I like using traditional beliefs in my fantasies, even though I always end up warping them to suit my purpose: it somehow makes everything feel more 'solid' if it's got a long history behind it. Jonathan Stroud beliefendfantasy Change image and share on social
My wife gave me a year to start making money out of writing, and after six months, I'd made not a bean. Suddenly, the books took off, and the beans started coming in! Jonathan Stroud beanbookcome Change image and share on social
We grow up being told about great figures in our society, and as you get older you have to question the stories you've been told and decide if these great figures are indeed as great as you've been told. Jonathan Stroud decidefiguregreat share on social
I like to have my characters talking in an up-to-date way, and I like their essentially modern self-awareness, which means we can have lots of irony and jokes. Jonathan Stroud awarenesscharacterdate Change image and share on social
When I think about my ideal free day, it usually involves going into London and sitting in a nice coffeehouse with cake and coffee, but I would probably still have my notebook in my pocket. Jonathan Stroud cakecoffeecoffeehouse Change image and share on social
As an author, you need to keep talking to your audience to remind yourself what they like and what they don't like. You spend most of your life locked in a room, and you need to be social occasionally. Jonathan Stroud audienceauthorlife share on social
I used to have quite long hair, and I decided that I wanted to get it cut. I'd never met the person who did it, and she cut it into some kind of dreadful mullet. It looked like a triangle on my head. The other kids were merciless. Jonathan Stroud cutdecidedreadful share on social
Most traditional ghost stories feature rather hapless protagonists, who have nasty things happen to them. Jonathan Stroud featureghosthapless Change image and share on social
I got fairly good grades, but I was bad at woodwork. They said I tried hard, but the result was hopeless. Jonathan Stroud badfairlygood Change image and share on social
When I was young, I kept a diary for about 10 years and I had to write in it every day. Even on days when nothing seemed to happen, I made myself think of something to put in it. Jonathan Stroud daydiaryhappen Change image and share on social
