Author Confessions with Steven Camden

Emma Lamont
By Emma Lamont Posted in Children's Book Tour
November 6th, 2015

Taking a selfie

In October 2015 the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour visited secondary schools in North Ayrshire, East and West Dunbartonshire with the brilliant author and spoken word artist Steven Camden.

Over the course of a jam-packed week Steven shared his infectious enthusiasm for storytelling with over 1200 pupils from 10 different schools. He encouraged pupils to share their ideas and gave them an insight into his own writing process. After Steven’s visit pupils were left buzzing. As one school librarian said “Steven was inspirational – I have worked in children’s libraries for 36 years and I have never seen young people respond to a book event so positively”.

Whilst on the road we quizzed Steven about books, films and fantasy dinner guests. Read on to find out more. . .

1. Which author or fictional character would you like to have dinner with?
A. I reckon Kurt Vonnegut would be fun at dinner.

2. Which book should every child read?
A. I Want My Hat Back by John Klassen and then The Witches by Roald Dahl.

3. What would your dream job be if you weren’t an author?
A. I’d like to work demolition by day and become an animal rights vigilante by night.

4. What’s your most prized possession?
A. I have stories, pictures and comics that my children have made. They’re important. I have a few t-shirts that have sentimental value, my music collection, to be honest there’s not much I couldn’t live without.

5. Who would play you in a film of your life?
A. Fred Savage from The Wonder Years.

Steven in library

6. What is your fondest childhood memory?
A. Too many. I was very lucky to grow up surrounded by amazing hilarious characters. I could write twenty books just listing memories.

7. If you could go back in time, what year, period or event would you choose?
A. The 1960s. A time of hope, experimentation and perceived freedom that I think yielded amazing things.

8. Which book has left the greatest impression on you?
A. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, Self Help by Lorrie Moore or maybe The Outsiders by S.E Hinton.

9. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring authors what would it be?
A. Don’t listen to advice. And finish things.

10. What would be your first purchase if you won the lottery?
A. A house with a garden.







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