Anne Fine will be visiting several book festivals and making other appearances this autumn:
Anne Fine's latest book for younger readers is The Killer Cat's Birthday Bash, published by Puffin Books on 7th August 2008.
Anne Fine explains: "The idea for The Killer Cat's Birthday Bash came from a walk I took around the nearby churchyard on a winter's night. My dog and I often go round the graveyard. It suits us both, being quiet, properly dark, and usually free from people. (I'm never scared outside in the dark. I can get the creeps inside the house if all the lights go out, but never outside in the open.)
"At one point in the circuit we walk around the church itself, which is floodlit. On that particular evening, Harvey happened to stroll between the floodlight set in the grass and the church front. Across the church wall fell the shadow of the most enormous dog. It was quite startling, as if some giant shadow animal had started stalking us.
"Harvey's quite old and sedate now. He doesn't make the scariest of shadows, however large.
"A cat now... Especially one particular Killer Cat.
"And just suppose that it was Halloween..."
Anne Fine's seventh novel for adults, Fly in the Ointment, was published on 24 March. In this, she offers a deeply chilling portrayal of what can happen when the remorseless convictions of society clash with the impulse of a determined mother.
In an introduction written for this website, Anne explains “All my novels begin with the question ‘What if...?’ I might not be like Lois, the mother in my story, but I can certainly imagine myself going through her thought processes all the way along.
“I wanted to make the book entirely credible psychologically, and a page turner. The most powerful drives and feelings are always those within the family. It is a crucible for love and hate. The family's endless refractions, both positive and painful, have always been my own home ground as a writer.”
Ivan the Terrible has won the silver medal in the 2007 Nestlé Children's Book awards, in the 6-8 years old category. The judges said "This is an extremely entertaining read, told with Anne Fine's usual concise wit; revealing, in the end, a thought-provoking message."
The prize was previously known as the Smarties Award. Anne won it in 1990 for Bill's New Frock, and Goggle-Eyes was shortlisted also in 1990.
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