This week, we had the joy of sitting down with Vashti Hardy, author of some of our *favourite* books of all time, to discuss the stories that have shaped her life and her prolific career to date. This episode turned into a masterclass, as Vashti generously shared some of the tips, tricks and techniques that help her to create her wonderful work, and the love for books and stories just fizzes out of every word of this interview. Enjoy this wonderful, warm, and (we hope) inspiring chat with one of the most talented authors around and - if you enjoy it! - do please share it, and spread the word. Let's grow the Storyshaped community!

Books mentioned in this week's episode include Vashti's own:

The Brightstorm Chronicles (Brightstorm, Darkwhispers, Firesong, and Serpent of the Sands)

Wildspark

Crowfall

The Harley Hitch Series

The Griffin Gate Series

And the stories which have shaped her include:

My Naughty Little Sister, by Dorothy Edwards, ill. Shirley Hughes

The Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

Rebecca's World, by Terry Nation

Mold and the Poison Plot, by Lorraine Gregory

Ghost Stories, by Pamela Oldfield

Chocky, and Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham

Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier

I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

The work of Marcus Sedgwick

The Cone Gatherers, by Robin Jenkins

Z for Zachariah, by Robert C. O'Brien

The Sisterhood, by Katherine Bradley

Her Dark Wings, by Melinda Salisbury

The Girl Who Broke the Sea, by A Connors

Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain, by Amy Jeffs

Movie influences include: Star Wars

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In the UK, check out our storefront on: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/Storyshaped. Disclaimer: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

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