SUSPENSE plays a major role in the work of Limerick author Judi Curtin but it was her turn to be shocked when she won the Senior Children’s Book of the Year award at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards for her 25th book ‘Stand by Me’.
“I’d been shortlisted a number of times and was resigned to always being the bridesmaid. When they called my name, I was pretty much in shock, and only moved when people around me started to jump up and hug me. It was exciting and surreal.
“It’s always a great night and winning was sweeter than I could ever have imagined. I could have said anything when on stage, but friends tell me it was fine,” said Judi.
Judi said the prize should help raise her profile and it has encouraged her to get going on her next book.
Living in Limerick since 1987, her books reflect local accents and phraseology.
“I don’t try to hide the way I speak. Most books are set in Limerick, as that’s where I lived when I wrote them all, and where my children were raised,” she explains.
Most of the ideas for her books are based on everyday life such as family, school and friendship.
“The time-travel element in some of them came from the desire to go back in time, to see my parents and grandparents as young people. And who wouldn’t want the chance to go back and fix their mistakes?” she asks.
Although she prefers to write on a desktop in a corner of her living room in the mornings, if a book grips her imagination she writes whenever she can, even at times taking notes on her phone when she’s out and about.
“I very much like writing for 9 to 13 year olds. It’s an interesting age, before children come under pressure to be cool and blasé about reading.
“They are also well able to reject books if they don’t like them, so they keep me on my toes”.
Born to Irish parents in Kenton, Northwest London, the family returned to live in Cork when Judi was just eight. Having worked as a primary school teacher for 15 years in Cork, Portlaoise and Limerick, she eventually transitioned to being a full-time writer.
“Teacher training didn’t hurt, and having my own children was also a help. Just being around children’s books gave me some feeling for what works. I try hard to avoid books that talk down to children, or preach to them. One reason I don’t write for teenagers is the fear that I’d be too moralistic,” said Judi.
“I started my first book in 1999, when the upcoming millennium focussed my mind on my unreached goals. I just sat down at my computer and started to write. I hadn’t clue it would be published.
“It took me more than two years to get my first publishing deal. This was for my second novel, though my first one was later published too. Even though it was difficult, I feel fortunate, things are much tougher for people starting out now,” she added.
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