Gillian Cross loves to write. But while some authors prefer an open space or perhaps a sunlit room, she works in a small, dark room behind her kitchen. It used to be a larder and it has no views, so she cannot
be distracted.
The results are impressive. She has written more than 40 books, which have sold some one million copies, and will be in Hong Kong next month for the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival.
But like many aspiring authors, success did not come immediately. She had to wait five years before any of her books were published. After such a long wait she was lucky enough to have two books accepted in the same week.
The first was called The Runaway, which was published by Methuen. Since then, Oxford University Press has been her only publisher.
Children and critics love the way Cross uses clever plots and authentic characters. One of her most famous characters is in her series of Demon Headmaster titles.
The school headmaster seems to have almost magical powers over students, who are unusually neat and well-behaved. Dinah is adopted by a family with two boys who attend this school. She needs to find out what is happening. The BBC has made a television version of the story.