Introducing… Miranda Barlow
Today we meet Miranda Barlow!
I am a neurodivergent writer and illustrator. My debut novel The Little Cottage at World’s End is a middle-grade magical adventure that delves into the mysteries of life and loss. It
grew from a fascination with fate, ancient myths and the hidden magic in ordinary places. I live in Devon with my family and our diva cockapoo, Jess. In my free time, I love to read, walk and play the clarinet. With a Creative Writing degree and an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University, this is the story I wish I’d read as a child — a dark, haunting adventure that not only brings hope, but leaves you a little bit different than before.
What is your writing routine?
I start writing every morning at eight o clock, for at least an hour. Sometimes, I write for hours which is utterly joyful and sometimes each minute of the hour is like wading through mud.
Who is your favourite author and how have they inspired you?
My favourite author, without a doubt, is Terry Pratchett. His discworld novels (particularly the early ones) are a little dated in some respects but the stories provide a place of safety for me when I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed. As a writer, I admire his genius hugely. He was so adept in the craft of writing - and his writing is jammed full of easter eggs before easter eggs were even a thing. With every re-read I discover new secrets concealed within innocent looking sentences.
What was the inspiration for your manuscript?
My chief motivation for writing this book was grief and loss — exploring how it feels when someone important is no longer in your life (for whatever reason) and being filled with a desperate longing to get them back. That need led me to researching Greek myths. I used my character to explore what might happen if you changed fate and never had to accept loss.
Who is your favourite character in your book?
I love my main character, Lucie, but the most fun character to write has been Will, a teenage ghost boy who teases Lucie mercilessly.
What inspires you first: character or plot?
I am a plotter and then my characters form around that. I realise it should be the other way around but stories play out like films in my mind and I have to try to pin that down in words. I often draw out characters and scenes before writing them which helps me to describe the world I can see.
Describe your perfect day.
A perfect day. Well, it’d be snowing heavily. The noise and haste of the outside world would be smothered under a white blanket of settled snow and I’d have no commitments other than a promise to myself to write and draw.
When I get near perfect days (mainly without snow), I usually tidy up my work space before I start, then put a lit candle in my burner so the room fills with the smell of frankincense and myrrh. Then, I put on some gentle, haunting music and snuggle into bed to write with my chipped, paint strewn and ink-splashed, wooden desk stretched over my lap. I usually give myself a few minutes to daydream and then when an idea has filled me with energy I start to write and/or draw it out. There is nothing more blissful, for me, than spending time in my imagination and trying to express what’s in it. It is always hard to engage with reality again but fortunately, I have a wonderful, kind and funny family who make it easy to bump back into normality. On a perfect snowy day, I’d spend the afternoon sledging with the family and then in the evening we’d play games or I’d practice the clarinet with my son playing his trumpet alongside me — teasing me mercilessly for how badly I’m playing.