| Cathy Cassidy
Dizzy is a fantastic first novel; it tells
the story of Dizzy who hasn’t seen her mum since she
was tiny. Every year on her birthday, Dizzy receives a special
something in the post addressed in her mum’s loopy
writing, but her twelfth birthday present is more special
than any before as Storm, her mum, lands on her doorstep.
Storm whisks Dizzy away into a world of music, crystal-healing,
bean-soup-eating on the summer festival circuit. But all
is not as wonderful as it seems…
Cathy Cassidy says she was once a chocolate eating vegan
like Storm who loved the idea of the traveller lifestyle
but never managed to try it.
Cathy Cassidy writes with real immediacy and her characters
are soon taking over and demanding sympathy.
THE BASICS
Born: June 13th 1962
Jobs: Editor on Jackie magazine and Junior Education, art
teacher, freelance writer, agony aunt
Lives: Galloway, Scotland
First published book: Dizzy
THE BOOKS
Dizzy is a strong book of travel, dreams, family, love
and growing-up – and much more. It’s the sort
of book that can’t be put down as it draws the reader
into the alternative world of the festival travelers. A
book of today that touches many emotions as much as it entertains.
Cathy’s next novel, Indigo Blue, is to be published
in 2005.
WHAT SHE SAYS…
“I think I’ve always loved books and as soon
as I could write was scribbling stories. I got told off
early in the primary school for writing an eight page story
– I think it was because my handwriting was so awful!
When I was thirteen I was given a second hand typewriter
and began to bash out short stories for my favourite teen
magazine. I must have sent dozens off, and I got dozens
of very polite, encouraging rejections in return!”
Advice for would-be writers:
“Don’t listen to the people who say you can’t
do it – if you want to do something badly enough,
you can. When I was fifteen, I was asked in a French Oral
exam what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said I wanted
to be a writer and an artist. The examiner laughed out loud.
Don’t listen to negative people – go for your
dreams!
Live life to the full – have adventures, have fun,
be happy, be sad. Never be afraid of your feelings. Write
about what you care about, what moves you – put your
feelings into your work.
Read like crazy, and write – every day, if you can.
These are the best ways to learn your trade. Hopefully,
one day other people will be reading your work!”
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HER…
“I couldn’t put it (Dizzy) down. I think children
who enjoy writers like Jacqueline Wilson will be crazy over
this author.”
Natasha, aged 10
“Dizzy is brilliant. This is a hardhitting, heart
wrenching, fun, exciting, romantic, sad and gripping story
of travels, adventures and fun-loving, tree-hugging peopled
festivals! I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in
three and a half hours!”
Katherine, aged 11
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