Reading For Pleasure With Katherine Livesey, Author Of Sisters Of Moonlight

To celebrate our charity collaboration with The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we're sitting down with Katherine Livesey, author of the Sisters of Shadow fantasy trilogy, to talk about the inspirations behind her latest novel and what she reads for pleasure!

Hi Katherine! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! I’m an author of fantasy adventure novels for teenagers, and I’m based in the wilds of Hadrian’s Wall country up in the north of England. I live in a little railway cottage with my husband, our two dogs, and six chickens, and enjoy creating content about gentle adventures, slow living, writing, and nature.

We love Sisters of Moonlight here at Joanie! What inspired you to write whimsical fantasy books?

Thank you! The Sisters of Shadow trilogy came about years ago when I was studying in university and reading sooo many YA Fantasy books. At that point, I knew I wanted to write - I just never expected it to become a reality. I love cosy fantasy, and I always followed the advice of ‘write the book you want to read’ - there wasn’t much cosy fantasy out there at the time, and I realised I wanted to write a book that was exciting but also comforting, something readers could come back to in times where they needed a warm hug in a book.

Who is the book aimed at and what’s the key message in the story?

The book is aimed at teens (13-18) but is also written to be enjoyed by everyone! The key message is centred around friendship, belonging, found family, acceptance, and adventure. We follow the main characters, Lily and Alice, as they navigate The Shadow Lands and face a whole host of adventure and turmoil along the way.

Have you got any tips for aspiring writers looking to start their own book?

Figure out if you’re a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser,’ and plan your book based on those things. Plotters like to plot the whole book, or series, in advance, so if that’s you, don’t be afraid to lean into it - but remember, at some point you have to stop planning and start writing, even if you’re afraid it’s not going to be perfect. You have to build the house before you can decorate the walls. If you’re a pantser, then embrace it - pantsers like to fly by the seat of their pants, hence the name. Start writing, follow your heart and follow the direction that excites you - you can tidy it up later. Finally, my universal advice is - first drafts will always be rubbish. It’s a rite of passage. You can only improve what’s there; if you don’t write it, you can’t make it better. So get writing!

Outside of your work, what do you get up to in your spare time?

I love being in nature, so hiking, cycling, and wild swimming are my favourite ways to spend time outside of work. I also love reading (obviously!), as well as movies and tv, so you’ll often find me surrounded by blankets and candles with some kind of home-baked snack, curled up with my pups, watching something comforting.

Do you have an all-time favourite book or one that particularly inspired you growing up?

I adore His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman - those are the books that really made me want to be a writer. I’ve also always adored everything by Jane Austen and all the Anne of Green Gables books by LM Montgomery. For a more recent read, I adore the Emmy Lake Chronicles by AJ Pearce, starting with Dear Mrs Bird.