The Broken Dragon by Karen McCombie

Karen McCombie is a successful and well loved author.  Her latest book is with Barrington Stoke and is about Tyra, a young unique girl starting at a new school.  We asked Karen several questions about her book and writing style! Thank you Karen for the wonderful answers!

Tyra is a lovely character, one who stands out from the crowd. Where did the blend of ideas come from for Tyra? 

The anxiety of starting at a new school is something that’s always chimed with me. I was a shy kid who went to five different primaries, and from personal experience I know that the sheer effort of trying to fit into a) a new environment and b) existing friendship groups is exhausting! I see it in children when I visit schools for author talks; the wide eyes, the rigid body language, the not-knowing-quite-what’s-going-on… In ‘The Broken Dragon’, I’m trying to say to those kids – and the long-ago, little version of me! – that everything will be alright in the end.

I also very much wanted to write a story about kinship care, as it’s just as common as foster care for children who can’t stay with parents, yet not so well known. I basically wanted to wave the flag for these extended family members who give children the stability they need to flourish. And with that in mind, I very much wanted to concentrate on Tyra and Nan’s happy and nurturing relationship in ‘The Broken Dragon’.

‘The Broken Dragon’ is a beautiful story of starting somewhere new with the fears and nerves of fitting in. Kintsugi plays a role in this story but is it a metaphor for Tyra’s nerves as well?

The breakage of the dragon mirrors Tyra’s nerves and worries about school and fitting in, and – reading (writing?) between the lines – the worry of what went wrong in her family, before the move to Nan’s. And I love the principle of Kintsugi; that broken things mended with gold become more interesting, more unique. I guess I wanted to subtly say to the kids who haven’t had an easy, straightforward ride in life so far – for whatever reason – that their difficulties and experiences can similarly make them more interesting, more unique.

This isn’t your first book for Barrington Stoke, why do you think their books are so successful?

I am fiercely passionate about Barrington Stoke books and never stop recommending them! Obviously they’re dyslexia-friendly and also great for struggling or reluctant readers because of the careful language editing, the black and white illustrations and short, achievable length. But I’m a huge fan of quick-read books in general. Maybe it’s my background in teenage magazines; I just think that losing yourself in reading for an hour here and there can be delicious, whereas it’s sometimes overwhelming for a child – even a confident reader – to look at a chunky book and know it’s possibly going to need an investment of weeks to get through. In fact, if I was a publisher, I’d be making a point of creating more bite-size novellas with a smattering of illustrations, at a lower price point too. Sitting alongside graphic novels, I think they’d be incredibly popular!

What is your writing style? When do you find you are most productive?

Writing has been my full-time job for the last couple of decades, so I write every day. But for the last few years I’ve become a part-time carer (for my 20-year-old), so sometimes I have the luxury of the whole day to work, and sometimes it’s more of a patchwork. As for writing style, I’m very much a planner, not a ‘pantser’! After I figure out the premise of a book, I’ll plot the story arc chapter by chapter, so that I know exactly where I’m going. I know some authors prefer the by-the-seat-of-their-pants approach, enjoying the freedom of making it up as they go along. I tried it once and nearly went mad with the stress! It involves so many dead ends, strands that fizzle out and time-consuming re-writes… which equals frustration rather than creative freedom for me! It also doesn’t work out well financially; advances for children’s books are very modest (unless you’re a celeb author or runaway bestseller) so you really have to keep your eye on productivity and payment matching up.

What do you hope readers will take from Tyra’s story? What impact could it have when read to a class of children?

My stories always have empathy and hope at their core. So I’d love someone to read this book and be a little slower to judge, or for a child to see themselves in my story.

As for the impact, I’d like to think ‘The Broken Dragon’ is a good starting point for a discussion around different types of family, and for thoughts about how difficulties and ‘imperfections’ can ultimately make you a more rounded, empathetic person.

The Broken Dragon is published by Barrington Stoke and is available now.