Inverness-based Barbara Henderson is the author of historical novels Fir for Luck and Punch. Her energetic school visits are increasingly taking her across the length and breadth of Scotland, and sometimes beyond. As a Drama teacher, she loves to get young people on their feet as they respond to stories.
‘Writing is like magic,’ she says. ‘I see something in my imagination, and I try to capture it by writing it down—nothing more than black marks on white paper. Much later, young people see these black marks on white paper and suddenly they see something too, feel something of their own. I cannot think of anything more special than that.’
Barbara shares her home with three teenage children, one long-suffering husband and a scruffy Schnauzer. Her garden always ends up a wilderness, however hard she tries.
Over the years, writing has always been what she loves most: Barbara has won several national and international short story competitions and was one of three writers short-listed for the Kelpies Prize 2013 with a previous novel manuscript.
Find out more about Barbara and her writing at http://www.barbarahenderson.co.uk/ and follow her on Twitter @scattyscribbler and Facebook.
Barbara blogs regularly at www.write4bairns.wordpress.com
Wilderness Wars is Barbara’s third novel for children, but her first non-historical title. Is asks the question ‘What if nature fights back?’ as Em and Zac battle nature in this eco-thriller set on a remote Scottish island.
Punch is Barbara’s second novel for children. It tells the story of Runaway Phin’s journey across Victorian Scotland with an escaped prisoner and a dancing bear. Punch was recently shortlisted for the Crystal Kite, awarded by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Fir for Luck is Barbara’s debut novel. It was an Amazon bestseller in its category on publication day.