Magical Cats, Fairies, Mermaids and Mums...the wonderful writing of Gwyneth Rees!

Gwyneth Rees is half Welsh and half English and grew up in Scotland. She was born in Leicester in 1968, moved to Hastings in 1970, and then on to Glasgow in 1974 where she spent the remainder of her childhood. She studied Medicine at Glasgow Medical School, qualifying as a doctor in 1990. In 1992 she moved to Birmingham and specialised in Psychiatry before moving to London in 1999, where she worked as a psychiatrist with children and adolescents until 2003 when she stopped practicing in order to become a fulltime writer.

Her first book, Something Secret was published in 1995 a success she followed up with Mermaid Magic, Rani's Sea Spell and The Shell Princess, in 2000. Gwyneth has created further tremendous titles: The Mum Hunt which won it's category of the Red House Children's Book Award last year, Fairy Dust, My Mum's From Planet Pluto, Fairy Treasure and Cosmo and the Magic Sneeze, Fairy Dreams and The Mum Detective.

The author currently resides happily in London with her two Siamese cats Magnus and Hattie.

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Gwyneth tells us about her writing and making her career change below....

How did you first get into writing? Did you write as a child?

I always loved reading as a child and I wrote stories from about the age of ten. Then I just kept on writing as a hobby and went on some writing workshops, and from there I got encouraged to send some stuff off to try and get it published.

How did you make the move from being a child psychiatrist to becoming a full-time writer?

Very gradually and cautiously! For a long time I worked part-time and wrote the rest of the time and then I got offered a 7 book contract by my publisher and that was what gave me the confidence to make the switch to full-time writing.

Was there a 'eureka' moment when you thought 'aaarrrggghh I've just got to do it?!'

Not really. It was more a longstanding wish to make it as a writer that kept me persevering

Did you go back to college or have any further training to begin writing? Are you 'formally' trained at all in writing? If so, what course did you do?

I had no formal training in writing though I did go on a few writing workshops at the beginning where I met some published writers who advised me how to go about trying to get work published.

Was it hard getting your first book published?How did you go about it?

Yes, I had a lot of rejection letters before I finally got a book published. It was a case of getting an agent who sent off my first book to a lot of different publishers.

Did you have an agent? Do you think they are essential?

I managed to get a very good agent when I first started trying to get my work published. I know some people have succeeded in getting books published without using an agent but I think publishers take you more seriously at the beginning if you come recommended by an agent they respect. I certainly could not manage without mine now because my agent is the one who negotiates contracts, fees etc with my publisher and other interested parties.

How many hours do you spend writing a day? Do you have to be quite disciplined?

I spend a variable number of hours actually writing - usually somewhere between 4 and 6. Yes, I have to be quite disciplined because working from home means there are always lots of distractions

What or who has been your biggest inspiration?

No one person, rather an amalgamation of people and experiences.

What story do you remember most from your childhood?

That's definitely The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

In your opinion what makes a great children's story?

I think it's got to have a gripping plot that involves characters children can identify with and really care about.

Do you have any words of wisdom for Mums (or Dads!) who would like to become Children's Authors?

Write what you most want to write and be prepared to get rejection before success. Perseverence is the key!