Twitter chat with Jonathan Stroud
By Tara King
We recently welcomed one of our favourite Kids’ Book Club authors for a live Q&A chat with our @tescomagazine twitter followers. Jonathan is the author of the best-selling Bartimaeus sequence which has sold more than 6 million copies around the world, as well as standalone novels Heroes of the Valley, Buried Fire, The Leap and The Last Siege. Jonathan answered our quick-fire questions. Read the full transcript here…
Jonathan Stroud Half an hour to go before my live Twitter chat via @tescomagazine. Tea, biscuits and brain cells at the ready... #kidsbookclub
cinnamoncherry Have you ever had any dreams about your characters? What would you imagine they'd say to you?
Jonathan Stroud I sometimes dream about Nat and Kitty, I'm usually sharing an adventure with them.
UnicornAsphodel Did you create Khaba and Ammet as a sort of evil counterparts to Bart and Ptolemy?
Jonathan Stroud Yes they are an example of the master/servant relationship at its warped worse.
cinnamoncherry What career would have you chosen if you hadn’t been a writer?
JonathanStroud if I hadn't been a writer, a swash-buckling archeologist.
DennisHLUK What is the future: printed books vs digital ones?
Jonathan Stroud I see a happy future with both working in parallel. I prefer real tangible books. I love the tactile sensation. e-books are fantastic for people on the move and real books are great at home.
Cinnamoncherry How did you come up with those unique names? Did you borrow or invent them on your own?
Jonathan Stroud As a typical writer I invented some and nicked others. Bartimaeus is from the Bible
NasiraYusuf What inspired you to write these books?
Jonathan Stroud I wanted to write something that I'd loved as a child and also gave me joy now.
tsurara How often do you read your books after you finish them? At all?
Jonathan Stroud I sometimes re-read scenes and chapters but never the whole thing, except when I wrote Ring of Solomon. I reread the Bart trilogy to make sure I got the details right. While writing each book I read it hundreds of times so afterwards I'm happy to have a rest!
Tsurara Thanks for answering!I just wanted to say Bart and Nat will always hold a special place in my heart :)
Jonathan Stroud Thank you. That's exactly what every writer wants to hear. #kidsbookclub
liveotherwise How old were you when you started writing stories?
Jonathan Stroud I recently found a re-telling of Robin Hood that I did when I was 5. I used to write comics and make games. It's all part of the creative urge… For me words and pictures went in parallel, and to some extent still do.
liveotherwise Do you have any tips for budding child writers?
Jonathan Stroud Yes! Read, write frequently, experiment and have fun. Don't worry if stories don't work
lalala89sweet After the end of the third book do Kitty and Bart see each other again and what kind of world have the trio created?
Jonathan Stroud Yes I think they probably do. The new world is better, but not perfect. Perhaps I'll write about their meeting one day...
lalala89sweet Thanks for answering my questions Jonathan! I'll always be your (and Bart's) fan.
Jonathan Stroud That's a pleasure. Lets chat again.
Inspired_Laura What was your favourite book as a child? Timeless classic?
Jonathan Stroud Probably The Hobbit. It immersed me in a magical world as all great books should. This is why many adults (including me) love children's fiction. They immerse you and fill you with delight…
JennyS1989 Jonathan, I read Bart's world had magic where our world has technology. What would Bart make of technology?
Jonathan Stroud He'd approve of it, if only because he'd have a lot less work to do.
UnicornAsphodel Just wanted to say that Ptolemy's Gate has the most beautiful ending I've ever read!
J Stroud Thank you! I always wanted to have that ending but it was only when I finished that I knew it was right.
cinnamoncherry Do you do your own research for your books? For how long?
Jonathan Stroud Yes, but it's like adding sugar to a recipe a little goes a long way. Too much research overwhelms the narrative.
Cinnamoncherry If you could meet one of your characters, who would it be? Why?
Jonathan Stroud Great question! Probably Kitty Jones, because she is least like myself.
taracbooth What were your favourite books when you were a child?
Jonathan Stroud A healthy mix: Enid Blyton, Narnia, The Hobbit, Biggles, Sherlock Holmes and Puffin's Fighting Fantasy. I always read omnivorously and then tried to write my own versions. (In response to a tweet about Enid Blyton books) I was a Famous Five man myself although was confused that George couldn't be a boy because she had curly hair!
Rachel1383 Have you drawn inspiration from children you know?
Jonathan Stroud Yes - from children I meet, and from the child I was.
lalala89sweet How are spirits like Bartimaeus 'born'? Do they die of old age like humans?
Jonathan Stroud They live timelessly in their own dimension… but are born in this world when a magician calls them over... The spirits can be killed in this world by a variety of nasty things!
June_King Your books are amazing. How would you feel about a Bartimaeus film version? Any plans?
Jonathan Stroud Yes! The movie rights were bought years ago and a screen play was written. It's a little quiet now but I'm keeping my fingers-crossed. I'd be thrilled to see Bart on the screen
Thanks everyone! You can read and review Jonathan Stroud’s exclusive story for the #kidsbookclub The Wishing Charm and find out more about Jonathan Stroud on jonathanstroud.com and bartimaeusbooks.com