Karen interviews Kate Cann, author of many brilliant books including her latest, Possessing Rayne (reviewed by us here).
Your books feel very current and contemporary. How do you stay so in touch with teenage culture and slang?
I love this question because it means I’ve Brought it Off! In actual fact my books aren’t really current in terms of culture and slang. I deliberately avoid all that because it shifts and changes so quickly. What your question suggests to me is that my books feel current because the things I write about – loathing and longing, love and hate, jealousy, friendship – never go out of date.
How do you decide which topics you want to write about in your books? Do you come up with characters or situations first?
A bit of both. Things will mesh in my brain. I’ll be thinking about a theme – and then I’ll meet someone at a party – and it will all evolve. Also - I do a lot of eavesdropping on public transport. That’s great for characters and ideas.
Who are the favourite characters you've ever written, and why do you particularly identify with them?
I like Coll in the Diving In trilogy, probably because she’s the most like me. I like Poppy because she’s so appallingly twisted. I enjoyed ‘being’ Rich for the three Moving books – I quite got into 
the male mind. And I’m loving Rayne – she’s got to really grow and be strong to face what happens, and I like that, it’s a challenge.
Possessing Rayne has a very creepy house in it. What's the scariest experience you've ever had or the creepiest place you've ever been?
To research for Possessing Rayne I spent the night in a shrouded four-poster bed in a haunted mansion, surrounded by ancient gloomy portraits. I was so scared my legs seized up and I thought they were being lifted by a ghostly presence; I was too scared even to reach out my hand for a glass of water. I was so glad when dawn came – then I could sleep. It was the most creepily terrifying night I can remember and I’ve put it all in the book!
What are you working on at the moment?
The sequel to Possessing Rayne, which is called Fire and Rayne. I got to the end of writing Possessing Rayne and realised there had to be another book, because there was so much I hadn’t gone into and developed. Such as Rayne’s link to the green lady, and her relationship with Ethan. I was on a roll – I love it when that happens!
Thank you very much, Kate Cann!
Our review of Leader of the Pack
Our review of Sea Change
Kate Cann's website
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