Pete answers your most frequently asked questions . . .

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START TO WRITE AND WHY?
I wrote a fan letter to Dodie Smith, the author of 101 Dalmatians. She wrote back and was the first person to put into my head the idea of being a writer. A few years later I started entering writing competitions - quite small ones at first, but the prizes I won gave me the confidence to press on . . . !

WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR BUDDING AUTHORS?
1. Always carry a notebook with you and try to jot something down in it every day. It could be a snatch of conversation, an idea for a story, whatever you feel like writing.
2. Ideas for stories rarely come fully-formed. You might only receive the glimmer of something first of all. But don't give up. Keep thinking about your idea. You'll be surprised how things can slowly grow in your mind.
3. Some days just have fun playing with ideas, characters and styles. Writing is often about discovery and exploration. So allow yourself time to experiment.

DO YOU REALLY CARRY A LITTLE NOTEBOOK EVERYWHERE YOU GO?
Yes, much to the annoyance of my friends.  For you never know when you're going to get a brilliant idea or hear something you've got to write down. Real life is always interesting - and that's where all the stories begin.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A TEENAGER IS?
It's like starting a book. Everything is ahead of you.

DO YOU THINKS IT'S HARDER FOR TEENAGERS THESE DAYS?
I think it's tougher now, yes. Not just with things like exams but media pressure starts younger: things like having the right hairstyle, which seems so important now and wasn't when I was young.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK?
Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. It is really the first 'teenage' book and still one of the best.  I re-read it regularly.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE BANDS?
Oasis; The Cure; Madness; The Jam.

DO YOU SUPPORT A FOOTBALL TEAM?
Yes, Spurs (who else?).

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I was a film critic on a local paper, The Bucks Free Press (Terry Pratchett had worked there some years earlier) and for Radio One, on Wednesday nights.

HAVE YOU MET ANY FAMOUS MOVIE STARS?
Yes, I interviewed modern stars like Melanie Griffith, Dustin Hoffman and Nicholas Cage.  My favourite star was Ingrid Bergman.

IS IT TRUE YOU COLLECT AUTOGRAPHS?
Yes. This started when I was a film critic. The autographs were souvenirs. But I've since collected more.  I know have over four hundred autographs, ranging from Fred Astaire and Doris Day, to Robert De Niro and Cher. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE - AND LEAST FAVOURITE - TELEVISION PROGRAMME?
Favourite: Fawlty Towers. The funniest comedy show ever written. I know some episodes off by heart now; The Simpsons.  Least favourite: anything featuring Paul Daniels. Every time I see him, I want to put a pitch-fork through the screen!

WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK YOU WRITE AND WAS IT PUBLISHED?
The first book I ever wrote was called Secrets from the School Underground written while I was a teacher at a secondary school. I used to read aloud extracts to my class on Friday afternoons. It was later published.

WHICH OF YOUR BOOKS DID YOU MOST ENJOY WRITING?
The Creeper. This is about an old horror story which impacts on a girl today. I had great fun inventing a monster and devising a story for him. I also greatly enjoyed listening to old horror and sci-fi radio programmes from the 1950s - my favourite was certainly Journey into Space.

WHERE DO YOU WRITE YOUR BOOKS ?
I have a study, which has big windows, bright posters on the walls and masses of books lurking about. Everyone who goes into it says it has a very happy atmosphere. So it's ideal for writing.

DO YOU EVER GET WRITER'S BLOCK?
Yes I do sometimes. What I have learnt is that you get writer's block for two reasons. A scene can be really, really hard, in which case it is probably not right. Other times you can get writer's block if you try too hard. In a funny way, with writing you have to let the ideas come to you, you can't force them. Your unconscious doesn't work office hours. If I get writer's block then I just go for a long walk and get some fresh air and exercise.

DID YOU ENJOY YOUR SCHOOL DAYS?
I enjoyed my early days at school, hated the middle years (changed schools quite a few times, took a long time to settle down) and I liked my last years a great deal. My favourite memory from school is actually the last day of term. I loved the happy atmosphere: even the teachers smiled on that joyous day.

DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD HAVE ENJOYED YOUR BOOKS WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG?
I think you write books first of all for yourself, books you would like to have read when younger.

