Interview: Cressida Cowell, Author

Some quickfire questions with the childrens author

Who would attend your fantasy dinner party and what would you eat? I’d invite Shakespeare, Dawn French and my family. We would eat out, because trying to cook a meal that would satisfy a person from the 16th century as well as my youngest two children would completely defeat me.

Whom did you last text and what was the message? My last text was to my daughter: “PHONE ME NOW DARLING AND I MEAN NOW.”

It’s not cool but...

Trying to be cool is a waste of time.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? My father has always said: “Never put anything in writing in a letter or an e-mail when you are angry”.

What’s the worst job you ever had? Receptionist at a pet insurance agency.

What are you afraid of? I am afraid of lifts.

Did you have a nickname growing up? Cress. Because Cressida was a long name for a short person.

What situations make you lose your temper? I lose my temper when I think I’m being ignored.

What would your alternate profession be? Stand-up comedian.

What food or drink is always in your fridge? I get twitchy if it looks like I’m going to miss a meal. You could open my fridge door at any time and find enough food and drink in there to throw a party for 50 people.

What would you change about yourself? Well, I do worry too much, it would be good to change that.

If you could travel back in time, where would you go? Scandinavia in the Viking Age, Minoan Crete, 16th century London, Imperial Rome, 19th-century America.

Saturday night or Sunday morning? Saturday night, of course.

Who is the love of your life? My family.

Cressida Cowell has filmed a special Scottish Book Trust Meet Our Authors Event, sponsored by Scottish Friendly Assurance, to mark the release of her new book, How to Steal a Dragon’s Sword. Watch on www.scottishbooktrust.com from Thursday.