1. Your new book, The Creeper, is a chilling story about fear, possession by suggestion, and the wily ways of feverish guilt. Quite a brew for the younger readership for which you are now writing. Were you ever haunted or frightened by a story as a child?

Yes, my dad used to tell Linda (my sister) and myself stories every Sunday night. Once he told us the tale of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles.' Keys scenes from the story kept turning up in my dreams for weeks afterwards. The mystery and menace fascinated me. It also encouraged me to have a go at writing my first novel when I was eight!!

2. The 'frightening' story in The Creeper is an old audiotape bought in a second-hand bookshop. The story on the tape is represented by a separate italicized narrative. It is gloriously spooky. Was this difficult to achieve?

Working on the story of 'THE CREEPER' was a real labour of love. I've always enjoyed chillers from the past by authors like: Conan Doyle, M.R. James and Algernon Blackwood. Also, I'm fascinated by old radio plays, especially the thriller/spooky ones. While I was researching 'THE CREEPER' I listened to Orson Welles's version of 'The War of the Worlds.' I also listened to some old 'Suspense' plays of the period. It was all great fun.

3. The Creeper's trademark is dust, a mundane enough substance, but somehow one that manages to make the creature even more sinister. Can you remember how the idea or the vision of The Creeper (as a creature, rather than as a story) was born?

I actually read about some of the famous mythological monsters like The Loch Ness Monster.' I was especially interested in first-hand accounts. I also had a look again at Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein.' This set my imagination going. When I'd prepared a first draft I went into schools and chatted about my monster. The pupils' responses were really helpful: certain elements (such as The Creeper leaking dust) really captured their imagination and so I knew these were elements to develop further.

4. Although the story of the book is almost entirely about Lucy and the Creeper, there is an important backdrop involving Lucy's best friend Amy and another girl who is perceived as stealing Amy away. As an author you are clearly very knowing about the strategies of schoolgirl friendships. Were you ever anxious that this underlying theme might not 'tag' boys as well as girls (it is noticeable that the face on the cover is studiedly androgynous!)?

To be honest, I wasn't. My main worry was to get the girls' friendship right. I consulted a number of girls and read out some of my preliminary ideas. They had some suggestions too: for instance, the friendship chain, which I'd never heard of before I started on this book. From the initial responses I would say boys are certainly interested in girls' friendships - and especially why they break up. Also, the mistakes Lucy makes (being over-possessive, etc) are common to everyone, I think.

5. Turning from The Creeper to a reissue of your short story collection, One Step Beyond (an example of your early teenage style) is, on a first reading, like discovering a different author. Would you say this is because you use first-person voice narrative and a 15 yr-old narrator is clearly going to sound different from a 10 yr-old, or is it because your move into younger fiction has produced a new approach to writing fiction?

Yes, I think my Yearling titles are different to the older fiction. And yes, some of that is because the protagonists are younger. However, I would hope the stories share a certain energy and humour. Also, writing short stories enables you to experiment with different styles. So in 'ONE STEP BEYOND' I wrote 'Touching Greatness' in quite a different way to say 'Ricardo's Girl' or 'Rock Against Casuals' for example.

6. From The Ghost Dog (1996) onwards you have been concentrating on spooky stories for 8-10 yr olds and these, particularly your Transworld titles, have been enormously successful. Is this the 'niche' you see yourself filling for the forseeable future?

The Transworld titles have been my best received books, both critically and commercially. It's been really exciting to have books make such a strong impact. They are also the ones children write to me about the most, and the ones they are collecting so avidly. Incidentally, they've also been, by far, my most successful books in Europe, with THE GHOST DOG already in eleven different countries. Children do get cross that I'm only writing one new Transworld title a year. But I'm especially proud of these books and am very keen to maintain the standard.

7. Your teenage fiction has been as well-received as any British fiction of its kind. Has its commercial success matched its critical success? I ask this in the context of an ongoing ACHUKA debate about the marketing of teenage fiction (interested readers should also refer to the interviews with Julie Bertagna, Keith Gray and David Belbin.)

Interestingly, when I go into secondary schools, meeting pupils aged between 11 and 14, it is the Transworld titles they want to talk about first. However, after my visit, they will write to me and say they've also read - and really enjoyed - 'THE COOL BOFFIN' or 'TEN HOURS TO LIVE' for example. But teenage fiction has got a negative image. I'm not sure exactly why. Perhaps they carry a whiff of worthiness which always puts pupils off.

