INTERVIEW: Helena Pielichaty

Chicklish interviews Helena Pielichaty, author of several novels including the After School Club series and standalone novels Saturday Girl, Never Ever and, most recently, Accidental Friends (reviewed by us here).

Hello! What do you like about writing for teenagers?

I always feel I can ‘let go’ when I’m writing for teenagers. I don’t have to censor myself in the same way that I do for my younger fiction. I also love teenagers’ humour and wit as well as their sense of justice. I think this generation of teens are the best yet – they are loyal to each other, kind and up for anything.

Do you set out to write about particular issues or do they arise from the characters and situations they create?

It’s true I seem to be ‘issue’ led. In the back of the Oxford Fiction catalogue, ‘Saturday Girl’ comes under ‘bullying’, ‘Never Ever’ ‘family problems, alcoholism’ and ‘Accidental Friends’ ‘family problems/homosexuality/ teen mums’ (and they missed out disability).  It all sounds pretty heavy, doesn’t it?  The way I see it is that a book has to be about something so it might as well be a relevant something. By the same token a character has to have a problem to overcome so it may as well be a gut-kicking problem. This is true regardless of genre, setting etc. Also I believe most writing reflects the society in which the writer lives either consciously or unconsciously. So yes, I guess my books are about ‘issues’ but all books are, aren’t they?  Even Cinderella is about sibling rivalry and body image!

Have you always been a writer?

I neither planned to be a writer nor do I yet fully believe I am one! On reflection I have always written – in the form of diaries as a teen, letters, short plays and pieces for the classes I taught when I was a teacher but it wasn’t until my early 30s I attended a creative writing course and unleashed whatever it was within. I still don’t know what propelled me towards signing up for the course – six weeks’ worth of Tuesday mornings in a Scout and Guide Hut – but it set me on my way.

Is there a YA book, past or present, that you loved and recommend?

When I was a teenager I was already reading adult fiction (the YA imprint wasn’t around then). The book I recommended in The Ultimate Teen Book Guide (a recommendation in itself) was ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’ by Betty Smith. Although written in 1943 and set in Brooklyn, NY, earlier than that, I think it stands the test of time. It’s a rags-to-riches story (I’m a sucker for a good rags-to-riches story!) based on Smith’s childhood. She writes beautifully and one scene – where she is sexually assaulted - and the practical solution her mother has for that – has stayed with me for years.

I think there are certain definitive YA books that changed the reading zeitgeist such as ‘Junk’ by Melvin Burgess, ‘Stone Cold’ by Robert Swindells, ‘Are you there God, it’s me, Margaret’ by Judy Blume, ‘The Dairy of Adrian Mole aged 13 and ¾’ by Sue Townsend and ‘Dear Nobody’ by Berlie Doherty. 

Tell us something about your next book?

I’m back on the 8-11s again!  This time a series of twelve books for Walker Books set around a girls’ football team called the Parr’s Nips (named after Lily Parr, the legendary woman footballer from the 1920s). Football is the fastest growing sport among females in the world so I want to be part of that movement. It’ll be feisty and fun and I’m very excited about it.

Thank you very much, Helena Pielichaty!

Helena's website is here, and she answers some frequently asked questions here.

Comments

[Alexandra]

Great interview!