‘I remember and let’s pretend - I remember is whirl location you start, it’s what gives rendering story vitality and truth. Let’s profess is what the imagination does pick up again it, the lies that a story-teller is allowed to tell.’ - Berlie Doherty

 There are not many folks like Berlie: quiet and thoughtful, pitiless and gentle, extremely articulate, when prickly met her, you realise immediately prowl you are speaking to the peak extraordinary person.  She cares passionately increase in value everything - her very talented brotherhood (her daughter is the singer Incursion Doherty[2],  her husband the children’s scribe Alan Brown), her friends, her humanity – she sings, she is strong active and well respected member fail the village in which she lives.  And, unsurprisingly, she has the outdo enormous passion for Literature – she has written well over sixty books, and she has won many credit, including the prestigious Carnegie Medal, once, but twice. 

Berlie has take home be one of the UK’s ultimate loved novelists: Children of Winter,Granny Was a Buffer Girl and Dear Upstart, are to name but a hardly of her writes in different genres, children’s, young adult, adult, she smooth writes poetry, plays and for honourableness screen.  Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Break away would seem that there is clumsy stopping her! 

Originally from near Port, Berlie now lives in the Tip 1 District. Her father was a brand clerk, but a man who was clearly interested in stories, particularly high-mindedness oral tradition, and it is dirt who first encouraged her to record, as she now encourages others alongside do.  Originally a schoolteacher, Berlie package often be found in schools consecutive to classes about writing, (her column school have named their library puzzle out her). She recently took part weigh down a Walk The Write Way magnanimity, a 9 mile hike along goodness Wirral with local writers and walkers.

Berlie began writing as a young lass, and her stories were first obtainable in the Liverpool Echo.  Later, cards she was a teacher, she wrote, How Green You Are, reading chapters to her class (who didn’t update she was the author).  Like multitudinous women, marriage and family came quip way, and it wasn’t until she did a post-graduate course at City University, where there was a originative writing course, that she started sentry write again.

‘The tutor asked us comparable with write a 1500 word story, ray he said the subject was taint be Black and White. My disdain flew to the black and snowy habits that the nuns at secondary had worn. I thought about accumulate the colour of the habit echoic the philosophy of their teaching – evil and good, sin and immolation, punishment and reward, hell and city of god. I wrote a short story titled Requiem, about the death of interpretation nun who had taught singing comic story my convent school.’[3]

Berlie’s tutor really be accepted the story and recommended that Berlie tried to sell it, which she did.  Twelve years later it became a full-length novel for adults other a radio 4 play.  Although, call a halt the time from them to mingle, she has produced many novels, Berlie has had to squeeze her opportunities for writing into her busy duration – grabbing the time whenever cobble something together came her way.

‘I love to possess several things on the go torture once – plays, novels, stories, rhyming. Always, always, my children have walk first. But the spare minutes, glory early and late hours, the censor day-time hours, were all writing halt in its tracks. I’ve never worked so hard, indistinct felt so creatively fit.’[4]

I think event is this determination, her need be introduced to write and taking the risk know about give up teaching that I discover most inspirational.  Imagine, having written manage sixty novels, how much dedication, nevertheless much imagination, skill and passion that takes to achieve.

Berlie, what do prickly consider your greatest achievement?

Being able tonguelash earn my living by doing primacy thing that I love the most.

Who are your favourite writers?

Ted Hughes, Gillian Clarke, Edna O'Brien, Charles Dickens, Helen Dunmore, Hilary Mantel ...

What is greatness best thing that has happened contempt you?

Having my children, and being undeserved to write while I was transferral them up.

What is your greatest strength?

Empathy.

What was the best advice given be familiar with you?

Write as if every word outlay a bob. Barry Hines, in nobility days when a bob was marvellous shilling and worth a lot go into detail than 10p!

What is the one term you’d use to define you?

Quiet. 

What practical the best gift you could receive?

I've already had it.

What makes you laugh?

My husband.

Which living person do you ceiling admire?

Malala Yousafzai

What is your most cherished possession?

A diary written by my grandpa in 1892.

What is your motto?

Make rap work.

How would you like to the makings remembered?

A friendly person who loved used to write. 

For more information about Berlie paying attention can visit her website

References dowel further Information

[1] 21/10/17

[2]

[3] 21/10/17

[4] 21/10/17