the Pocket Cats series. Check It Out!

Lee Weatherly was born in 1967 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. She moved to the UK in 1995, and now lives in Hampshire with her husband. Before her first book was published in 2002, Lee did a variety of different jobs, from working in a ski resort to being a secretary. However, writing is what she always dreamed of, and her first book, 'Child X', was published by Random House in June 2002. Lee now works from home, writing and doing freelance editorial work. Her hobbies include reading (when she’s not writing, she’s almost always to be found with a book in her hand!), dancing, cooking and walking.

I’ll choose Nibs, who’s one of my favourites! Three words to describe her would be:
Aloof (because she takes her time to get to know you)
Dry (because she has a very dry sense of humour), and
Loyal (because once she DOES get to know you and decides that she likes you, you couldn’t ask for a better friend!).

Ollie is definitely my personal favourite ceramic cat, I think his character is just great! Are your characters based on anyone you know, or maybe on cats you yourself own or have owned?

Thank you! I love Ollie too; he’s lots of fun to write about. He’s very broadly based on the cat next door, who’s called Obi. The two of them look VERY similar, and Obi has the same way of strutting about, showing off his fluffy tail. All three of the cats are based on cats I’ve known. Greykin is a big, cuddly softy, like my cat Bernard. Nibs is a very ‘cat-like’ cat, who’s particular about which humans she likes best – like a cat we had when I was growing up called Black and White Cat (really!). And Ollie, as I said, is like Obi next door – one of those cats who knows exactly how gorgeous he is and can’t help posing and showing off!

What, in your opinion, are the ingredients needed to make up a really good story?

I think there are three main things: interesting characters, good writing, and a well-crafted storyline. It’s easy to focus on only one or two of these things when you’re writing a story, but all three are really important. If your characters aren’t interesting, no one will care what happens to them. If the writing isn’t good, then no one will get past the first page. And if the story isn’t well-crafted, then readers will get bored and fed up long before they finish.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Hmm, is there a time when I’m not writing? Just kidding – I’ve been very busy recently! Usually, though, I love watching films, meeting friends for coffee (we usually talk about writing!), going for walks, cooking. I also do silversmithing, and really enjoy making great pieces of jewellery for myself.

Did you have a favourite book/author as a child?

Yes, several. I loved (and still love!) Tove Janssons’ Moomin books; Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles series; Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings – you can see a trend towards fantasy there!

Pocket Cats Reviewed by Hoot

I have been lucky enough to receive the first 3 books in the Pocket Cats series and let me tell you, they are fantastic and a real must read for any cat lovers. Each book is written around 3 ceramic cats, and their owner Maddy. In each book one of the 3 cats come to life and help Maddy use her special powers to take on a scary bully, stop her cousin running away and save the ballet show that she is performing in, but does all go well?
All three books are filled with magic, excitement and some great illustrations that really bring the book to life, Scribbler! will almost certainly be on the waiting list for the next instalments!

Best wishes and many thanks to Lee and Random House who helped set up this interview.

For more information on the author or any other Random House authors and books please visit www.randomhouse.co.uk.