Hello everybody! Today, im super excited to be on the blog tour for Anna Fargher’s newest release, the Fire Cats of London, with her answers to a few questions I asked her. Onto the post!
1. Hi Anna, thank you so much for being here today! To get us started, can you please describe THE FIRE CATS OF LONDON in 5 words?
1666, wildcats, apothecaries, inferno, bravery
2. You write historical adventures with animal protagonists, which is such a genius idea. Where did the initial idea for this blend of genres come from?
Thank you, that’s very kind. I’d say it’s from my love of historical non-fiction and anthropomorphic fiction. I think weaving the two creates great adventures with didactic qualities that stay with you.
3. And to follow up on that, I feel almost obliged to ask if you were to get the opportunity to experience a historical event as an animal, which era would you pick and what animal would you be?
Probably a small bird during the roaring twenties in Paris so I could fly between my favourite artist’s studios to see the art that was being created at the time. I’d view the architecture and visit the restaurants and bars to listen in on their conservations and watch some of the mischief they famously got up to.
4. Your books have almost entirely animal casts, and they’re all so memorable and loveable. Who are some of your favourite animals in fiction? Which memorable animals have you known in real life?
I love Bigwig and Hazel from Watership Down, Pantalaimon from His Dark Materials, and if I can sneak in a non-fiction hero, then Elsa from Born Free. All of them are so brave.
And for memorable animals that I have known, like most people, it would be the pets I have had. Probably the most story-worthy was my hamster, Bumble, who chewed through the bars of his cage, escaped and then lived in the cellar for a time before we found him again. I should have renamed him Papillon after the real life master jail-breaker. In hindsight, I wish I’d just let him live free.
Thank you so much for reading! Have you read any of Anna’s books? What animal/time period would you choose, for that question? Let’s chat in the comments!!
Amy xx
Golden Books Girl 