I have a Russian middle name – Raissa. My parents certainly are fans of hard-to-spell names!
2. What is your nickname?
Shiv
3. What is your greatest fear?
That something bad happens to my son. I guess that’s probably every parent’s worst fear.
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
Pacey, visual, contemporary fiction that uplifts, entertains and inspires. Hopefully!
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Heart-felt, inspirational, funny, warm, realistic (I found this a bit awkward to do so I took the words from some Moonlight Dreamers reviews!)
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Lennie from my favourite YA novel, The Sky is Everywhere, because I’d love to live inside that book with those incredible characters.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d go back to 2003 – a year when I was feeling very scared and anxious because my marriage had just broken up and I was a newly single mum – and I’d show myself all the books I was going to have published and all the places I was going to go and all the amazing friends I was going to make and I’d tell myself that I had nothing to fear and everything to hope for.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
Why didn’t you become a cab-driver? (That was my dream, aged ten!)
9. Who is your greatest influence?
My dad. He always encouraged me to chase my dreams and he’s who I always turn to for words of wisdom or advice.
10. What/who made you start writing?
My evil parents because they believed that TV was bad for a kid’s imagination so I never had a TV growing up. I became a real book-worm as a consequence and that in turn led to my love for writing.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Slangwhanger! (Old slang for a loud, obnoxious person.) I discovered it when I was writing The Moonlight Dreamers and it still makes me laugh out loud. It seems to be making a lot of readers laugh too, judging by the messages I’m getting!
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. It’s just so beautiful. Poetry in novel form.
Siobhan Curham is an award-winning UK author who writes for young adults and adults. Her books include Dear Dylan, True Face and Shipwrecked and she was editorial consultant for Zoe Sugg's (Zoella) first book Girl Online. Siobhan's latest book is The Moonlight Dreamers, published by Walker Books. Visit Siobhan's website for more information about her books and events.