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tell us a little about yourself and how you came to write children's stories
Wallace Briggs (1943 – present). Happily married to Pat, who I first met at the age of eleven, walking a common route home from different schools. Married aged 2,1 we celebrated our Diamond Anniversary in September 202424
Our first forty years were spent in and around Durham, never living more than 5ml distance from the Cathedral City. Pat and I spent many happy years in the North East of England before employment almost took us off to emigrate to South Africa. But plans were changed in the final weeks and the company moved the family Sussex.
After more than twenty years in Sussex, and Hampshire, employment was again responsible for the move to beautiful rural Lancashire, where we still reside. I am now retired from a long career in sales and marketing of technical products in the UK and international markets.
Jimmy Crikey was born on a rainy day during a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, over forty years ago, to entertain my son and his new-found beach friends for an hour or so. The story expanded over the following showery afternoons in the cramped confines of a beach tent, and more and more adventures were required to keep the children entertained. I had observed that in the small group, one child, a small ginger-headed boy, was being picked on by his bigger, older friends. Go there, do this, fetch that and similar 'instructions' were delivered at frequent intervals. In other words, he was being bullied by his peers. I made him the hero of my story, which related how the orphaned alien boy born on Earth was subject to bullying because he looked different. Jimmy had red hair, big feet, which he kept tripping over, and pointed ears. But Jimmy persevered and escaped the bullies, and once free, he developed into the hero of the subterranean world of Roombelow. The moral: it doesn't matter what you look like, what matters is what lies in your heart, and not giving up leads to success.
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What inspired your first story, and what inspires you now?
the first story inspiration is described above and my stories continue to be inspired when good wins over evil. But where the stories come from, I do not know.
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Do you focus on a particular age group or genre in children’s literature?
primarily I write for the MG and YA group/
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What do you enjoy most about writing for children?
What has kept me writing is the appreciation from smiling faces and the accolades received from the older audience.
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How do you develop your characters and story ideas?
pick up my pen (fire up the lap top) starttyping and the story usually just flows, out of the ether. Of course my mind must be whirring in the background, but I am not aware of it. I don't plot out the story line although i may have a vague idea of where it is going.
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Do you collaborate with illustrators, and what is that process like for you?
No collaboration.
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What themes or messages do you hope children take away from your books?
Never give up on trying and don't hurt anyone on the way. Be a helper, not a hinderer.
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Is there one book you’ve written that holds a special place in your heart? Why?
Jimmy Crikey will always hold a privileged position in my heart, because he came into being to entertain, to teach respect for self and others, and to stretch young minds.
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Where can readers, parents, and teachers find more of your work online?
All my books are listed at http://www.amazon.com/author/wallaceebriggs
