Tales Q&A with Katie Dale

Lucy’s mum is so out of date she’s practically mouldy. She’s super-strict, overprotective and won’t let Lucy go to the Valentine’s Ball! Lucy can’t believe she was EVER a teenager . . .

Until the morning her mum wakes up with no memory of the last thirty years – and thinks she’s twelve years old!

All Lucy wants is for her mum to go back to being her old self – but how?

Hi Katie!

Hi Chelle!

Thank you so much for joining me today!  I am so excited for Mumnesia!

Can you tell us a little about Mumnesia?

I’d love to!

MUMNESIA is about a 12-year-old girl, Lucy, whose mum is so out of date she’s practically mouldy! She’s super-strict and overprotective and Lucy can’t believe she was EVER a teenager . . . until the morning her mum wakes up with no memory of the last thirty years – and thinks she’s a twelve year old, time-travelling from the 1980s! All Lucy wants is for her mum to go back to being her old self – but how?

What inspired you to write Mumnesia?

I think the relationship between mothers and daughters is a very interesting and special one that changes a lot as a child grows up, becomes a teenager, and finally an adult – a mother can be a carer, a dictator, a kill-joy, and your best friend! I thought it’d be really fascinating to be able to meet your mother when she was your age – What was she like when she was younger? Would you have been friends? So I came up with an idea about a strict mother who hits her head, forgets the last 30 years, and thinks she’s 12 again. But then I read an article about a woman who just woke up one day with amnesia (caused by stress) and I was completely fascinated! I read her whole autobiography, Forgotten Girl, and decided THAT is what would happen to Shazza (Lucy’s Mum) – as suddenly there was a mystery to solve too: why was Lucy’s Mum so stressed out, and how can she and Lucy fix it…?

 What was your favourite scene to write?

Oh, so many! It’s so much fun to write a comedy after writing angsty YA (Someone Else’s Life and Little White Lies) and MUMNESIA is full of funny scenes and mayhem as fun-loving Shazza is let loose on the “future” – and Lucy desperately tries to stop anyone else finding out what’s happened!

One of my favourite scenes is when Shazza decides to get her nose pierced – and then wants a tattoo! And there’s a crazy scene set at a spa near the end that had me in fits of giggles as I wrote it! Snail facial, anyone?!

 If Lucy’s Mum had a favourite song what would it be?

Definitely “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper – I listened to it a LOT when I was writing MUMNESIA – I had a whole MUMNESIA playlist!

 If you knew you were going to be changed back to the age of 12 tomorrow what advice would you give to yourself?

Great question! Gosh, I guess I’d tell myself to just not worry so much (I still have stress dreams from my GCSEs!).  And be yourself – it’s difficult, I know, as everyone wants to fit in and be cool, but honestly? The coolest thing is to just be comfortable in your own skin. Oh, and keep a diary – you never know when it might come in handy when you’re writing a book!

We would love to know a little bit more about you!  Can you give us 5 random facts we don’t know about Katie Dale?

OMGA that’s a tough one! Okay, here goes…

1) I was born in Lancashire and swore I’d never lose my lovely northern accent, but sadly have.

2) I went on a study abroad year to North Carolina for the SOLE reason that that’s where they filmed DAWSON’S CREEK and I was addicted to that show!

3) I always wanted to be an actress, but when I got my first big role (Mary in the local nativity) I lost my two front teeth!

4) I was an extra in the movie CAPTAIN AMERICA!

Oh Wow!  So many questions!  What scene?  Who did you see/meet?

Captain America was great fun – though I didn’t know it was that movie at the time (it was all very hush hush) but I’m in the scene in the lab where Hayley Attwell shoots the gun 🙂 I saw Dominic Cooper on set and I was all dressed up in cool 50s costume/make-up – but it was really cold!

That sounds so awesome!

Anyway back to the facts 😉

5) I can bend my thumb down to touch my wrist! (bit weird – but I bet you’re trying it too now!)

Growing up who inspired you into writing?  Are there any Authors or books that inspired you?

