Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I went to a preparatory school - a private boarding-school
where the only things that mattered were sport and passing
exams. It was only when I was in my twenties that I began
to dream of being a writer. The idea of being able to earn
a living from writing seemed like a crazy dream (still does,
come to think of it).
What did you want to be when you were
a child?
I was mad about horses. In fact, my whole childhood revolved
around riding ponies - going to gymkhanas, show-jumping and hunting.
My ambition for quite an early age was to be an amateur jockey and
racing correspondent for a newspaper. There was man called
John Lawrence who combined these two things very
successfully, and he was my hero.
What went wrong?
I did ride as an amateur jockey, and remained obsessed
by horse and racing until I was about 22. Then I realised
I wasn't winning enough races, was making myself ill when
I had to ride at a light weight (the lightest weight I rode at
was 9 stone 12lbs - that's dressed and with a saddle), and I
wasn't that interested in the world of racing.
What were your favourite books when you were
a child?
I loved anything to do with animals. My favourites were White Fang, a
story about a wolf by the Canadian writer Jack London, and Dodie Smith's
The Hundred and One Dalmations.
What pets did you have when you were child?
Ponies, dogs, a few cats, a chinchilla and a rabbit called Bunter. My brother Philip
had a rat called Whiskers.
When did you become a writer?
11th March 1983. That was day when I left my job in book publishing to become a writer. I had had what is technically known as 'a career freak-out' - that is, I had suddenly realized that a life of working in an office, going to meetings and having lunches stretched before me. I had started writing short stories in the early morning before I went to work, and that was when I felt happiest at work. So I took the plunge.
Where did the idea for Ms Wiz come from?
I had written a picture book called If I Could Work and was trying to write another one. I had the idea for a book called Miss Heccatty and Class Five, a story where a witch came to a school. The publisher didn't think the story worked as a picture book but suggested that I might like to write for older children. As soon as I started what would eventually become Ms Wiz Spells Trouble, I began to enjoy myself.
Where did the name Ms Wiz come from?
While I was writing that first book, my daughter Alice came home from school and told me she had just read a book about a Miss Heccatty, and so I would have to think up another name for my book. I think I started with the Ms part - my witch was a very modern-minded person - and it took off from there.
Is the character of Ms Wiz based on anyone you know?
I always used to say she wasn't but that was not entirely 100% true. She was based on a friend of mine but I wouldn't dream of revealing her name.
Who is your favourite character in Ms Wiz?
I have a very soft spot for Herbert, Ms Wiz's magic rat. He may be a bit of snob but he makes me laugh. The story in which he falls in love Ms Wiz Smells a Rat is one of my favourites. I also really like Podge Harris.
How many Ms Wiz books have you written?
To my astonishment, Ms Wiz Rocks, which was published in July 2009, was the 18th Ms Wiz story. She has retired several times - after Ms Wiz Banned!, Ms Wiz Loves Dracula and The Secret Life of Ms Wiz - but every time I think I have written my last Ms Wiz story, she comes back and asks for another story to be written about her.
What has been the most surprising thing about writing the Ms Wiz stories?
I have been surprised how she has changed over time. She has become much more complicated with every story - and not necessarily nicer. I think she's a very interesting and psychologically complex paranormal operative.