8. Have you stopped writing teenage fiction for the time being?

No. My latest teen book, THE PROTECTORS, has actually been my most successful and is coming out in a special New Windmill edition for schools Year 2000. But currently, the Transworld titles have taken up a lot of my time. Also, I've just written my first book for the 6-9 age group called 'BUG BROTHER' which is coming out with Puffin in July 2000. So I just haven't had the time to do justice to a teen novel. But, as they say, watch this space...

9. In what was then the Young Telegraph (now T2) in 1997, you revealed that as a 10 yr old you had written to Dodie Smith, author of your favourite childhood book, 101 Dalmatians, and received a long letter back. You said there that "she encouraged me to write and we stayed in contact until she died." How important to you as a writer was her encouragement?

Very important. Dodie was the first person to put the idea of being a writer into my head. She and her husband Alec gave me so much encouragement, especially when I got rejections. ('Keep going, we just know you can, and will be a writer') I dedicated WE THE HAUNTED (her favourite of my earlier books) to her, as a small thank you.

10. What kind of things do your readers write to YOU about?

Sometimes a character strikes a special chord, e.g. Freddie in EYES OF THE ALIEN. Children write asking if he really exists. Other times a theme encourages children to write really personal letters, for example, about bullying in THE PROTECTORS. Other times children have written a sequel to THE GHOST DOG, or MY FRIENDS A WEREWOLF, which they want me to see. Or I get suggestions about what I should do next. Of course, you get the inevitable projects ('please answer by next Thursday as I have to hand it in then') and recently I've had lots of requests for earlier drafts of my books. I do reply to every letter personally, (just as Dodie Smith did).

11. Your favourite childhood book is about dogs. A book about a dog, The Ghost Dog, brought you to the notice of a new readership. Even The Creeper has a small part for a dog called Rusty. Are you a dog man as a opposed to a cat man, or might cats feature just as prominently in your work one day?

Yes, I love dogs. I did feature a cat in 'MY FRIEND'S A WEREWOLF,' though.

12. How did your work as a film critic influence the way you construct plots?

I think old black and white films are the best inspiration for writers. Then, they couldn't distract you with special effects. They had to construct good plots with vivid, punchy dialogue. I've learnt a great deal from them. And incidentally, practically every writer I've met (from Terry Pratchett to Robin Jarvis) is a lover of classic films. Is that just a coincidence, I wonder!

13. As well as being a film critic, you have been a teacher of English and Drama. Are there ever times when you wish you could be back in one of your old jobs?

Sometimes, on a Monday morning I think it would be nice to be back in a cinema watching a new film - even if it is a ghastly Arnie epic. But I would never want to go back to the classroom: it's got much harder and more bureaucratic now.

14. How do you write - straight onto a computer or in longhand first? And has the internet and e-mail affected the way you work in any degree?

I always write the first draft by hand. That makes it very personal - and just for me.

15. You've been a published writer for some 15 years now. With just a few exceptions (J. K. Rowling, David Almond...) it does seem to take children's authors longer to establish a reputation than it does adult writers. Is this something to do with the reviewing of and critical attention given to children books and authors?

Yes, I think that is true - children's books are still marginalised. Like a number of other authors, I helped establish my reputation by visiting many schools and libraries. The support I've received from librarians, teachers and pupils has been really heartening. Recently I've also done a number of events for adults. They have been some of my most enthusiastic audiences, yet they admit their knowledge of contemporary children's books is very limited. They want to know more, but aren't sure where to look.

16. And finally, what do you think are the most encouraging signs for children's books and children's reading as we move into the new century?

A librarian once defined a reluctant reader as someone for whom we haven't found a good-enough book yet. I think in recent years - and especially in The Year of Reading - there has been a really concerted attempt to match up children and books. The whole movement towards making books more inclusive is really positive. Also, I think there has been a revolution in libraries over the past ten years. So many libraries have completely re-designed their children's and teenage sections. I know, because I've been lucky enough to be invited to open a number of them. Also, libraries really are reaching out to young people. In March, for example, I am involved in a library event in Manchester with the local basketball team. That's great. I don't think we should be afraid of injecting some fun and energy into the way we promote books.

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