Sandra Horn

I live in a city, but grew up in very rural East Sussex. The wealden landscape and my Cornish heritage have been a big influence on much of my writing - mostly children's books but also poetry, plays, novels (as yet unfinished!) and stories. I'm a psychologist by trade, but took early retirement to concentrate on writing - and latterly, publishing. With my husband Niall, I set up the Clucket Press. Our first book was The Mud Maid, for the Lost Gardens of Heligan. My very first book for children was/is 'Tattybogle' (Andersen Press) which, twenty years on and largely thanks to Starshine Music's Ruth Kenward who turned it into a musical for primary-age children, is still going strong. Starshine have also transformed 'Babushka' and 'The Moon Thieves' - marvellous stuff!

Credentials

Sandra Horn in 60 seconds

When did you start writing?

1957 in Crowborough, in Sussex, England.

What do you love about short stories?

I love the fact that they suggest more - that they are a glimpse or hint of a wider story.

Do you write in other forms?

Yes - poetry, plays, novels.

What distracts you from writing?

Almost anything on a bad day!

Outside of writing, what are your other passions?

Music, theatre, walking, travel, bread-making.

What is your favourite book?

The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West.

Who are your favourite writers?

Rebecca West, Elizabeth Jane Howard and Alice Oswald.

Where is your dream location?

Cumbria.

What one item would you put into Room 101?

Hate.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Keep on keeping on, read your work out loud to trusted others, re-write and re-write until you get it right!