Author Interview: Jacob North

We were able to chat with Jacob North, author of Ice Apprentices! Read our exclusive interview with him below:

Stories have always been, and always will be, the centre of my world. From the dramatic tales I put my toys through as a young child, to the magical journeys I scribbled in notebooks once I could write, to the longer adventures I feverishly typed once I had access to a computer. I adore writing. Especially because my stories are led by LGBT+ characters I see myself in.

It made sense to me, then, to try and get an agent, and become traditionally published. I was desperate to work on my stories with others, to collaborate on what we thought was good, and what needed changing. But I knew, even without a traditional publisher, I’d continue writing.

I was incredibly fortunate to get the world’s best agent, to land a deal with a fantastic publisher, and work with the most phenomenal editor on my series Ice Apprentices. Seeing my book in shops is a reminder both of what writing means to me, and the wonderful experience of working with others. I hope the joy that went into those pages will reach every reader, and encourage them to create their own worlds, too. 

1. When did you decide that you wanted to become an author?

I’ve always written so it’s more a case of when did I realise, I should try and get an agent and, if that didn’t happen, how else could I go about sharing my stories? Writing is simply the most enjoyable thing to me. My life is for writing, and I couldn’t be happier about that. Nor could I be happier that trying to get an agent did work out, and I now get to improve my stories with some of the most talented, dedicated and friendly people I’ve ever met. 

2. Did you read lots as a child - if you did, where did you mainly read? If you didn't, what was the reason? 

I didn’t read that much as a child because reading was challenging for me, as someone with dyslexia. There were certain series I found accessible enough that I could get lost in their worlds, like How To Train Your Dragon or Warrior Cats, but reading was typically more difficult for me than writing. With reading, I didn’t know what was happening, so by the time I’d struggled to the end of a page I’d already forgotten what had happened at the start and would give up. But with writing, I knew what was happening, because it was all in my head. It didn’t matter if the spelling or grammar were all over the place, because everything was crystal clear. I was on an adventure! Now that I’ve grown up and had time to practise and improve my reading, it’s an entirely different story. I race through books, some over 800 pages long, without any effort. I can even read in Dutch now, which just goes to show what practise and time can do.

3. What was your favourite book as a child and why?

Warrior Cats is my favourite series, and I still read it to this day. The books felt easy and short enough so that my dyslexia didn’t steal the enjoyment, yet they still contained the more grown up (and sometimes gruesome!) themes of betrayal, murder, and politics, that I wanted. Finding books that are both appropriate for those who struggle to read, but also contain such dramatic and lethal plotlines, was difficult. Warrior Cats struck that perfect balance, and I’ll be forever grateful that they do.

4. How does it feel to see your books in shops and being sold?

It’s utterly wonderful. ‘Dream come true’ doesn’t begin to cover it. I wish I could teleport my younger self into the present to see where his writing will one day take him. He’d struggle to believe it. I get to write as my job, and work on my stories with some of the greatest literary minds I’ve encountered, so that each tale becomes better with every edit. It’s hard to think of anything more fulfilling. 

5. What is the best part about being an author?

Getting to work on my stories with people who are so incredibly talented and give me such amazing ideas and guidance on how to improve them. I love getting to look at a book after all the drafts and see how much of a journey it’s been on.

6. What are the "not so fun bits" in being an author?

Balancing everything you need to do and still make time for writing can be a challenge! It can also be a lonely job – you’re not in an office with colleagues you can go for lunch with. On the other hand, this can make a very peaceful work environment. 

7. Why do you think it is important for children to read?

Because it’s so much fun! If a child doesn’t enjoy reading, in my experience, it means they haven’t yet found the sorts of books they’d love. Whether that’s non-fiction, graphic novels, fantasy, poetry, or any of the hundreds of sorts of books out there. On top of being fun, reading is one of the best ways to improve our understanding of the world, both in terms of how languages work as we use a language to read, but in terms of whatever the story we’re reading tells us about the world. Reading is a fantastic way to broaden our horizons.

8. What is the inspiration for your books and writing?

I’m hugely inspired by all things winter – my favourite time of the year – and places in the world that have thick covers of snow, hearty pine trees, and log cabins. I’ve also been hugely inspired by my favourite children’s book series such as Warrior Cats or The Shapeshifter.

9. Who gives you feedback on your drafts and how do you act on the feedback?

Both my agent and my editor give me feedback, which I find such a fulfilling process. It’s like being given a puzzle and you get to solve it. This part of the book is too slow? There are too many characters? This character arc is repetitive? Brilliant! Now that I know that I can start thinking on how to improve it. Change this, change that. Combine these characters, cut this one. Alter this dialogue, add in some more here, take some out there. Move this scene to the start, combine these scenes, etcetera. Once you finish, you look at the new manuscript and have to smile at how much better it’s ended up thanks to that invaluable advice.

10. Finally, if you could read for an hour, on your own, anywhere in the world - where would it be?

A cosy cabin in the French Alps with a massive window overlooking a snow laden valley, with a gentle flurry ghosting down from the sky.