Interview with Sally Lomax - Author of Times Table Town

What better way to find out more about our latest addition to Hometrain's online products 'Times Table Town'! Here's an interview with Sally - so you can meet the author - any questions? Leave as comments below:

1) Where are you from?

I live in a small rural village in Norfolk, England quite close to the city of Norwich.

2) Tell us your latest news?

Today I put my youngest daughter (age 15) on a train to Paris, unaccompanied, for the first time. I'm feeling a little emotional! She's going to see her French penfriend and will be staying with them for a week

3) When and why did you begin writing Times Table Town?

The idea for writing the Times Table Town Stories was in response to one of my daughters having difficulty reciting her 7 Times Table . It was her homework and I was helping her. She understood how the 7 Times Table was worked out, but struggled when asked to recall them out loud. What she was missing was a 'clue' a 'trigger' to help her remember the answers.  Suddenly the idea of a story to assist recall came to me. So together we started to make one up about a man who looked like a number 7. We called him Angle Man. The story took him to see all his friends who also looked like a numbers. We had so much fun creating the story and when we had finished, she could recite the 7 Times Table with ease! This was because she had something to help her remember the answers. This was back in 2005. Having a story to help remember a Times Table was so successful with my daughter, I decided to write a complete set. To make the learning experience even better I had the stories illustrated which brought the characters to life and added a visual dimension to the learning process.

4) When did you first consider writing?

This is the first time I have written for children. I have written short articles for adults, however.

5) What inspired you to write Times Table Town?

I'm one of the many people who like to see something (a picture , an object) to fully understand what is being discussed. Once I realised how useful these stories could be, particularly if they were illustrated, I became passionate about getting them published. I knew they could help many many children learn their Times Tables, who were perhaps struggling with the traditional way of learning them

6) How did you come up with the title?

The stories are all based around a group of friends who live near to each other in the same town. Times Table Town seemed the perfect name.

7) What books have most influenced your life most?

These are probably the personal development books I have read over the years. They inspire me and rekindle my self belief and my desire to be the best 'me' I can be.

8) What book are you reading now?

The Guide by Dr William Holden. Its a personal development book which reveals why we don't achieve many of the things we would like to in life and the how to change your habits that stop us achieving them.

9) What are your current projects?

I am currently promoting the Times Table Series to schools and the media making sure that everyone knows about them.

10) Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you were
writing?

Yes! The biggest challenge was to make the stories interlink. For example the illustration and story for 7 x 5 is the same as 5 x 7 but, from the other characters point of view. This also had to happen for all the other multiplications so you can imagine this took some thinking about!

11) Who is your favorite children's author and what is it that really
strikes you about their work?

My favourite children's author is probably Michael Morpurgo. My daughters have read a lot of his books and they are always around the house. I like his style , it's easy to read and I find the subject/theme of his books to my taste.

12) Who designed the covers?

The cover to the Times Table Town books were designed by me. In fact I have been responsible for every aspect of what the books design and what they look like. The orginal illustrations were sketched and painted by Paola Cumiskey though.

13) Do you have any advice for other children's writers?

Gosh ! I'm not sure I'm the right one to ask, but as you've asked - I like pictures in books,  they help me visualise the text and aid understanding. I  always like to see illustrations or pictures in childrens books.

14) Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Yes, make learning these Times Table fun! I would love to see the stories acted out by children in costumes or as numbers. If anyone does this I would love hear from you.

For more information about Times Table Town... available now at www.hometrain.ie with free P&P!