About Elen
My name is Elen Caldecott, I am a writer for children and young people. I live in Bristol with my husband and my dog, Biff. Before Biff arrived, I had an imaginary dog called Augustus Snags. Most days I sit at our kitchen table for an hour or so and write; Biff sits under the table. Then I go to work in a cinema. Sometimes Augustus comes with me.
I have always liked to read books. When I was a child I would write sequels to some of my favourite books because I couldn’t bear to say goodbye to the characters. Eventually, I started inventing characters of my own.
Before becoming a writer, I was an archaeologist, a nurse, a theatre usher and a museum security guard. It was while working at the museum that I realised there a way to steal anything if you think about it hard enough. I either had to become a master thief, or create some characters to do it for me so I began my debut novel, How Kirsty Jenkins Stole The Elephant.
My second novel How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini came about when I wondered if it would be possible to keep a zoo in a terraced house. Operation Eiffel Tower came about when I wondered how you might keep your family together when you only have £23 to do it. The Mystery of Wickworth Manor was inspired by a painting that I often saw as I was growing up.
My favourite kind of stories are ones where very ordinary people do very extraordinary things. So, these are the kind of stories I set out to write; real life, but with the promise of adventure. Two of my favourite writers, Hilary McKay and Frank Cottrell Boyce, do this brilliantly and I would love to be as good as they are one day.
I contribute regularly to a blog about writing for children and young people. Do come and visit us all at www.awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com.
You can find my on Facebook at 'Elen Caldecott Children's Author' and on twitter as @ElenCaldecott.