Q&A with author Deborah Kelly!

Author DEBORAH KELLY with her mother and daughter, the inspiration for SKIN, at the book launch.

Congratulations to Deborah Kelly on her recent release, SKIN, a YA novella in the Rhiza Shorts series (published by Rhiza Press/Wombat Books). Thanks to Deborah for stopping by my blog to answer a few questions about SKIN and more about her fantastic writing career for young people.

1. Deborah, how did you come up with the idea to write SKIN?
When my daughter was ten, a freckle appeared on her otherwise very clear cheek. Because it appeared so suddenly, we had it checked out. It turned out to be a rare type of pre melanoma called a spitzoid naevus which required immediate surgery to have to removed. The trauma and pain of the surgery itself was traumatic enough, but it left quite a large scar across my daughter’s cheek, significantly altering her appearance. In the weeks, months and years following the surgery, she lost her confidence, becoming very self-conscious of the scar and sensitive to people’s reactions to it. Through our discussions about it, what transpired was an opportunity for my daughter to learn that our worth as a people runs far deeper than our exterior appearance, despite the conflicting messages from social media that teenagers are constantly bombarded with. It was also an opportunity to learn about and to accept and embrace difference and diversity of all kinds in the people around us.

2. What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
That our worth runs far beyond skin deep. That our scars are part of our stories. That humanity is diverse in a myriad of ways. And that embracing and learning from this diversity, and sharing in the experiences of others only serves to enrich everyone’s lives.

3. How did it find a home with Wombat Books?
I have several publications with Wombat Books already- a five book junior fiction series called Ruby Wishfingers (Wombat books 2016-2017), a middle grade novel called The Thing about Oliver (Wombat Books, 2019) and a picture book called Little Horses (Wombat Books, 2024). Skin was written specifically for Rhiza Edge as the first book in their new list ‘Rhiza Bites’ –books with minimal words but maximum impact; in other words, bite sized fiction for busy teens. My publishing experiences with Wombat Books and Rhiza Edge have all been overwhelmingly positive – the process has been very inclusive and the greatest of care has been taken with every manuscript every step of the way.

4. Do you have a typical writing process? What is your writing space like?
I often think of ideas when I am out and about and jot them down on paper or on my phone. I have also been known to scrawl ideas on my arm if nothing else was within reach, or on a napkin at a party. I generally rough out an idea on paper before I start typing. But I don’t have a set process each time, every book has come about slightly differently. I write on my laptop at a big glass and steel desk which is also the desk I complete my Uni work at.

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5. What is in the pipeline, what are you working on next?
I have a new junior fiction series out next year as well as a middle grade novel. I am currently working on another young adult title.

6. Anything you wish to add? 
Thanks so much for having me on your blog, and congratulations on your upcoming titles!

Thank you so much Deborah for stopping by! 

Make sure you visit Deborah online here! 

SKIN by Deborah Kelly is available now.