Meet the Author Angie Lake #AuthorQandA #SweetCherry10

 

Celebrating 10 years of Children's Publishing! 

I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for 10 years of Sweet Cherry Publishing. Today Angie Lake is joining us on Cat and Mouse Reading... to talk about her life as a Sweet Cherry author.  

 

 

Welcome to Cat and Mouse Reading... Angie!

What has been the highlight of your time as a Sweet Cherry author? 

Hanging out with the team. I was trying to think of my favourite occasion, but I can’t pick one! From hard-earned curries at the end of long days at the Hong Kong book fair, hilarious behind-the-scenes moments during my UK school tour, piling into a tuk tuk while visiting Bangkok… and the night in London after which I vowed to never look at another bottle of Prosecco ever again… there have been lots of good times!

What has been your favourite book to publish and why? 

Danny Dingle: The Farts of Gratitude. I can’t believe the things I got away with in that book, it’s definitely a fun read for grown-ups too.

Who were the inspiration behind your characters Danny Dingle and Mina Mistry? 

Danny and Mina are inspired by Sweet Cherry’s MD Abdul Thadha’s children and the children I met on a school tour in Leicester. Their personalities are an amalgamation of amusing traits I’ve found in children over the years. Curiously enough, a lot of the stories in the books are based on true stories, the more unlikely the story, the greater the chance that at least part of it is true. Fact really is stranger than fiction!

What’s the best piece of advice for an aspiring children’s author? 

Always remember to take off your top hat before walking into a toilet cubicle.

What are you currently writing or writing next? 

My next project will be a sci-fi comedy; I’ve always wanted to write one. Watch this space!

About the Author

 

I started my writing career as a journalist in the Spanish music industry; to this day I remain passionate about music. I have worked on a variety of projects, including writing and reviewing for press publication, translation and authoring works of fiction.

I was born in the UK and raised on the Spanish Costa Blanca. From the age of 18 I travelled around before settling in Barcelona, where I studied Psychology and began my writing career in the Spanish national music press.

I joined Sweet Cherry Publishing in 2012, having co-authored The Diaries of Robin’s Toys with my father, Ken. I have since penned a solo comedy series, Danny Dingle’s Fantastic Finds, and a companion collection in the Robin series, The Diaries of Robin’s Travels. Further work is in production.

I am currently settled in Madrid where, aside from working a lot of hours, I find time to go to concerts, have karaoke parties on my own (when no one can see me) and indulge in hobbies such as practicing made-up Kung Fu in the park and tree climbing.

About the Publisher

 

The award-winning, Leicester-based, independent children’s publisher Sweet Cherry Publishing has announced two new imprints: Clock Tower and Cherry Stone. The new imprints will launch in October to mark the 10^th anniversary of Sweet Cherry Publishing, winner of Small Press of the Year at The British Book Awards 2021, and form part of the publisher’s mission to bring great stories within everyone’s reach.

Abdul Thadha, Managing Director of Sweet Cherry Publishing, said:

"Marking our tenth year in children's publishing is a huge celebration for Sweet Cherry. It's been incredible to watch our list develop, our team grow and our global reach widening year on year while remaining true to our humble Leicester roots. It's been a decade but it's only the beginning for Sweet Cherry as we launch two new imprints, hire and develop publishing's rising stars and bring more and more great stories within everyone's reach."

Clock Tower Publishing will champion new, marginalised and diverse voices in publishing and aim to bring their readers a range of high-quality trade fiction for all ages – including standalone and series titles – that authentically showcases the world we live in while leaving them hooked into a compellingly great story. The name of the imprint is inspired by the company’s Leicester roots, and their ethos as a hub for multiculturalism and diversity.

The first publishing from Clock Tower Publishing will be released early in 2022. The list will also include the previously announced neurodiverse middle grade novel by Isabelle Marinov, Boy Underground (October 2022). Boy Underground follows an autistic 12-year-old protagonist, Hugo, who finds comfort in maps, especially that of the Paris underground with its maze of tunnels, quarries, bunkers and catacombs. Further acquisitions for Clock Tower Publishing will be announced over the coming weeks.

Cherry Stone Publishing will be dedicated to bringing literary classics to a modern audience of all ages, celebrating the themes, genres and writing of renowned authors that paved the way for the contemporary books published today. The imprint will offer beautiful editions of the classics at excellent value for money, making them the perfect gift for book lovers.

Two collections will be released on 14 October 2021 by Cherry Stone: The Art of War and Other Military Classics from Ancient China, an intricately designed collection bringing together Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and more translated military texts and treatise from famous Chinese generals and writers; and an eight-book box set of Maurice Leblanc’s gentleman-thief Arsène Lupin, the perfect gift for fans of mystery fiction and classic literature.

As part of further publishing to mark Sweet Cherry’s 10^th anniversary, the publisher will release ten of Dick King-Smith’s titles to mark the centenary of the author’s birth upcoming in 2022. Further anniversary celebrations will be announced over the coming weeks.

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