Q: What inspired you to write the Bureau of Curious Cases series?

From a young age I have always been fascinated with all things paranormal and peculiar. Dark tales with spooky twists were a staple for me growing up. I loved films such as Gremlins, Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice, to name only a few. Beyond that, I was an avid fan of The Eerie Indiana TV show in the 90s, with that sparking the inspiration for my own Middle Grade novels. I find the idea of a group of children investigating peculiar happenings interesting and fun. Even more so when the adults don’t believe them.

Q: Is Hobbs Hollow a real place?

No, it’s a blend of all the quaint oldie-worldie villages and towns in the UK. You won’t find a village, town and city here that doesn’t have at least one old building dating back a few hundred years. I took all my favourite aspects of these places and created a town of winding lanes, historic buildings, thatched roofs and quirky characters.

Q: What were your reasons for picking the three main characters?

Initially, I wrote with different lead characters. Connor and James were originally side characters. however, the more I involved them, the more I enjoyed writing about them. I knew it needed to be more than just them, so I picked Ella from the original cast and started a whole new journey with these guys.

Q: What the things that provide inspiration?

I remember reading books by Robin Jarvis and fell in love with the Deptford Mice trilogy. I think I read those books about three times. I also loved his Wyrd Museum trilogy and the Whitby Witches. These stories had the right balance of fantasy and darkness; obviously more suited to a younger audience. As I grew older, I began reading Stephen King and loved the Point Horror books. Beyond books, films such as Willow, The Dark Crystal, Legend, all contained fantastical elements that captivated my imagination. Obviously today, we have Game of Thrones and House of Dragon, which has taken fantasy to a whole new level. In the same vein, I fell in love with Pan’s Labyrinth. For me, Guillermo Del Toro gets the balance between fantasy and dark creatures just right.

Q: Anything else?

There are so many things these days that inspire me to create ideas for my stories. Listening to spooky podcasts, watching paranormal videos on YouTube. There are so many talented people out there producing original and fantastic content. I also find inspiration from folklore and the imagery that often accompanies such tales. All these things combined allow me to develop my own tales of the strange and unusual.

Q: Will you be continuing your series?

Yes. I plan to continue writing stand-alone plots for the Bureau of Curious Cases series. I just enjoy the way the characters work together and bounce off each other.