DID YOU HAVE AN IMAGINARY FRIEND AS A CHILD?
Yes I did and I used him in one of my books too.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?
I pretend to keep fit. I go to the cinema every week. I probably go out more than a lot of my friends because I am in all day so it is nice to be out and about in the evening. I do think that exercise is brilliant for writing.

Archived news from 2007 (see the home page for 2008 news!)

PETE JOHNSON SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL YEAR OF READING

Pete Johnson is a passionate supporter of libraries. And he has visited hundreds of schools and libraries over the past few years. He is excited by The National Year of Reading and was a guest speaker at the conference celebrating The National Year of Reading in Dorset in March. He will be giving a keynote address at Cambridgeshire Speaking and Listening Conference, ‘Tell Me More,’ at Girton College, Cambridge on 21st May.

Over the next few weeks Pete will also be visiting schools and libraries in Crawley, Twickenham, Wokingham, Solihull, Lowestoft (Book Mastermind Day) Enfield, Birmingham, Hayes, Broxbourne and St Albans.

Five Stars for 'The Bad Spy's Guide'
 
Ten year old Caitlin Molloy has selected The Bad Spy's Guide to review in The Sunday Express (29th July) She writes: 'This book grabs you from the first page and it's really funny. I think anyone aged seven or over would love it.' She gives it 5 Stars *****

STOP PRESS: ''Help I'm a Classroom Gambler' on Government's list of recommended books for boys
 
Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, in conjunction with the Library Association, has compiled a list of the best books for boys, including Help, I'm a Classroom Gambler, possibly Pete Johnson's cheekiest, funniest book. Other books on the list range from Shane to Jeremy Clarkson's autobiography.

'HELP! I'M A CLASSROOM GAMBLER' named as CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

Pete Johnson's comedy romp, 'Help! I'm a Classroom Gambler' has won Leicester's Children's Book of the Year Award. The original long list of twenty books, the shortlist of five books and the winner was decided entirely by children across Leicester.

Leicester librarians described this shortlist as the strongest yet - and Pete (pictured below with fellow author Anthony Browne and fans, courtesy of Leicester Mercury) was delighted to win this prestigious award. He also liked the way children expressed their thoughts about the five shortlisted books through dance, music and drama at the ceremony.

FREE DOWNLOADS ABOUT THE HERO GAME

Of all Pete Johnson's books, the most discussed is The Hero Game, in which Charlie discovers a dark secret about his granddad. Can you do something awful and still be a hero? Many schools are reading this book. And now you can gain a full scheme of work for The Hero Game and an interview with Pete Johnson on www.harcourt.co.uk/literature or call 01865 888080. The Hero Game is available from Puffin and also in the New Windmills Series (Heinemann) with a full range of follow-up activities.

AUTHOR OF THE YEAR!
Southark Teachers' Reading Groups have selected Pete Johnson to be their Author of the Year. Teachers and pupils from fifteen local schools who have been studying Pete's books are coming along to meet him at Charles Dickens School in London on July 4th at 4pm. Books will be provided by "Tales on Moon Lane", the children's bookshop.

PETE GETS SOME HOMEWORK
At West Bromwich Town Hall on 12th July there was the final of the Secondary School Book Quiz. Year Seven students from nine local secondary schools were competing for the title of BOOK QUIZ CHAMPIONS. One of the four titles chosen for the quiz was Pete's Avenger. Pete was the Quiz's special guest and he was advised to revise his book very carefully - as some pupils know it extremely well!

BOOK OF THE YEAR!

Pete's comedy hit, Trust Me, I'm a Troublemaker, WON the Calderdale Children's Book of the Year Award.

A team of librarians and teachers drew up a shortlist of what they felt were the best children's books of the year. But they left the final decision to more than two hundred children (aged between 8 and 12). It was they who selected the final winner. Two of the young judges are pictured, left, with Pete at the awards ceremony.

"The day at Calderdale was brilliant," says Pete, "a real celebration of children's books. I was, of course, delighted to win - and some friends have already helped me drink the bottle of champagne I received."

Also, Avenger won the Best Shorter Novel award in the Sheffield Children's Book Awards. This gripping thriller was up against a very strong shortlist, which is chosen by the children of Sheffield, culminating in the awards ceremony in November last year. Pete is pictured, right, receiving his award from Ellie Crisell, the BBC Newsround presenter.