Q&A with Helen Docherty and Steven Lenton
We are so excited to share a Q&A between author Helen Docherty and illustrator, Steven Lenton! They took the time to ask and answer questions for each other around their book, The Green-Fingered Witch.
Questions for Steven Lenton from Helen Docherty
What did you enjoy most about creating the world for The Green-Fingered Witch?
I have always been a witch fan so to design a whole cast for this book was a dream come true!
Who was your favourite character to illustrate, and why?
Ms Birch is my favourite – she is stern but kind – like all my favourite school teachers. She also has a tree bark design on her dress, inspired by her name.
I love all the background details in your illustrations, especially the Wizard of Oz references. Can you tell us about these, and what were your other points of reference / inspiration?
Well, I am working on a new version of the Wizard of Oz just now and had been doing a lot of research into the original books, so when I was illustrating The Green-Fingered Witch, I thought it would be fun to add some nods to this story as it is so beautifully witchy! Can you spot the wicked witch on a weather vane? The Tinman’s oil can? The poppy field and the scarecrow..? I also added a red apple inspired by the witch in Snow White!
How did you decide on the colour palette, and did this change while you were in the process of illustrating the book?
Illustrating a book mainly set at night is tricky, but I had done it before with Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam so had an idea of what works and what doesn’t – the bluey purple backgrounds are just dark but light enough to see detail, and I knew that Cress had to have some splashes of green to match her digits, so the combination of purple, green an orange for the pumpkins worked instantly!
What do you love most about illustrating in general, and are there elements of the job which you find frustrating or challenging? (e.g. dealing with fussy authors’ feedback!)
I love designing the characters and the covers best – and I don’t mind the feedback – I used to get frustrated with fussy feedback but it usually makes the book better, so now I know to listen more and always have a conversation if there is something I’m not sure about or disagree with.
Questions for Helen Docherty from Steven Lenton
What inspired you to write the GFW?
The inspiration for the Green-Fingered Witch came from several different places! I’ve wanted to write a book about a witch since I was about ten. I loved stories about witches when I was at primary school, and I used to make these little magazines for witches called WHOOSH. I did this every month for about two years! They had a problem page, special features, adverts; the lot. Another source of inspiration was my stepdad, Stephen, who has an amazing allotment where he grows all sorts of beautiful veg – including pumpkins, of course. I love allotments; they’re so colourful, and each plot is a bit different. The Green-Fingered Witch is a character-led story about a little witch, Cress, who joins Witch School but struggles with everything from riding her broomstick to performing spells. I think she’s very relatable, as we’ve all struggled or felt hopeless at school at some point. I was quite clumsy when I started school, and I remember getting into trouble for spilling paint everywhere and bashing somebody’s eye with a chair leg by accident. So, there’s definitely a bit of me in Cress! While I was writing the story, one of our nieces was having a hard time fitting in at primary school, so this book is for her, too.
Do you have any ideas for a sequel?!
Yes! I’ve already been working on this… I can’t say too much, but think Sorcerer’s Apprentice and vegetable anarchy on stage.
Who is your favourite character and why?
I’d have to say Cress, of course… But I do absolutely love the way Steven has portrayed Cress’s teacher, Ms Birch – and her cat! Such brilliant characterisation.
Who is your favourite literary witch character (not including Cress!)
I’d have to go back to two books which I adored when I was a child: Carbonel by Barbara Sleigh, and The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart. The protagonist in each of these is a human child, Rosemary and Mary, but they both have to acquire some witch skills – flying broomsticks, casting spells – during their adventures, as well as being brave and daring. I read these books to my daughters when they were younger and they loved them too. It was such a treat for me to enter these magical worlds again!
Many thanks for these great questions and answers!!!
Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Federation.
