What was your experience of growing up in Guernsey?
Not that you realise it then, but growing up on Guernsey is very unique. We were so safe, and with that came a lot of freedom. As soon as I got to university and met more people who had grown up on the mainland, I realised how lucky I was to have been surrounded by beaches and sea. Island hopping was normal to me, but my new friends were amazed by it. I loved describing Guernsey to them; it felt very special. This tiny little haven that they knew nothing about. I think growing up on Guernsey made me a very community-driven person.
What are your favourite childhood memories?
So many. Fish and chips at Cobo, hours and hours on the pebbles at Fermain with my dogs. Epic cliff walks before a massive Sunday roast. The Herm boat, cycling my bike everywhere. When I think of little me, I’m doing all of those things.
What do you miss most about island life?
I get to come back a lot so I don’t need to miss much. I live near the river in London but I do miss the sea. I find being by, or on, the water very calming. It’s always right there when you’re on Guernsey, living in England you have to go find it. The river is beautiful, but nothing is as beautiful as a windy day on the west coast when the waves are crashing on the rocks.
Tell us about your LA lifestyle; how was navigating the celebrity landscape?
I never know what to say to this question. My life in LA was mostly the school run and writing books. Most of our friends weren’t famous so it wasn’t really that different from living in London. Just a lot sunnier.
What is one of your most memorable experiences from that time?
I cooked every Sunday for whoever was in town. It was always an open invitation – that means we had all sorts of people coming over for a roast. Some amazing memories were made at our kitchen table. And no, I’m not spilling the beans on who came.
“Even when I was distracted by the idea of acting or being a TV presenter, it was always writing that had my heart.”
Where did your love of writing come from, and how did you take that leap to writing your first novel?
I always loved writing. I remember racing home on my bike to write stories if that was what our English homework was. It was the only homework I ever wanted to do. My uncle Tony would always read my stories and give me notes. I got such a thrill from him reading anything at all. I just loved losing myself on the page. As much of a show off as I was (anyone who went to school with me will agree), I always felt most myself on paper. Writing or journalism was always my goal, even when I was distracted by the idea of acting or being a TV presenter; it was always writing that had my heart. And my first fiction deal came to me when an editor had enjoyed a weekly column I had in a London magazine. She got in touch to say she thought I’d write good fiction for young adults and gave me a two-book deal. It felt like a miracle. That’s how Paper Aeroplanes and Goose were born.
Female friendships and experiences are recurring themes in your novels; why are these such popular topics for you?
I’d be nothing without my female friends. I have lots of them and cherish them all. I tell my friends everything and we support each other through everything: work, motherhood, whatever. I think the power of female friendship is enormous and that when women come together, we make amazing things happen. I love writing about female friendships like love stories, but very often they can feel that way.
Your female leads, Flo and Renée, share a similar upbringing to yours here in Guernsey – how true are their experiences to your life?
In Paper Aeroplanes, Renée’s life is very loosely based on mine. But the books are entirely fictional. Although Renée has a very similar personality to me, and I pour myself into her in lots of ways, her life isn’t mine.
Which of the two characters do you identify with more, and why?
Renée. She’s a version of me and I have been able to iron many of my emotional creases out through her. She’s my absolute favourite character to write because I know her so well. I feel like I’m getting to know Flo more with each book, she keeps surprising me and that’s really fun to write.
What would you tell your 15-year-old self today?
Go to Vazon, strip off, and run in the sea. No one cares about your silly belly!