My Mum! Elizabeth Dale.

She’s a children’s author too, so I grew up copying her, writing my own little stories and acting them out. Even today, we always read each other’s books as we’re writing them, which is really lovely.

Are there any recent works or authors that you admire or books you wish you had written?

SO many! I love all of Cathy Cassidy’s books, and anything by Jenny Downham, Tamsyn Murray, David Levithan or Jacqueline Wilson. There are SO many good books out there, I just wish I could read more quickly and devour them ALL!

What are you currently reading?

I am extremely lucky in that I have a sneaky advance copy of Tamsyn Murray’s new YA, Instructions For a Second-Hand Heart, and it is breaking my heart! SO good! Definitely one to look out for when it’s published in November!

I am so very jealous!  I cannot wait to read this!

 What is your favourite book of 2016 so far?

I just read and LOVED One by Sarah Crossan – another book that broke my heart! It’s just so stunning and original and moving. Really special.

 Are there any authors you would like to collaborate with?  Who?

Actually, I’m working on a YA collaboration with my fellow EDGE authors! And I’m writing a musical (The Sound of Music meets Les Miserables!) with my Mum and a very talented composer, Helen Bonney, which is very exciting! And I would LOVE to collaborate with Jodi Picoult or David Levithan – two of my all-time favourite authors.

 When starting a new book or idea what does your writing process look like?

When I’m plotting I always start with a pen and paper – I find ideas flow better when written by hand, and I LOVE the plotting stage of a book – it’s so exciting as the book can go in SO many different directions and it’s all fresh and new. I just kind of scribble everything down I can think of and then sift through it and organise it on my laptop.

Do you have any strange writing habits?

Yes – I don’t usually start writing the book at the beginning! Usually I write the scene that is most vivid in my mind first, as that’s what I’m most interested in (plus the beginning is often the hardest bit – there’s a whole art to hooking the reader on the first page – pressure!). I do that when I get writer’s block too – skip ahead to the next scene that’s clear in my mind. It helps keep the writing fresh and exciting for me – but also means I often have a lot of holes to go back and fill in!

 Are there any exciting plans for the rest 2016 or 2017?

Mostly, I’ll be writing my next middle grade book, which is out next year – Very Exciting! And I’ve just booked my ticket for YALC in July which I’m very excited about too. But I’ve also got a holiday booked in Austria with my parents and my sister which I’m really looking forward to – we’ve been going there since I was little and I always find the mountains so inspiring and relaxing and you really feel like you’re in a whole different world.

Thank you so much for answering all my questions Katie!  I’m going to be looking out for you in Captain America now for sure as well as reading your fab books!

 Thanks for having me!

You can buy a copy of this book here or at your local book shop!

About Katie Dale

I love nothing more than creating characters – both on page and on-stage! I studied English Literature at Sheffield University, spent a year at UNC-Chapel Hill, followed by a crazy year at Mountview drama school, a national Shakespeare tour, and back-packing through South-East Asia. I love all genres, and am busily working on a variety of projects from novels to picture-books – whilst playing the odd princess/assassin/zombie in-between!

Find out more about me at katiedaleuk.blogspot.com

Or why not follow Katie on twitter using @katiedaleuk

Prize Draw

Don’t forget to enter the MUMNESIA GOODY-BAG PRIZE DRAW! To enter (UK only) simply answer the question:

WHAT IS SHAZZA (LUCY’S MUM’s) FAVOURITE SONG?

Email your answer to katiedaleauthor@hotmail.com

(p.s. there’s a special bonus draw and prize for those who answer all eight questions correctly  – so why not join me next time on the blogtour?)

Good luck!
www.katiedaleuk.blogspot.com

Blog Tour

Catch up or follow the rest of this fab blog tour at the following stops!

A huge huge thank you to Katie for answering all my questions and for asking me to take part!

Have you read Mumnesia?  What did you think?  What would you do if you thought you were 12 again?  I would love to hear from you!  Why not leave a comment using the reply button at the top of this review or tweet me on twitter using @chelleytoy!

Happy Reading!