INTRODUCING - Hannah Cumming

Well ahoy there Sniffers! Toot Toot, I'm back from my  holibobs, all refreshed and ready for some intense sniffing (I've mssed you!).

I have a lovely treat for you this week, and it comes in the form of another exclusive first interview with ANOTHER intensely talented author and illustrator the ever so delightful Hannah Cumming (creator of such delights as The Red Boat, The Lost Stars and The Cloud)

So here's a little interview we put together - get the kettle on, make a brew and have a sniff!


What can you see from your studio window? 

I overlook an adventure playground full of trees, and a city farm- so get lots of gorgeous greenery and the sound of animals on a daily basis! Quite lovely when you’re in the middle of a city. The only downside though- I’m a terrible daydreamer and find trees a bit hypnotic. I’ve procrastinated hours away in an open mouthed trance staring at nice trees.

 
Who would you most like to get lost with and why?
Well if it can’t be my amazing boyfriend then maybe the Dalai Lama. Because he would probably be able to keep me zen-like calm and happy in any situation. And If he happens to have bought along his Ray Mears book we’re going to be fine!


Which sport real or otherwise would you be most likely to win a gold medal in?
If being disorganised was a sport I would win gold. Though ironically I’d also get gold for making lists. I make lots of great lists, just writing them is often enough to make me feel organised- sadly that’s where it ends, I haven’t quite cracked the bit where you cross everything off them!

What is the best thing you've ever found?
It sounds silly but I found an old bunch of keys when I was little. I had no idea who’s they had been or what they had been for- they became magic keys, naturally, as if it was The Secret Garden and they each unlocked a door to an amazing place.

What do you listen to while you are working?
It depends, quite a mix. Paul Simon, the Eurythmics, Crosby Stills and Nash...it has to suit the project a bit (children’s books and Guns n’ Roses don’t mix). I listen to radio 4 and podcasts like Adam and Joe, and discovered a website with every single Poirot and Miss Marple radio play on last year, that was amazing! (I’m an Agatha Christie geek.)

Can you show us your fave page from your most recent sketchbook?
Every so often I have a ‘shapes’ page. I draw lots of squiggly shapes and try to turn them into characters. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s a handy little way to fire up your imagination a bit! You never know who a story idea will pop up from.

Do you collect anything? if so what and why and can we see?
I love old things and anything that tells a story. I love antique shops and car boot sales! There’s a wonderful shop in Bridport, Dorset called Palmers that sells old postcards and photo’s. I’m a magpie for history.
 

Tell us about the story/inspiration behind your latest picture book?
The Red Boat came about from one doodle, as they often do. I’d doodled a little boat then loved the idea of it being a magical flying boat instead of an ordinary boat...so I started to think about why a little girl might want to fly away all the time, and the story came from there.

 I had in my head some of the great ‘flying’ books...some favourites of mine are The Flying Postman by
VH Drummond

and Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs.

Have you sniffed any good picture books lately?
I’ve discovered and rediscovered some great books! We got down a box from the loft at my parents, the last box of books from childhood we had begged to be kept years ago. Amongst them were The Great Blueness And Other Predicaments by Arnold Lobel,

and Stanley and Rhoda by Rosemary Wells (she draws the best animals ever).

I also found my copy of ‘The Little Flower King’ by Kveta Pacovska the other day, she’s fantastic. More recent a-little-bit-in-love-with discoveries are Jon Klassen, Rebecca Cobb and Kevin Waldron.

If you happened to be floating around on a cloud who would you spy on?
Oh everyone! Maybe the royal family. Anyone you can’t seem to imagine just doing every day things at home like staring vacantly into the fridge when they’re at a loose end (or is that just me?!).

Which star would you most like to share high tea with?
I don’t know if I could pick just one...but as we’re talking about illustration, I’d love to meet Raymond Briggs. Or Allan Ahlberg or Posy Simmonds. Heroes of mine!

How useful do you find social media?
I find it immensely useful. I haven’t quite got the hang of it yet though. I’ve been slightly awed of twitter, in that you can be just sitting in your studio, then all of a sudden be having a conversation with someone you’ve only read about and hoped one day to meet! It’s an amazing communication device, I’ve discovered so many great illustrators and writers through twitter.

Who should we follow on Twitter?
A very small selection of the friends and talented people worth following @ChloeCumming, @laurentobia, @SarahWarbie, @rebecca_cobb, @TomPercivalsays @Alex_T_Smith, @tree_pig, @Rachel_Bright2, @Optimistontour , and my lovely studio mate @MrToodle! @qikipedia for daily factoids! There are too many...

Tell us your best joke?
I’m not sure you could say best...
What kind of cheese do you use to tempt a bear from the woods? Camenbert...

Which biscuit would you choose from the biscuit tin?
A garibaldi. And you can’t beat a good digestive.

What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
It was said to me about illustrating but can apply to so much; don’t give up- things worth having usually require lots and lots of hard work.

Which three tools of you trade could you not live without?
My trusty Schmincke watercolours, my Faber Castell pencils, and more recently my Wacom tablet!

What has been the proudest moment of your publishing career so far?
One friend who’s a primary teacher found using The Cloud in lessons really worked to talk about friendship and inclusion, which really touched me. It’s a good book to use as a jumping off point to talk about people who have problems or are ‘different’ with children. Similarly with The Lost Stars it’s been used in lessons as a basis for environmental projects and talking about the natural world, which makes me very happy indeed. I was quite blown away when I heard a planetarium wanted to make it into a show for children, too!

What are you working on next? and can we have a sneak peek?
I’m working on something with this mischievous little rabbit- but I can’t say any more than that at the moment I’m afraid! All will be revealed soon!

We'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to Hannah for popping in to visit us and a big thanks with a cherry on top to Child's Play for sending us Hannah's wonderful books.

Visit Hannah's website here and follow her on Twitter @hannah_cumming