Interview with ... Kathryn Clark
- robynnmariehyde
- Sep 8
- 4 min read
I was lucky enough to have a chance to interview Kathryn Clark whose debut YA novel, Things I Learned While I Was Dead, was published in July, 2025 by Faber and Faber. Kathryn is a graduate of the Bath Spa MA Writing for Young People and is a veteran of writing competitions (fun fact, I did my BA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa!).
Kathryn has generously offered a free, signed copy of her book as a give-away!
This is a fantastic opportunity to get your hands on this amazing novel! To enter, either comment on this blog post or follow us and share on social media - make sure to tag myself and Kathryn! This giveaway is only open to UK addresses and the drawing will occur at 12:00pm BST on Monday, Sept 15th.
Q: When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?
A: I wrote a lot when I was a teenager and in my early twenties but didn’t really think someone like me could be an author. I was in my late thirties before I fully understood that writing was something I actually needed to do.
Q: What is your book about?
A: It’s about two sisters, Asha (14) and Calico (17). Asha has been ill for years and when she dies, Calico finds a way to save her by joining her in death and enrolling them both in a cryogenics research programme. She hopes that modern medicine will bring them back to a healthy happy life. But when Calico wakes up, she’s in a future that is post climate catastrophe. There’s limited technology. She’s trapped in a decaying, rule-bound facility. And worst of all – Asha is missing. Joining forces with the other teenage test subjects, Calico uncovers lie after lie. She doesn’t know who she can trust or how she can save Asha, and time is running out to make it out alive.
Q: Tell me about your road to publication.
A: It’s been quite the undulating journey! I started writing this story in 2016, while I was finishing my Masters in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa Uni. In 2017, I signed with an agent for my MA manuscript which didn’t get picked up for publication. At the end of 2019, I’d finished Things I Learned While I Dead and also amicably parted ways with my agent. I began entering the novel into competitions and submitting to new agents.
Unfortunately, with the pandemic, the timing wasn’t great for a novel that had a lot of death in it. I had little to no interest from agents. However, I kept entering those novel contests – sixteen in total – and I was either listed or placed in seven of them. In February 2023, I had a phone call from Leah Thaxton, Children’s Publisher at Faber, to say the novel was one of the winners of their inaugural Imagine Futures Prize, and I’d been awarded a publishing contract.
Q: That is a lot of novel contests - sixteen! Amazing that you listed/placed in seven of them. Was that what kept you going and entering the contests? In your opinion, do you feel contests are a good training ground for new writers or can they forge a path without them?
A: All the writing I have ever had published and/or been paid for has come through writing contests, so I love them. But not just for that reason – they provide deadlines which encourage me to finish things! Also they are good practice for the agent submission process, as you often need to send a synopsis as well as your novel opening. I have a blog post all about writing contests and why I rate them.
(Make sure to read Kathryn's Blog post HERE where she has some great advice!)
Q: What is the biggest bump or hurdle you’ve encountered so far?
A: I think really it was that first novel not getting picked up for publication despite having an agent. It made me question what I was doing and what I wanted from this writing lark. Ultimately, I see it as a positive. I realised that I was going to write anyway, so publication would be a nice by-product if it happened.
Q: What surprised you most about your launch?
A: How many people came and how much I enjoyed it! Like many writers, I’m an introvert and I’ve never thrown a party for myself in my life, but I loved every moment of it, even giving a speech! It was a true celebration and I felt very supported by everybody there.
Q: What is your advice for new/aspiring writers?
A: Writing is a craft and it takes graft. Keep getting these words on the page. Read a lot in a variety of genres. Share your work with other writers – give and receive feedback. Enter writing competitions!
Q: What are you up to next?
A: My work-in-progress is in a similar vein to my debut and I’m thrilled that it has just been shortlisted in the Sustainable Story Award.
Favourite craft/writing book?
John Yorke – Into the Woods
Favourite resource for writers?
WriteMentor (Disclaimer: I do work for them!)
Favourite part of the writing process?
When I have a draft done – nothing like the feeling of having 60,000 words on the page, even if they need a load more work.
Least favourite part of the writing process?
Trying to work out the plot.
Last book you read?
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler
Kathryn Clark is a graduate of the Bath Spa MA Writing for Young People. Her work has been long/ shortlisted in awards including Times/Chicken House, Mslexia Children’s Novel, Bath Children’s Novel and Searchlight Novel Opening. She was runner-up in the Book Pipeline Novel Contest and winner of the Arvon Novel Opening Competition.
Things I Learned While I Was Dead was a winner of Faber’s inaugural Imagined Futures Prize for eco YA sci-fi.
Kathryn works as a freelance writing mentor. She lives in Gloucestershire with her family and two dogs.
What a fun post! Congratulations to Kathryn; her book sounds like a must-read. And hooray for contests! (I also hear you can meet amazing critique partners through those. 🥰)