Meg Harper
About Author
Meg Harper lives in Warwickshire with her husband, their four children, dog, cat and two chickens. Meg first began writing seriously in her twenties to see if she could write at length. Previously a secondary school teacher, Meg is now, alongside writing, teaching youth theatre part-time. She also provides creative writing/drama workshops in schools, often based on her own writing, having recently achieved an MA (Distinction) in Theatre and Drama Education. Meg is a versatile author whose books range from hilarious, contemporary stories to convincing, compelling realism. Meg's books for Lion include, the popular My Mum series - four humorous stories of Kate and her embarrassing mum which make entertaining reading for ten to 13 year olds, The Ghost in the Gallery - and the recent Saint Jenni series in which eight year-old Jenni tries her very hardest to be a saint... In all her work, Meg explores the spiritual challenges of the modern world. Favourite themes include love, forgiveness, reconciliation, friendship, courage and prayer.
Interview with Meg Harper
Home Educator becomes Successful Kids' Author
Scratch beneath the surface of any children's writer and chances are you'll find there was once a teacher. Meg Harper, author of the popular My Mum series, is no exception. She was a secondary English teacher for five years before making a radical career move. Whilst scribbling away at her first novels late at night and in the early mornings, she was, for ten years, also home-educating her four children.
'Writing kept me sane,' she says. 'The decision to take a career break to care for your children is tough enough. To extend that break by home-educating was, frankly, terrifying. I didn't know when it would stop. I had always wanted to write children's books; if I was going to do it, I had to get on with it and in fact, it was hugely beneficial. I was being a home-educator but also cunningly developing my career on the side.'
Inevitably, perhaps, one of her early novels, No More School, centred on home-education. 'I was reading so much with my children and, of course, none of it was about home-educated kids. Late in the day came Skellig by David Almond but in that home, education was part of the wallpaper. In No More School, sadly now out of print despite its popularity with home-educating families, it takes centre stage.'
Her popular My Mum series is full of the humour of everyday family life. Was her own life the inspiration?
'To some extent,' she says. 'Certainly living 24/7 with four lively children gives you a lot of experience of what can go wrong and you have to laugh or you'd go bonkers!'
Gradually, all Meg's children, now aged 17, 15 and 13 (she has twins) have started school. For the last two years she has been free to write more, as well as completing an MA in drama education and teaching part-time. Does her experience of home-education still impact on her life and her writing?
'All the time,' she says. 'I don't think you ever get out of the quirky mind-set that home-education gives you. You're living against the tide and that's got to be good for your own creativity. I still run a drama group for home-educated kids. That's something I started years ago and it really convinced me of the value of drama, not least its impact on literacy and creativity. The novel I've just finished sprang out of a drama workshop.'
Meg is quick to point out the benefits of home education, not just for children but for parents.
'My belief in the value of drama is something I've gained from home-education. These days, when I go into schools on author visits, I like to run drama workshops based on my own writing which then extend into creative writing by the children. Critics don't tend to consider that home-education educates the parents as well! I've just completed an MA now but for years I didn't need that sort of mental stimulation I was learning enough at home. It makes me really cross when other women assume that being at home with your children implies you're brain dead. Far from it. I wouldn't be a published novelist or a committed drama practitioner now if I'd juggled English teaching with raising four children!'
Meg Harper is completed her successful St Jenni trilogy last year. This year has seen the publication of her fourth popular My Mum book, 'My Mum and the Green-Eyed Monster' and a stand-alone novel for young teens, 'Fur'. Her web-site is www.megharper.co.uk She is available for author visits and workshops.
Author link
Interview
Home Educator becomes Successful Kids' Author
Scratch beneath the surface of any children's writer and chances are you'll find there was once a teacher. Meg Harper, author of the popular My Mum series, is no exception. She was a secondary English teacher for five years before making a radical career move. Whilst scribbling away at her first novels late at night and in the early mornings, she was, for ten years, also home-educating her four children.
'Writing kept me sane,' she says. 'The decision to take a career break to care for your children is tough enough. To extend that break by home-educating was, frankly, terrifying. I didn't know when it would stop. I had always wanted to write children's books; if I was going to do it, I had to get on with it and in fact, it was hugely beneficial. I was being a home-educator but also cunningly developing my career on the side.'
Inevitably, perhaps, one of her early novels, No More School, centred on home-education. 'I was reading so much with my children and, of course, none of it was about home-educated kids. Late in the day came Skellig by David Almond but in that home, education was part of the wallpaper. In No More School, sadly now out of print despite its popularity with home-educating families, it takes centre stage.'
Her popular My Mum series is full of the humour of everyday family life. Was her own life the inspiration?
'To some extent,' she says. 'Certainly living 24/7 with four lively children gives you a lot of experience of what can go wrong and you have to laugh or you'd go bonkers!'
Gradually, all Meg's children, now aged 17, 15 and 13 (she has twins) have started school. For the last two years she has been free to write more, as well as completing an MA in drama education and teaching part-time. Does her experience of home-education still impact on her life and her writing?
'All the time,' she says. 'I don't think you ever get out of the quirky mind-set that home-education gives you. You're living against the tide and that's got to be good for your own creativity. I still run a drama group for home-educated kids. That's something I started years ago and it really convinced me of the value of drama, not least its impact on literacy and creativity. The novel I've just finished sprang out of a drama workshop.'
Meg is quick to point out the benefits of home education, not just for children but for parents.
'My belief in the value of drama is something I've gained from home-education. These days, when I go into schools on author visits, I like to run drama workshops based on my own writing which then extend into creative writing by the children. Critics don't tend to consider that home-education educates the parents as well! I've just completed an MA now but for years I didn't need that sort of mental stimulation I was learning enough at home. It makes me really cross when other women assume that being at home with your children implies you're brain dead. Far from it. I wouldn't be a published novelist or a committed drama practitioner now if I'd juggled English teaching with raising four children!'
Meg Harper is completed her successful St Jenni trilogy last year. This year has seen the publication of her fourth popular My Mum book, 'My Mum and the Green-Eyed Monster' and a stand-alone novel for young teens, 'Fur', published by Usborne. This is a new departure for her, blending magic realism with contemporary body issues, and has received much critical acclaim.
She is available for author visits and workshops.
