Featured Interview With Annalisa Ordell
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Gloucester in England but my parents were in the Armed Forces so I moved a lot as a child including 8 years in Germany. I now live in a pleasant town called Royal Wootton Bassett, near Swindon.
I am a single Mum to two teenagers, a boy and a girl. My boy is 16 and my girl is 14. They actually get on really well for 2 teenagers.
I’ve got three black cats called Zeze, Marx and Orwell. Zeze is unfortunately a bit of a bully and fights with all the local cats. Marx and Orwell are indoor cats, much to their disgust. I also have a black labrador cross called Action who is a 4 legged hoover and dustbin who apparently never feels full. My son has a corn snake called Toast. No, I don’t understand why either.
When I am not being a Mum or animal wrangler I enjoy photography and Lego and a bit of Bake Off. I’m also a massive geek and love Marvel, Star Wars and Star Trek. I went to this years Comic Con dressed as Obi Wan Kenobi.
I am very tattooed with plans for lots more.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I have loved books for as long as I can remember and was obsessed with reading as a child. I would ready the labels on food if my Mum or Dad took my book away while I was eating. I am autistic so I also find reading the same book multiple times comforting.
I started writing in my teens which was mostly bad poetry. I can recall writing some short stories in my twenties but didn’t really start writing books until I had my children and wrote stories for them.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading fantasy and crime or mystery novels. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and John Grisham.
My children’s books are inspired by Julia Donaldson and Dr Seuss. The fantasy I am writing at the moment is inspired by Tolkein.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The Sky Painter is a book for Key Stage One children, about 4 to 6. It is about a young cloud who grows sad that people do not like his rain. He asks the sun how to make people happy. the sun says he does not know and advises the little cloud to seek out the Sky Painter. She advises the cloud to go and watch the earth which he does. When he returns he tells the Sky Painter what he has learned and she shows him the beautiful painting she has been working on.
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