Q&A with author Ash Bond
How did the adventure of Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm come about, and how much work had you done on it before it was acquired by your editor, Ruth Bennett?
Unusually for me, I actually remember when the idea for Peregrine landed. I remember because I was trying to write something very serious, very important for my Masters in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University, and an image of a faun came into my head. Up until this point, I had not deemed fauns very serious or important, so this was quite a surprise. This faun – who would later become Cal – was sitting on a tall desk covered in paperwork and writing on an iPad-style device, which would later become the CosPads in the book. Well, as soon as he arrived, I knew I had a world, but it was the story itself – the narrative – that took the time. My brilliant teachers, Steve Voake and Joanna Nadin amongst them, and then my incredible agent Jessica Hare were instrumental in helping me find my way through this fantastical maze. I was a couple of years in to writing this project when I met Jessica, and the world had grown large enough that I was getting lost in it. To get classical with my metaphors, Jessica gave me the golden thread, but it was Ruth – my now Editor – who really led me to the heart of the book, to the centre of the labyrinth.
What aspects of the book did you work on most together? How rewarding was that?
It was the emotional arcs that Ruth helped me with the most. People always say that an author can write a book without knowing what it’s about and it turns out that is true! I was so fixated on the detail of the world-building that I hadn’t realised that I was writing a series about place and about belonging, about being caught between worlds, at the heart of which was the dynamic between a girl and her mum. Using her particular brand of precise questioning, Ruth saw that and helped me bring this magic – which was so much deeper than the portal’s sparkles – to the fore.
What do you enjoy most about the editing process?
It is probably this questioning process that I enjoy the most – it really is quite magical. Ruth will ask incredibly specific questions, each one opening another avenue that we could go down together. Ruth is also, I should say, endlessly patient with me. Knowing that I think better outside, we have had our editorial meetings on freezing rooftops, stomping through London and even whilst having a picnic! All the time talking things through, walking things through. Peregrine has a complicated world and a complex structure, so as well as our walks, Ruth and I share a live Google doc – Peregrine’s ‘World Bible’ that is constantly being updated, mostly due to Ruth’s insightful questions regarding magic systems and motivations. She really is a wizard.
Can you tell us about the scene in the book you are most proud of, and why.
I wish this question had been which scene was the most fun to write, because I get asked that question a lot in assemblies and I always say the scene when Nim – in her Kew Garden Q scene – gives Peregrine and Rowan all those gadgets. That was glorious fun to write – I got to really lean into my James Bond era! But to answer this question properly I should explain that the structure of Peregrine is such that most scenes are witnessed from multiple points of view. As the narrative reaches its final climax at the Alexandrian portal we switch between these points of view quicker and quicker, as each character adds their own thread to the story. This was challenging, of course, but it was also incredibly satisfying to watch this story-braid twist itself up, as so much of the work had been seeded in the previous chapters – not only narratively, but also (with the expert help of Ruth) emotionally.
What are your top tips for anyone wanting to write magical adventure stories for young readers?
My top tip is probably to take the magic very seriously. Magic can be such a clunky broad term, a sticking plaster over a plot gap, but if used sparingly it can be the deftest tool for creating wonder.
How did you find your way into books and what advice would you give to others who want to write for children?
I’m not sure I recall how I found my way to books, except that I remember buying a lot of books from jumble sales, and – here’s a trick – if you do that, you often find treasures. On Sundays my mum would often give me a pound or two to explore a carboot and I remember once (though I’m sure it wasn’t just once!) bringing back a cardboard box of books, emptying them on my bed, sorting them into piles and then reading them… reading all of them! In writing this, I wonder whether that is where Peregrine’s hybrid nature came from: a bit of scifi, a bit of fantasy, mystery, political thriller… I never really separated the genres that I was reading, just had them all jumbled together.
For those wanting to write for children, reading is most often the best piece of advice to give, reading widely and reading books that children are reading now, not thirty years ago. Unless you, reading this, are eight years old (and if you are, I have no advice for you other than to remember to go outside once in a while), you won’t be writing solely for yourself. Go into a library or a bookshop, flick through the pages, count the pages, count the illustrations. Get geeky. This is all to make sure that that great idea you have can be accessible to those children who are so desperate for it.
Q&A with editor Ruth Bennett
What first impressed you about Ash Bond’s writing and her book?
I think the first word I would use to describe Ash’s writing and – perhaps unsurprisingly – Ash herself is ‘energetic’. And for me, this is an absolutely brilliant quality to have when writing for young people! Ash’s story explodes onto the page and the pace stays high throughout – this in itself is impressive, but what is even more brilliant about what Ash has achieved is that this energy is truly underpinned by a real depth of story. The characters are dashing from place to place, but every detail of what they encounter, where and why has been thought through and woven together with real integrity and attention to detail. Ash’s writing is layered and ambitious, but not at the expense of truly appealing to a young reader – I think she shows, brilliantly, that you can bring complexity to your stories without them being ‘hard’ to read.
