Mother and Daughter: How We Wrote Bestseller ‘Lionboy’

People often ask how the actual writing process worked: as I remember, we’d discuss the story in the park or on the way to school, and then mum would write it. Then I’d read what she’d done and say, ‘that won’t be funny for kids’ or ‘what does that mean?’ or ‘please don’t kill Primo!’ – as well as ‘oh wow’ and ‘that’s brilliant!’ I hadn’t read mum’s adult books – they were a bit beyond me – but as Lionboy came into being, I got to see her professional side.