Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

The most common question I get asked is 'Where Do YOu Get Your Ideas?' And the answer is not 'From a big lightbulb in the sky' - even though there is indeed one above me in this picture! No, ideas come from all over the place: *Books, movies, magazines, newspapers *Things I overhear on the train *Dreams and daydreams *Things that have happened to friends and family * Things that might never happen to anyone, but that I worry about! Dramatic things. *And often - real things that happened to me. In the 4th Amy Green book, a character gets very bad stage fright - no spoilers, I promise! This is based on something that happened to me when I was 12. I was Cinderella in the school play and I got terrible stage fright. The curtains opened and I just stood there - frozen - and when I started to sing my solo, my throat was all tight and I just squeaked. So I had to start again. This time it wasn't so bad. But being on stage is terrifying, and I was able to remember how it felt to be so scared and to use this in my book. At least something good came out of the experience - I could use it to make my book scene very realistic! Book 5 is set in Budapest and Dublin and features Claire Starr, Mills's sister who is in a ballet company over there. So recently I visited Budpest for research, and that also gave me ideas. See, I get ideas all over the place. Till next time, lovely Amy Greensters! Best, SarahX PS Look out for the next Amy Green newsletter later in April.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all the Amy Greensters out there.
I haven't blogged for a while - Christmas was kinda busy in chez Webb.
I'm currently working on Amy Green 4 - which is very nearly finished and will be out in May - exciting!
I'm also making notes for Amy Green 5 - and off to Budapest to do some research for the book in March.
And I have 2 Transition Year girls - Amy and Kate - coming in Feb to help me in my office. They both want to be writers, so they will be blogging about their experiences right here!!!
Stay tuned.
January is a funny old month, isn't it? Lots of things starting up. But for me September has always been the month things really begin - I think it's 'cos it was always back to school time.
Anyway, Happy January, and talk soon.
Sarah XXX

Ask Amy Green Party Drama-Rama - some clues

So what's in store for Amy and Clover next? Well, lots of you have been asking about the next Amy Green so I have some news for you.
First of all it will be out in May 2011 - 5 months to go I'm afraid. But stay tuned here and to the newsletter for more details.
Mills and Seth are back of course, along with Clover - naturally! Try keeping her away.
Clover's going to college but she's really nervous - for very good reason. There's someone in college she really, really doensn't want to meet up with.
And Bailey Otis is back - he of the cheek bones and amazing green eyes. Bailey has a secret, and Amy's determined to find out what it is.
But of course, Mills falls head over heels for him . . . she always has some sort of boy trouble on the go, being MIlls!
I'll tell you more soon, promise. And as Amy says, 'A promise is a promise'.
Talk soon,
Sarah X