Louise Gribbons is a 41 year old English teacher from Holywood, Co.Down. During lockdown Louise posted a children’s poem on Facebook, ‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned The World’. Inspired by her step-son Cooper the poem centres on coronavirus and how to reassure a three year old that the world is not a scary place. The poem was shared by over 5,000 people and Louise was inundated with messages from animators, illustrators and a very wonderful publisher. Jaimie Johnstone got in touch all the way from Sydney, Australia and asked Louise if she could publish her poem as a photo book and in the space of 6 weeks Stardust Publications released ‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ and her dream of being published came true!
What genre / style do you create in?
I write for children and like to mix the everyday with the powerful imagination that children have. They find magic and fun in all they interact with and I try to use that freedom to be creative and not to have to be factually correct. Shortly after ‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ I wrote a poem called ‘The Dragon Hunt’ where a little boy hunts for magical creatures in his garden shed and in the cupboard under the stairs. It’s the merge of the ordinary and the fantastical I aim to create.
What would you be best known for?
‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ is my first published title and therefore the best known. I was privileged that it got some great exposure; I was interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster, the Breakfast Team from Cool FM read it as a Bedtime Story for children and Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson read it on ‘Storytime with Fergie and Friends’.
What would you consider your biggest achievement?
Having a book published is definitely an achievement I will never forget. However, my profession as a teacher for the past 18 years and the many students I have had the privilege of working alongside remain my biggest achievement to date.
What would you consider to be the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your industry?
The power of social media! Before entering the industry I used Facebook and Instagram in a very limited way. It’s been really eye opening using social media as a promotional tool. Information is shared so quickly and widely. It is definitely a platform for all artists and creative types to use to their full advantage.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
As I said earlier I have been massively lucky to date and really have found the process of getting published enjoyable and highly rewarding. However, now that lockdown is over I’m back to my “day job”, a job I absolutely love, it will be a challenge to keep writing as much as I’ve been able to do in the last five months.
Tell us a little about your personal life, are you married, kids, hobbies etc?
I live with my partner Mal and have a stepson Cooper who is 4. It was Cooper who inspired ‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ (and lots of my other writing) and I was so delighted that the book could be dedicated to him. As an English teacher I’m an avid reader, I can easily spend an entire day lost in a book. Otherwise I enjoy spending time with family and friends whether it’s a day shopping, a tasty meal out or a long gossip over a coffee or cocktail! I also love a city break, roll on the days when frequent travel is normal again.
Tell us about your most recent work?
Up to now a lot of what I’ve written is in poem form , catchy stories for early readers. I’m currently working on a more developed story aimed at ages 6 and up. It’s called ‘The Ice-Cream Monster’ and so far I can tell you it involves some crumbs, a strange whooshing sound, a tuft of lilac fur and a missing tennis racket…and of course ice -cream!
What would you like us to tell people about?
‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ is available on Amazon and also www.stardustpublications.com. It really is a great resource for talking to young children about how the world has changed during the pandemic. I’ve had a lot of feedback from parents who have found that reading it has opened up conversations about germs, hygiene and their children’s fears. A lot of people have also purchased it as a keepsake, it’s a great addition to a 2020 memory box.
Follow me on Instagram @louisemgribbons!
You can purchase ‘The Day We Spring-Cleaned the World’ here>> https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spring-Cleaned-World-Louise-Gribbons-Paperback/dp/1740470656
If you had to describe your work to someone who has never heard of you what would you say?
Catchy rhyme, fun imagery with an underlying message of strength and love.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in your business?
A spammed zoom meeting! The Reading Club International, based in Malta, asked me to take part in a live zoom interview where I was also going to read a recent story ‘The Apple Tree and Me’ and set the children listening some activities to do based on this. The organiser suggested I join the meeting scheduled ahead of mine to get a flavour of how it would go. I joined the meeting only to be greeted with some very inappropriate sounds and images!! A message saying “leave immediately” very quickly followed. Needless to say my interview was then pre-recorded!
What would your advice be to young people hoping to pursue the same industry?
Write, write, write! The hardest place to start from is a blank page. You will read work back and cringe and edit and edit some more, that’s the job. Also, don’t be like me and wait until you’re in your forties to share your work publicly.
Anything else you want to tell people about yourself or your work?
Hopefully there’s lot’s more to come! While at the moment my writing has focused on young children I am very keen to write for a teenage audience in the future. I’ve taught teenagers for 18 years and I’ve promised many of them a book someday so watch this space!
Who do you look up to and why?
My parents because they are truly amazing. So many writers but I’ll just pick my top 3 , JK Rowling because Harry Potter! I actually was late to the Potter party and started with ‘The Goblet of Fire’ (I do recommend reading in order). Despite my unorthodox approach I was hooked. It’s that blend of recognisable humanity with magic that I love. The Bronte sisters (I know technically they constitute 3) created the most memorable heroines in literature and showed women’s desire for education and liberty at a time when others didn’t dare. Finally Anne of Green Gables, ok she’s a character not an author, but she’s my kindred spirit!