When people ask me what I like best about being an author my answer is undoubtedly that I love to inspire children.

I love to see children engrossed in a book that I have written.

I love to see children laughing out loud in all the places that I hoped they would.

I love to capture the hearts and imaginations of children as they identify with the characters in my book.

And most of all, I love to see children inspired.

When I stand up in a school assembly hall talking to hundreds of children at once about my journey becoming an author, I see hundreds of eyes gazing back at me filled with excitement.  Excitement that they too could write a book one day.  They too could use the imagination that is so wonderful at their young age and start writing their ideas down now.

I tell them about my illustrator Elisabeth Barrett and how she started drawing when she was still in school.  I make them believe in themselves that they too could become illustrators one day if that is something they enjoy.

I inspire the children to read by telling them that there is no such thing as a child who doesn’t like to read, they just haven’t found the right book yet.  I encourage them to persevere with the school books they bring home as even though they may not be the most exciting at times, they will help them get to the place where they can get lost in the world of a book that they love.

I vow to carry on visiting schools and giving author talks and motivating children as if just one child is inspired by what I have to say then it is totally worth it.