PROFILE
Above Cressida as a child in Scotland
What was your proudest achievement? My friendships, my soulmates, from those days. Q
“There was a great sense of sisterhood at Marlborough, we were 10 to one in those days!”
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Q What was the most trouble you got into? A I was always getting caught smoking at Marlborough, and always in trouble for being chaotic. If I had a pound for every teacher who said, “You’ll never make anything of yourself being so disorganised”... Q What is your most vivid memory of your time there? A I loved the singing and music at St Paul’s. There was an incredible organist. I adored the carol concerts, singing very loudly and wildly out of tune. Q Would you send your own children there? A I wouldn’t send my children to boarding school. I want them at home. All three are currently at Latymer Upper. We are very lucky, it is down the road from where we live.
A Growing up I didn’t know any writers or filmmakers in the way my own children do now. My father was a businessman and there were a lot of politicians in my family. I knew I wanted to do something creative. At school I was always writing books. I briefly worked in publishing but realised I wanted to be on the other side.
What are your plans for the future? I’ve got something very exciting coming in September 2017 – a whole new series I’m working on for eight- to 12-year-olds. And I’m an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and World Book Day – getting children to read is very important to me. Q
How did school influence the person you are today? A I think I’m a pretty strong feminist. I’m a questioner and I’m very creative. I think the two schools balanced me – I have the entrepreneurial side that Marlborough encouraged and the questioning side from St Paul’s. I was in education for a long time and I use all of it now – at Oxford I read AngloSaxon and did Beowulf and at art school I studied illustration. Everything has had a part to play in where I am today. Q
Did you ever imagine as a schoolgirl that you’d be a famous writer? Q
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Q How would you sum up your school days in five words? A Inspiring, creative and being scolded!
The Incomplete Book of Dragons (Hodder Children’s Books, £12.99) is out now
2017
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