We asked some of our authors about what inspires them. Read what they say.

Elspeth Rawstron

“ My story ideas can come from a casual conversation, a visit to a new city or country, an article in a magazine or newspaper or the Internet. The idea for The Kingdom of the Snow Leopard came to me when a friend showed me a website about Bhutan, a kingdom in the Himalayas. There was from the King, who said “Gross national happiness is more important than gross national product.” Happiness is more important than wealth. Those words stayed with me and inspired me to write the story.”

Elspeth has written for the Helbling Readers Series:
The Kingdom of the Snow Leopard

Elspeth has adapted for the Helbling Readers Series:
Mowgli's Brothers
A Christmas Carol

“ Wherever I go I always see something or meet someone who is an inspiration for a story or a character or an unexpected twist in my latest piece of writing. Operation Osprey is about two young birdwatchers. When I was 15 my parents took me on a camping holiday to Scotland, and that was the first time I saw the ospreys that this story is about. A year later I joined the RSPB, the birdwatching club the boys in the story belong to.”

“ I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write. I wrote my first play when I was eight years old. I don’t wait for inspiration. I often begin with an issue, for example something that makes me angry or worried. Then I think about the characters and ask myself who would be involved in this issue. I wrote Red Water because there had been a lot of discussion in the papers about the environment and the carbon trade and it is a subject that has interested me for many years.”

Antoniette has written for the Helbling Readers Series:
Red Water
Danger in the Sun