Born in Kent, Kate moved to the Gold Coast in Australia a decade ago. She is now a mother to three sons, and adores dogs. A self-confessed expert at Mario Kart – especially Yoshi in the Turbo Blooper – Kate dreams of owning a retirement sanctuary for old dogs in the mountains. Now an internationally published children’s author, Kate used to be a gymnast and flautist. Her favourite things include her bed, the colour brown, and cake. All cake. She is also Autistic and Awesome!!
Meet Kate Foster
Questions on Writing
What is the hardest part of your writing experience?
Drafting! Not because I don’t enjoy it but because I’m super impatient. I was never a plotter, but now I do so in quite a lot of detail – creating various length pitches, a synopsis, and bullet points about what will happen in each chapter. Doing this has not only helps me keep my focus on the core themes and arcs of the stories I write, but also cuts down on my drafting time. Yippee!
What have you learnt about yourself when writing?
That I can be quite dramatic but also determined! Ha ha! Every single time I set out to plot and draft a new book, and after when I sit down with pages of editing notes, I don’t think I can do it. I’ve been known to have mini tantrums, even deciding there and then to give it all up as it’s just too hard. But, obviously, once I’ve stopped being so precious, I attack the process and make sure I go above and beyond in my performance.
Do you make yourself write everyday/regularly, or only when inspiration strikes?
Not every day, but certainly most days, yes. Sometimes the writing looks like a long walk imagining characters and scenes, or scribbles in a notebook and random lists, or a synopsis and a pitch, or it can be several drafted chapters a day. It depends on where I’m at with a project.
What does literary success look like to you?
Hmm, I guess that changes depending on my mood! I’m quite hard on myself and so literary success for me can either look like a finished draft, hitting send on my final edits, or holding my finished book in my hand. But, when I’m talking to other creatives, success looks very different. When a writer friend tells me they’ve started writing a new manuscript, or sent their first query letter, or entered a piece into a writing contest, I see that as literary success no matter the outcome. When they tell me they’ve overcome writer’s block, or finished a troublesome chapter, or booked a manuscript assessment, I see that as literary success. I think any progress, any step forward, any decision made, is an achievement.
How much planning/world building do you do before writing, and how much comes along as you write?
Nowadays, a lot of planning. Most of my books are contemporary and set in the real world, pretty much based on where I live or have lived, so world-building doesn’t require much from me. But, the characters, main and secondary, the arcs, the themes, the interactions, the voice … I put a lot of thought into those before I draft. Some elements only fall into place while I’m drafting or revising, usually transitions from one scene to another, but I don’t start drafting until I’m pretty sure of the main building blocks.
What is it that attracted you to children/YA fiction?
Part of me feels stuck in that middle grade time of my life, I think. From, I guess, aged four to about thirteen, I read everything I got my hands on. I loved visits to the library with my mum, and to the bookstore if I had enough pocket money saved, and being surrounded by books was both safe and blissful. I always had a book on the go and without doubt so many of those books I read then have stuck with me and influenced me in some way.
How do you celebrate when a book is published?
Out for dinner, or a big takeaway, and a shared bottle of champagne with my husband!
Questions on Books and About You
Firstly, the most important question, what books are currently ‘on your bedside table’?
Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star by Laura Noakes and Fablehouse by EL Norry.
What children’s book would you suggest every adult read?
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Skellig by David Almond.
What does your writing space look like?
My bed, my sofa, my outdoor lounger, the dining table, kitchen benchtop, and if I’m feeling really outrageous, the library!
How many books do you think you own?
A thousand or so.
Who is your literary icon?
David Almond and Neal Shusterman
Is there an author who you always read?
Anything by David Almond and Neal Shusterman.
And finally, are there any plans for any new books? If so, what teasers can you give us?
Yes! Yes! And yes! I have around five projects on the go, none of which are under contract at this stage. Two are non-fiction, which is new for me, and I honestly have no idea if they’ll go anywhere. I know the interest is there from a certain readership, but I don’t know a great deal about that side of the industry. I’m having fun with them though!
And then I’m working on three new middle grade novels. One is a Christmas book and a second is all about food (two of my favourite things!), and the third is a mystery starring two autistic children and is set on the council estate where I grew up in Kent in the 1980s. I’m loving the latter so much and think readers will too, though I don’t particularly like referring to it as a historical novel. I can’t accept that the 1980s are now considered historical. I can’t deal with that!
Thank you Kate for your thorough answers 😊 I hadn’t heard of Neal Shusterman. I’ll definitely be looking him up
Kate Foster’s Books
Books By Your Bedside 