An interview with children's author Kathleen Belcon, creator of The Slowverse book series. The document presents her answers to questions about her inspiration, characters, writing process and advice for young writers.
This is an interview with children's author Kathleen Belcon, published as part of the People of La Horquetta series. The document presents her responses to questions about her work and creative process.
Belcon discusses her book series The Slowverse, which she created as a way to encourage children and adults to slow down. She explains that her love of trees and nature underlies all her work, and she wanted children to encounter these themes through engaging stories.
She describes her favourite character Joan, who reminds her of her own childhood self. Belcon shares that the most exciting part of becoming a published author was seeing her physical book and watching her children love the stories.
The interview covers her story ideas, which come from The Slowverse itself and from forests and the natural world. She explains how she develops characters like Splatter, Squish and Joan as individuals with distinct personalities.
Belcon offers advice for young writers, including believing in yourself, knowing your characters and studying books written for your target age group. She discusses what Caribbean authors can offer young readers, including their voices, humour and lived experiences.
The final sections cover the challenges of writing for very young children aged two to five, her favourite colour (black), her preference for tea over coffee, and her need for quiet when writing.