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I started one of the first pre-school playgroups in South East London and following my daughters going to school I qualified as a nursery nurse; working in hospitals, various special units, and mainstream schools. Later I moved to Cornwall, and after gaining my Certificate of Education, I lectured in child development in several colleges in Cornwall and again when I moved to Kent. Now retired, I live in Lincolnshire near my two daughters and five grandchildren and write children's books.
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What inspired you to write?
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Since childhood, I have liked to write but when I moved to Cornwall, my love for the sea, the mystic landscape and the legends there started my head buzzing with stories. With thirty years experience and early retirement, I knew how (I) and children loved magic and adventure; so having lots of time suddenly, I began my first novel which is set in Cornwall and the beginning of my LEGEND series.
The stories are all intertwined with myths and legends of real locations. My philosophy is that all children need to identify with characters in stories to feel they belong to society. This has inspired me to write my Special Pals Series. I noticed while working with special needs children that visibility in literature for children who are different and for them to become heroes has for the most part and still is, missing. In fact, disability is often grossly mistreated and negatively portrayed. (Think Secret garden, Heidi, Hunch back of Notre Dame.)
The first book in the series, The Gallant Three – to be published August 2011 (and was a semi finals of New Writers Brit Awards 2010 from 21 thousand entrants) is a young readers story for primary school children and includes handicap children as heroes. It is a great adventure and a puzzling mystery that can be read and shared by all children. These books will help shape positive attitudes and promote understanding at the beginning of a child's life and friendships.
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What genre do you write in?
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I write for children. My Legend series are adventure fantasy books for 10 plus. My other two children's books are for early readers from 6 – 10 years.
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What books have you written?
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The LEGENDS and the Inca Crystals
The LEGENDS Saving the Rainforest Orchid
Nanny's Babysitting Adventures
The Gallant Three
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What is the address of your official web site?
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www.legends-liaginno.co.uk
www.liaginno.com
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Who are your favourite authors?
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My introduction to reading (and writing) in my childhood was the Secret Seven and Famous Five, two series by Enid Blyton and I wrote my first novel at fourteen along her story lines - which is still in the bottom draw! I love Roald Dahl, his quirky way at looking at things and humorous writing for children plus his mystery stories for adults. For romance, I liked Victoria Holts Gothic novels, because they always involved a mystery too. She also used several pseudonyms for her historical novels and I understand she sold over 100 million books during her life. And for classical reading I like some of Byron and Shelley.
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What are your top five writing and/or publishing tips for budding authors?
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- Write what you like to read, not what is current.
- Your beginnings must capture, your middles must hold, and your ends must resolve and satisfy.
- Capture - Open your story with some intriguing action or a characters unusual thought, catastrophe or threat. This will entice the reader into the story, to see what happens next.
- Hold - Characters should be floored, not perfect. How can you identify with perfection? Select a few of your own personal traits and maybe exaggerate them. Readers want to feel, they need to care which in turn will hold them to the story. Give them someone to empathize with; remember when you felt scared - if only when you went to the dentist; remember when you felt anger. Use all your senses to describe the emotion. Your physical feelings - like trembling hands, inside feelings - knots in your stomach or feeling sick etc.
- Build up the tension to hold. I write about magic, but don't let magic be the only resolution to get them out of trouble, maybe their magical object won't work, their spells go wrong and they have to rely on a human strength. When a main character has a challenging moment, give them difficulties getting out, maybe their weakness could interfere with it. They could be frightened of heights, cannot swim etc. Wrap up the entire scenario by solving the plot, and include a positive change to your main character.
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Any final words of wisdom?
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Have you something to ask about my stories? I love to talk and engage with any of my readers and listen to what they have to say about my stories. I also like to hear from new writers or anyone about writing. If anyone would like to get in touch please login to my website.
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