Today we are delighted to bring you the first in a series of author spotlights, giving you an insight into the wonderful people who will be with us at Islay Book Festival 2024.
Maisie Chan is a children’s author whose debut novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths won the Jhalak Prize and the Branford Boase Award in 2022. Her latest novel Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu is out now with Piccadilly Press and was longlisted for the Diverse Book Awards 2023. She also writes the series Tiger Warrior.
She has written early readers for Hachette and Big Cat Collins, and has a collection of myths and legends out with Scholastic. She runs the Bubble Tea Writers Network to support and encourage writers of East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) descent in the UK. She has a dog called Miko who has big eyes.
We asked Maisie to tell us a bit more about herself and her books.
Have you ever been to Islay before? What are you most looking forward to on your visit?
I’ve never been to Islay before! I’m looking forward to visiting the island and have already heard great things about it from those who have been. It will actually be the very first Scottish island that I will have visited (and I’ve been living in Scotland for nearly seven years!). I’m looking forward to learning more about the island and its inhabitants and of course, I am super excited to meet young readers! I’m very grateful to be asked to come along and talk about my books.
What would you like people coming to the festival to know about you or your book before your session?
I am a versatile children’s author and like to try new things. My novels are humorous contemporary stories about modern Britain, my younger fiction series is a fun, action-packed series with magical zodiac animals and portals. I feel like I’ve written a lot of different kinds of children’s stories so there should be something for all kinds of young readers.
Is there another author you are looking forward to hearing from during the festival?
I think Denise Mina and I live in the same area in Glasgow but have never met, so I am looking forward to seeing her speak and meeting her. And it’s going to be wonderful seeing my friend and fellow children’s author Nadine Aisha Jassat at the book festival as well.
Maisie will be part of our exciting schools programming. She will also lead a session at the Gaelic College on Saturday afternoon for children with additional needs.
Maisie’s books will be available to buy at the festival, but if you can’t wait you can buy your copy of Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu here.