| She then began her career as a high
school English teacher, during which time she wrote a series of
comedy plays, published under the title Is That A Muffled Shriek?
This was followed by six English textbooks and two playbooks.
Leaving teaching to become a full time writer, she
wrote her first children’s novels, both mysteries for young readers,
The Mystery of the Haunted Dog and
The Mystery of the Alien Spacecraft.
Since then Claire has written 15 children’s books
ranging from picture books to young adult mysteries and science
fiction.
Claire says about her writing:
I have a deep interest in the impact of technology
on society and the often unexpected effects that are generated by
new products and processes. The ubiquity of the personal computer
was never envisaged. The astonishing growth of the Internet was not
predicted, nor were the benefits and very real dangers this
pervasive technology provided anticipated.
There is more and more "noise" in our world as
frantic attempts are made to catch and hold our increasingly
fragmented attention. A ceaseless rain of information impinges on us
every day from a wide variety of electronic sources. It takes a real
effort to resist and isolate oneself from the barrage of words and
sounds and images.
As writers for young adults, some of us choose to
highlight the possible dangers and examine the future challenges
that may face the new generation as they negotiate a rapidly
changing world. In my novels I explore the meaning of personal
identity, the impact of technology upon the individual and the
directions in which our society may go.
The idea for each of my books always begins a
situation or state of affairs where there is the potential for much
conflict. Once the background world is established, two or more main
characters spring into existence and begin talking to each other. I
don’t plan ahead although I know how the story will end. I have a
first scene and a last scene, but everything in between is fluid. I
discover the plot as it unfolds. |
