Danny Wallace
About Author
Danny Wallace is a British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television. His first novel for adult readers, Charlotte Street, was an international bestseller & followed in the wake of his non-fiction bestsellers which include Awkward Situations for Men, Yes Man & Join Me. Hamish and the Worldstoppers is his first children's books and was followed by Hamish and the Neverpeople.
He lives in London, with his wife, an Australian publicist, and children.
Interview
HAMISH AND THE NEVERPEOPLE
SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S BOOKS
FEBRUARY 2016
Once again the world is in Big Trouble as the Terribles make an unwelcome return in HAMISH AND THE NEVERPEOPLE, the second children's title from humourist DANNY WALLACE for readers aged eight years plus.
Why does the prime minister talk gibberish? What does the glazed expression on the newscasters' faces mean? Readers who have already met Hamish and his mysterious PDF team in the first book, Hamish and the Worldstoppers, will know to expect a madcap, fast-paced and very funny adventure story!
We asked author Danny Wallace to tell us more!
Q: Why did you decide to write for children and what do you enjoy most about writing for this readership?
A: I like to try things I've never tried before, and I'd never written for children. And as soon as my son got to reading age, I became interested in what made him laugh. So I wrote the type of book I thought he'd enjoy, and the type of book I'd have wanted to read as a kid.
The best part is that there are no limits. You can make almost anything happen, because you know that a child will be open to the craziest things. And in fact enjoy them more.
Q: How do you squeeze writing the Hamish books into your already-packed schedule?
A: I make them a priority, because I want to do them properly. So rather than squeeze them into the schedule, they become the schedule. Plus, they're a joy to write.
Q: What is a perfect working day for you?
A: Early start, lunch at my desk, sun streaming through the window, ideas flowing, knock off early to play with the kids, wife gets home with a bottle of wine...
Q: Did Hamish, the main character in these books, arrive fully-fledged or did you write him into being?
A: With any fiction book, you find an important part of a character and then build around that. There comes a point when you realise that you know them, the same way you get to know a friend. I knew I wanted Hamish to be a good kid, but not an angel. I think that's like most kids who pick up a book, so it'll reflect them somewhat.
Q: How did the characters who make up the gang of PDF's come together?
A: You just start to build around the main character - give them people to bounce off, people with different skills, viewpoints or who come from different backgrounds and families. If they're not different they might as well not be there, so you have to have some fun with that.
Q: In Hamish and the Neverpeople, the children discover a world that is the opposite of our world. How much fun did you have in creating the children's opposites and who was the hardest to envisage?
A: Lots of fun. The first book took place almost entirely in Hamish's town of Starkley. For the second I wanted to go bigger. Not just the big city - but the big city in another dimension.
Creating the kids' opposites was particularly satisfying. I could write about the fact that what you think is a weakness can actually be a strength, and put some proper old-fashioned teamwork to good use.
Q: And what about the 'other' world - a welcoming London and a world where women are in charge! If you ever found yourself there, what would be the one place you'd want to visit? And the one person you'd like to meet?
A: I thought it would be fun to highlight just how stupidly male-run our world is, and get kids to notice and question it too. If I ever found myself there, I'd definitely avoid King Les. He is not quite as reserved as our Queen Liz.
Q: What is your favourite escapade that the children get up to in Hamish and the Neverpeople? (like stealing the Cutty Sark, for example...)
A: I think definitely stealing the Cutty Sark... I wanted to use London landmarks that are well-known but not our most famous. That way you get to use the character of a city, and who knows - maybe send a few more kids to see the Cutty Sark too.
Q: What was the hardest scrape to get them out of?
A: Any time they're being chased... And I rather like how they deal with their very final situation...
Q: You have some fabulous characters' names, like Ernest Ding-Bat, King Les, and places like Scrack and Starkley. How important are names to you and how hard is it to find the right one?
A: They're very important because they help you build up the whole feel of your world. They immediately become slightly magical, even though they're usually very grounded. And they can tell you a lot about a character - Ever Longblather... Now there's a boring teacher...
Q: Who are your favourite villains - the Terribles or the the Hypnobots?
A: I love the Terribles, because of how slithery, slackerty and slippery they are. But I also love the Hypnobots, because my six year old son helped me develop them. He really wanted them in the stories, so it was my duty to make it happen.
Q: You plant clues for readers (and the young PDF's) before you unveil the main villain evil masterplan - so how carefully do you plan what you're going to write?
I edit as I go... Whenever I start writing, I always skip through what I've already done. In part it's a warm-up, but it also helps me spot areas that could be better, or reminds me of little details I can use later on.
I know where I'm headed with the story, but I never know quite how I'll get there. I like that. It means I can't be second-guessed, because not even I know.
Q: What are you writing now? Can you give us a glimpse into Hamish's next adventure?
A: I'm about to start writing Hamish's third adventure... Hamish and the GravityBurp.
Q: Where do you write, what can you see from your window, and how does your writing day go?
A: I used to write at home, but with two kids I now walk to an office each day. I pick up a coffee on the way, walk through the park, sit down at my desk and just start. Then at about 3pm I'll either head off to pick up my son from school, or head home to meet him when he gets there. From my window I can see two parks. A lovely green park - and a car park.
Q: What's your favourite escape from work?
A: Seeing pals. Watching films. Playing video games. Or - better yet - travel.
Q: Which other children's writers do you enjoy?
A: Frank Cottrell Boyce can do no wrong.
Hamish and the Neverpeople
