Caitlin Gunthorp

I’ve never written a fairy tale before, but I know that they generally have a strong emphasis on moral lessons. I wanted to explore the idea of material wealth versus the abundance to be found in nature, the self, relationships and so memories were a useful way to convey these.

Even before I could hold a pen my mother would write down the stories I told her. I’ve loved words, whether reading them or writing them, for as long as I can remember.

My favourite book is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It’s beautiful and I’ve never loved a character like I loved Rudy Steiner, not even Holden Caulfield! Lately I’ve been reading Sally Rooney. She has incredible insight into complex relationships.

My advice would be to have fun and to remember why you do it. Sometimes rejections are hard but really, every time you write you’re make something out of nothing. Whether it’s a world or a person or a storm or a sunset, you made it. You painted a picture in someone’s mind. It’s magic.