HOW DID YOU START WRITING BOOKS?
When I worked as an illustrator I was asked to illustrate other people’s stories, which made me think - MAYBE I could WRITE and illustrate my own stories? So I had a go and (drum roll...) look what happened!

WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK YOU WROTE?
The first book I illustrated and wrote was called Square Eyed Pat and it was published in 2004 by Puffin Books.

WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR TOM GATES?
The Brilliant World of Tom Gates started out as a picture book idea and gradually ended up becoming the first book I wrote for older children. I imagined that Tom was writing in his own exercise book at school and Mr Fullerman would write comments in it. The style of drawing is supposed to be Tom drawing in his own books.

HOW MANY BOOKS ARE YOU PLANNING TO WRITE IN THE SERIES?
So far (April 2020) there are seventeen books in the series with the 18th will be due out in February 2021 to celebrate the 10th anniversary. But there could be nineteen books, or maybe more, if I have loads of other ideas.

WHERE ELSE IS TOM PUBLISHED?
The Tom Gates books are published in 44 different countries worldwide. They have also won LOADS of fantastic awards too, including The Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011, The Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2012, The Red House Book Award 2012 and The Blue Peter Book Award 2013. How BRILLIANT is THAT?

WHY DID YOU CALL HIM TOM GATES?
He just looked like a Tom to me and I wanted a nice short surname. So TOM GATES really suited him - don’t you agree?

ARE YOU PLANNING TO WRITE ANYTHING ELSE?
Yes! I've written (and illustrated) a brand new story called SHOE WARS which is completely different, has loads of new characters and, as they say, it's in all good bookshops now!