o you remember when and where you guys first came up with the idea for this story?
In bed

hat's the best and worst thing about writing this book together?
It's all best, I'm afraid. The fun of enjoying each others' ideas, and making each other laugh, and telling each other our new plots and plans.

here's a good place to start when building or structuring an idea for a story?
Start with a person, then either give them something or take something away from them, and see how they react. We started with Charlie, then took his parents away.

o you have any other advice for budding young novelists out there?
Read!

f you could speak cat, what is the one question you would most like to ask?
I'd ask them to kindly stop doing poops on my lawn. Or, could I come and live with them for a bit…

hat do you do to get rid of writer's block?
Walk by water till your head is clean again.

f you could design a roller coaster, what would you call it?
Swankeedoodle (Isabel thinks this is a terrible name).

Photograph © Justine Stoddart