What things do you look for when reading – or acquiring – fantasy adventures for young readers?
Personally, first and foremost, I’m looking for a story that is fun to read! And by fun to read, I don’t necessarily mean funny – it could be very serious, thrilling or scary – but it should feel escapist and it should have a very strong plot. Fantasy adventure allows readers to race through unfamiliar worlds and experience things beyond their wildest dreams; it provides space to stretch your imagination and, in turn, your understanding of the world around is, but this is most effective, in my opinion, when it happens without us even realising it. When looking to acquire books for young readers specifically I always think about the fact that they aren’t immersed in the tropes and stories that we have as reference points as adults. This might be the very first book they read in this genre. So books must stand up in their own right, without relying on references or getting bogged down in complexities that are often the hallmarks of adult fantasy. Another thing that I look for is a really convincing original character with a strong personality and perspective, giving them a clear motivation for their adventure. It makes me feel excited when there is something distinct about the characters at the heart of the adventure. No matter how much thought has gone into building a world and cooking up all kinds of weird and wonderful fantasy details, if readers don’t feel invested in the characters within that world, it is hard to keep them engaged from start to finish – and, we hope, on to the next book!
What were the key things you worked on with Ash on her book?
Ash has touched on this above – we spent a lot of time talking about the characters and really delving into their feelings and the emotions that drive their decision making. This is such an interesting process, as a large part of this material doesn’t actually make it on to the page explicitly, but I believe that it is fundamental to driving a reader’s investment in a story. As often is the case with writers, there was so much that Ash knew instinctively about her characters that it was important for us to figure out how to draw this out so that everyone could understand Peregrine and her new companions as well as Ash does. We worked together on how to create a clear link between Peregrine’s incredible adventures and the child reader – there is so much that is completely jaw-dropping in this book (imagine spotting a holographic faun by the school bins!) but there are also elements that are universal, and I think that is where fantasy writing can be an incredibly powerful tool for allowing readers to explore and imagine, without the limitations of our Terran realm of possibility!
What are the challenges of working with an author on a book that will become a trilogy or series?
There are undoubtedly challenges but they are ones that I relish. (I’m a planner!) How brilliant is it to know that we don’t have to say goodbye to these characters at the end of the book?! And to know that we don’t need to be constrained by cramming everything into one single plot arc?!
That said, it is absolutely the case that working on the first book in a series is a task that requires a fair amount of mental gymnastics. For me, it’s about striking a balance between looking ahead and predicting – or considering, perhaps – where you want to go, without allowing this to suffocate the creative process. I also advise authors to think ahead because there are often great opportunities to plant seeds for these from the very start. You can’t go back and add something in to book 1 once it’s been published after all! Fortunately, Ash has such a good understanding of her world that there are more than enough paths to explore in future stories. As it happens, I don’t think that the plots for books two and three evolved exactly as she thought they might at the very start, but I hope she would agree that they’re just right as they are. I think so and I can’t wait for Peregrine’s fans to read them!
What advice would you give to would-be writers of fantasy adventure, what should they do, what should they watch out for?
This is a tricky question to answer as fantasy adventure covers such a breadth of writing. Like in any genre, I would encourage writers to find their own voice and tone, rather than trying to emulate what others are doing too closely. A more specific piece of advice to fantasy would be to take the time to really build your world and to understand the parameters of where fantastical meets real, as this is what will make readers fully believe in your story and your characters. Ash touches on this eloquently above – the fantasy elements should never be a sticking plaster for a plot gap! Rather, there should be rules of how the fantasy works and you as a writer should be 100% clear on what they are, so that the reader feels confident that they are real. By weaving in things that feel true, recognisable and familiar from the real world alongside, it will lift the fantasy to a place where it can truly take wings and fly in the reader’s imagination. Lots of this world building and groundwork might never be mentioned on the page, but you should still know it, as it is the context for your characters and their experiences.
What do you most enjoy about your job as an editor?
I am constantly pinching myself that this is something I get to do as a job! If I must choose, I think the top of the list for me is the endless variety of creative discussions I have – they are a fundamental part of being an editor and they range from in-depth discussions about silly and funny details to deep philosophical debates that seem to get to the core of human nature – sometimes even on the same project! Every single book is different and every author is too. I am given the most privileged access to their creative worlds and the fruits of their imaginations and, if I’m lucky, they trust me enough to contribute to shaping and developing those ideas too. It’s such a lively and collaborative experience to work closely with an author on their book and I have had the good fortunate to meet and work with so many passionate, intelligent and kind people who are working so hard to bring a richness of storytelling into the lives of young people.
Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm is published by Piccadilly Press, 978-1800786837, £7.99 pbk
Thank you to Ash Bond and to Ruth Bennett for answering our questions.
