Debbie Roxburgh - Author, Volunteer, and Chocolate Lover
- litkidsmagazine
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Debbie lives in Dorset, but spent most of her childhood in Cornwall, where she started writing stories when she was eight years old. Her first job was working for a publisher up in London. It was a bit scary having to leave home and move up to a huge city.
Debbie’s favourite things to do are reading, writing, and going for walks in the countryside. Oh, and she loves chocolate!
She volunteers one afternoon a week listening to children read in a local primary school. Debbie loves chatting about books and what they enjoy reading most. She’s currently working on a magical realism middle grade book called Half Witch.
1. What inspires you the most?
I am inspired by snippets of conversation. I find writing dialogue comes very naturally to me so this is my usual go to.
2. Why did you begin writing? Was it because of a person or something else?
I have always loved to read, which led me to making up stories of my own from when I was about eight years old. I was quite shy, so writing was a great outlet for me.
My parents always provided me with lots of books, which gave me the ideas to write my own stories.
3. Do you prefer to work alone or with others?
I like to be totally alone when I write (apart from a cat). I also like it to be silent. I find music or other people a distraction when I’m trying to concentrate. I would love to be one of those writers who sit in cafes to work. Just think of all the cake you could eat while you write!
4. What is something in your field that you don’t yet know how to do but would like to learn?
I would like to learn a lot more on how to make my social media posts more eye-catching. I have learned a lot since I got a publisher, but there are writers out there who are absolutely brilliant. I bet you could all give me some useful tips!
5. What is the hardest part of your job?
The hardest part of writing a book is actually sitting down and getting on with it, even though it’s a beautiful sunny day outside and you have lots of more fun things you would like to do. Writing is a bit like setting yourself the toughest homework and forcing yourself to do it. Having said that, once I get started, hours pass in a flash. Losing myself in a story that uses all the ideas I’ve been carrying around in my head is a kind of magic.
6. What part of your job do you have the most fun doing?
The best bit for me is creating my characters. I get to choose what they look like, what their names are, and where they live.
Then I fill them in with character traits – are they generally a quiet person who always does as they are told, or are they a little bit naughty?
It’s fun creating the right kind of character to do the job you give them in your story.
7. What was your favourite subject in school?
Definitely English. (I hated maths as my brain switched off in those lessons!)
8. Who is your favourite author?
I loved the C.S. Lewis books when I was younger. The whole magical realism setup makes anything possible. I still look in the backs of wardrobes to check for Narnia-inspired places hidden behind a rail of coats.
9. Would you and your main character get along?
This is such a great question.
Jude is the main character in my teen book, Flyboy. I think we’d get along pretty well as I have worked with teenage boys a lot and think I understand them pretty well.
I would struggle to keep up with all his Star Wars knowledge, though, and I definitely wouldn’t be able to keep up with him on the running track!
10. If you could spend the day with a popular author, who would you choose?
It would have to be Maz Evans who wrote the Who Let the Gods Out series.
I did one of her writing courses and she was amazingly funny and an amazing teacher of the craft of writing. I think a day spent with her would be full of laughter and the sharing of her brilliant writing knowledge.
11. What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given about writing?
There are two – so I hope that’s okay.
The first one is to write what you’d love to read.
And the second is to read lots and lots and lots. Reading is a bit like homework for writing.
12. Do you only write for one genre?
My teen books are all contemporary stories.
The middle grade I have started is a magical realism with a witchy vibe.
Debbie, thank you for your lovely interview and congratulations on the upcoming release of your teen novel, Flyboy, on September 10th! Please support Debbie on social media and check out her beautiful novel in our Bookshop after release day. Keep shining!
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