Maudie Smith
About Author
Maudie Smith started out as an actor, devising new musical plays for which she also wrote lyrics. Her many roles in children's theatre include the Snow Queen and Piglet. More recently she has written a libretto for a newly commissioned opera. In 2011 she completed an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Maudie lives near Bath with her screenwriter husband and their two daughters, along with a menagerie of cats, chickens and stick insects.
Author link
Interview
OPAL MOONBABY
ORION CHILDREN'S BOOKS
JANUARY 2012
Author Maudie Smith talks to ReadingZone about her debut novel Opal Moonbaby (ages 8+).
What would aliens think of parking metres, fancy dress and supermarkets...? When Opal Moonbaby comes to Earth from Planet Carnelia, Martha and Robbie discover that while this alien is smart, there is a lot she still needs to learn....
Q: How easy was it to imagine Earth as if you were an alien?
A: I have always liked the idea of a fantasy character that appears in our world and tries to cope with it. If you think about all the things in our world, it must seem very strange to children growing up.
Q: If you could have anything you wanted from Opal Moonbaby's planet of Carnelia, what would it be?
A: That would have to be the Minmangulator which you use to make a 'mingle' or pet out of lots of different animals. My 'mingle' would be cat-based and if it could fly like Opal Moonbaby's mingle, Garnet, that would be great.
Q: What do you think aliens would find strangest about Earth and Earthlings?
A: I think they would struggle with human behaviour generally. Opal wouldn't have the first idea why someone would say, 'I'm fine thank you', if they didn't feel very well.
I think they would struggle with sarcasm, too. In one of the books, Opal is creating a distraction and the teacher says, 'Would you like to come and take the class', and so of course Opal comes to the front and tries to teach the class herself. Not very successfully.
Q: What qualities do you think a good friend should have?
A: Friendship is really important to children and I remember times when I would fall out with my best mate and I would feel it very much.
Opal Moonbaby is a great friend in many ways. She's fun to be around and very easy going. She's a willing friend and becomes very loyal - she's not the kind of gal to be swayed by someone having the best new mobile, say. Having said that, she's not very sensitive and I also think she could become a little annoying....
Q: Why did you give the two main children, Martha and Robbie, such a tough background?
A: I didn't want it make the book very 'gritty' but I thought it was important that their lives were 'real'. Their dad is off the scene, and we don't know why, and Martha has to be too grown-up in many aspects, worrying about her mum when her friends are off enjoying themselves.
Q: Will there be a follow-up book?
A: Yes, Opal Moonbaby will hang around on Earth for a while longer - she gets to go to school - and we will meet some rather funny baddies from Carnelia whose power is in their hair in the next book.
Q: Did you always plan to become a writer?
A: No, when I was at school I loved acting and was always determined to be an actor and I did drama at university. Being an actor was something I loved but I always worried something would go wrong and I always got stage fright.
Writing has always been around in my career though, I wrote short plays that we would act as an ensemble and I acted in children's plays like The Snow Queen.
I started writing this book for my children who wanted to read something that didn't involve fairies and princesses! I really enjoyed writing this book and plan to do more.
Q: Where do you do your writing?
A: If I am trying to dream up an idea, I will go to the library or a cafe, I have to get out of the house. Once I am writing a story, I work on the family computer. I dream of having my own little room just to write in.
Q: Any tips for budding writers?
A: People used to tell me I should be a writer based on the funny letters I sent them and I think that's a good way to approach writing - tell stories or write short things, letters, write down funny incidents. It doesn't need to be seen as something big and scary.
Q: What do you do when you're not writing?
A: I like gardening - I have a huge garden that's full of Japanese knotweed, but I demanded a big garden when we moved and now it's coming back to haunt me! I also like cooking, knitting, doing crosswords and going to the theatre.
