Gabby Byrne: Today I have the unparalleled delight of interviewing one of my agency-sisters, Karen Foxlee. She’s the bestselling author of OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY, THE MIDNIGHT DRESS, and AN ANATOMY OF WINGS. She’s also just an all-around wonderful person. Her new book, A MOST MAGICAL GIRL is due out in August, 2016. Karen lives in the far-flung wilds of Northern Australia and is getting ready for her first U.S. tour. Thanks for letting me ask you a bunch of questions, Karen.

Karen: Thanks for having me on Winged Pen!

Gabby: Okay, let’s get to it. Can you tell us about the best writing advice you ever got?

Karen: I’ve received lots of advice over the years. I’ve read lots of creative writing books that have utterly confused me.  In desperation, I’ve gone on to websites that boldly claim “You can write your novel in six weeks” and willed myself to believe it was true. It never was.  The best advice has always been from other writers.  It usually includes the words “just keep going,” or some such. “Trust yourself.” “It’ll all work out.”

Gabby: Classic advice – and I appreciate you giving it to me from time to time! What was your favorite book as a kid?

My favourite book as a child was Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytales, read to us by my mother. In particular, I loved THE SNOW QUEEN. I also loved the Baum’s WIZARD OF OZ series, THE FAMOUS FIVE by Enid Blyton, and the summer I was twelve I read SINUHE THE EGYPTIAN by Mika Waltari three times.

Gabby: I’m adding that last one to my must-read list. How about your favorite book this year?

Karen: This year I finally read Wild by Cheryl Strayed and found it to be wonderful.

Gabby: Tell us about which writers inspire you?

Karen: I’m inspired by so many different writers, for so many different reasons; writers who write so beautifully you just want to die, writers who are really good at explaining the art of writing, writers who stand up for the rights of writers, new writers who embrace the whole publicity thing with such joy and vigor, writers who don’t embrace it at all. I’m also inspired by those writers who take years to craft a novel, as well as the writers who just bang them out. I love them all and I’m inspired by them all.  There are too many writers to name.

 Gabby: Can you talk about your most difficult craft hurdle?

My biggest craft hurdle is always to not be scared of the story—to not be scared of creativity. To not…. panic.  That big messy part where the story doesn’t make sense makes me uneasy and anxious.  It makes me want to go back to my career in nursing.  I’m getting better at not panicking though.

Gabby: What is your work/writing schedule?

Karen: I write early in the morning, depending on season, usually from around 4:30 until 7 am, then again from 9 until 1 pm. I have never been able to write at night. I have to write every day in a routine to get anywhere. Usually in blocks of a few months, after which time I crash and burn and say I will never write again.  It’s not the only way, I know. Every writer is different.  It’s just what works for me.

Gabby: Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you get past it?

Karen: I find you just have to keep writing—just write horrible rubbish. It’s like trying to get a rusty tap to flow.  Lots of bad water will come out first. I just pick something about a character and say, “okay, I’m going to write about you sweeping the floor,” and it is so mundane and boring, but it usually takes you somewhere.

Gabby: Your newest book, A MOST MAGICAL GIRL, comes out in August, 2016. What’s it about and what was the inspiration for the story?

A MOST MAGICAL GIRL is about Annabel Grey, a girl in 1867 London, who is primed for life as a young lady, but who has a secret. A big secret.  She can see the future in puddles. When her circumstances suddenly change and she finds herself in the care of two aging great aunts who run a magic shop in Spitalfields, she can’t keep the secret hidden anymore.  She is thrust on a perilous journey deep below the London streets to retrieve a wand, to save the city from an evil wizard who wants to put an end to good magic forever.

I think the inspiration came from many places. I went to a museum years ago and saw a recreated Victorian street and never forgot it.  I imagined a young girl arriving on that street.  I’m inspired by London.  I’m inspired by history.  I’m inspired by the industrial revolution and its impact on the landscape.  I love to imagine the last little wild pockets of nature in 19^th century London; faeries and brownies and trolls. I’m always inspired to write about friendship.  And in this story I love the idea of this girl trying to figure out who she is rather than what society wants her to be.

Gabby: I’m really excited to read it. I loved Ophelia’s story too. You’re getting ready to do your first U.S. tour – tell us where you’re going! What are you looking forward to?

Karen: Yes, I’m coming to the U.S. in April and I’m going to L.A., San Francisco, Chicago and New York City. I’m so very excited and really looking forward to catching up with classrooms that are reading A MOST MAGICAL GIRL.

Gabby: Do you have any strange writing habits?

Karen: Not really, apart from my superstitions about not showing people my work. Oh, and I do a ceremonial cleaning of the house before I start a new project, because, well I have to really to be able to live in it.

Gabby: Yeah, I hear you on that one. Okay, here’s a really important question…if you had a super power, what would it be?

Karen: I’d have some kind of power that made everyone love each other. I’d do something with laser beams out of my finger tips or eyes, and everyone would just stop being so busy and mean and just hug and laugh. I’d give Donald Trump a double dose.

Gabby: Good idea! Alright, are you ready for our Lightning Round?

Karen: Sure?

Gabby: Coffee or tea?

Karen: Coffee (tea is nice in the afternoon with friends though)

Gabby: Sweet or salty?

Karen: Sweet always

Gabby: Dog or cat (or silkworms, perhaps?)

Karen: Never silkworms again. Ever. Cats for sure.

Gabby: Plotter or pantser?

Karen: Panster all the way. But am so in awe of plotters.

Alright! Thanks so much for letting me interview you for The Winged Pen. We’re all wishing you a most magical U.S. tour! For all you readers and writers out there, we strongly advise you to check out some of Karen Foxlee’s books, and to keep a weather eye for her new one, A MOST MAGICAL GIRL, coming out this August.

Gabrielle Byrne lives in Olympia, Washington and writes dark and twisty tales for middle graders, often with roots in mythology and folklore. Gabby studied opera in Philadelphia, medieval studies in New York, literature in Scotland, and marine biology in the Pacific Northwest, but writing is the common thread that ties all her interests together. She has a Master’s degree in literature and a second bachelors in environmental studies. When she’s not writing, you can frequently find her fishing spineless critters out of the Salish sea with her husband and two daughters. She is represented by Catherine Drayton at Inkwell Management. Find her on Twitter.