Interview with Alex Smith, Author of Calling for Angels

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Calling for Angels, which was written by Alex when she was 14 and was Red Telephone's 2009 novel competition winner.  Please join me in welcoming Alex here for an interview, welcome Alex!


Alex could you tell readers more about yourself please?
I'm a pretty average seventeen year old girl who's in sixth form, studying for her A levels. I think I want to go to uni and study something like history maybe. I like reading, drawing, going out with my friends, daydreaming and writing of course :)

What inspired you to write when you were 14?
Well I've always been writing since... I could write! So this was just part of it.


What was your experience of The Red Telephone's 2009 Competition?
Weird, but in a good way. I remember sending my story off, completely forgetting about it and thinking "I'm going to be up against loads of really good adults, whose writing will be mature..." So I was quite shocked to find out I had won!


Where did inspiration come from for the main characters, Gemma, Kai, Zak and Caitlin?

I'm not really sure, my characters just seem to develop on their own. To be honest, it feels like I don't have much control over them.

I love the idea of the small wooden statues, where did that idea stem from?
Good question...I have no idea. My whole thought process is seriously disorganised...

Have you got any plans for future books?
Well I'm always writing, so maybe. (NB - At Red Telephone, we are very keen for Alex to keep writing and tell her so all the time! - Ollie @redtelephoneuk