Appearing:
Website
www.cathycassidy.com
Dizzy is a fantastic first novel; it tells the story of Dizzy who hasn’t seen her mum since she was tiny. Every year on her birthday, Dizzy receives a special something in the post addressed in her mum’s loopy writing, but her twelfth birthday present is more special than any before as Storm, her mum, lands on her doorstep. Storm whisks Dizzy away into a world of music, crystal-healing, bean-soup-eating on the summer festival circuit. But all is not as wonderful as it seems...
Recommended Reads
Dizzy
Puffin Books
014131785X
Indigo Blue
Puffin Books
0141317841
Scarlett
Puffin Books
0141320222
Cathy Cassidy says she was once a chocolate eating vegan like Storm who loved the idea of the traveller lifestyle but never managed to try it.
Cathy Cassidy writes with real immediacy and her characters are soon taking over and demanding sympathy.
THE BASICS
Born: June 13th 1962
Jobs: Editor on Jackie magazine and Junior Education, art teacher, freelance writer, agony aunt
Lives: Galloway, Scotland
First published book: Dizzy
THE BOOKS
Dizzy is a strong book of travel, dreams, family, love and growing-up – and much more. It’s the sort of book that can’t be put down as it draws the reader into the alternative world of the festival travelers. A book of today that touches many emotions as much as it entertains.
Cathy’s latest novel, Indigo Blue, was published in 2005.
WHAT SHE SAYS...
"I think I’ve always loved books and as soon as I could write was scribbling stories. I got told off early in the primary school for writing an eight page story - I think it was because my handwriting was so awful! When I was thirteen I was given a second hand typewriter and began to bash out short stories for my favourite teen magazine. I must have sent dozens off, and I got dozens of very polite, encouraging rejections in return!"
Advice for would-be writers:
"Don’t listen to the people who say you can’t do it - if you want to do something badly enough, you can. When I was fifteen, I was asked in a French Oral exam what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said I wanted to be a writer and an artist. The examiner laughed out loud. Don’t listen to negative people - go for your dreams!
Live life to the full - have adventures, have fun, be happy, be sad. Never be afraid of your feelings. Write about what you care about, what moves you - put your feelings into your work.
Read like crazy, and write - every day, if you can. These are the best ways to learn your trade. Hopefully, one day other people will be reading your work"
Publisher
Puffin: www.puffin.co.uk