February Artist of the Month – Chrissie Sains
Our February ‘Artist of the Month’ is author Chrissie Sains.
About Chrissie Sains.
Chrissie grew up in Billericay, Essex where she spent much of her childhood seeking adventure and finding trouble. Described by her teachers as having a ‘lively imagination’, Chrissie always had a love of storytelling but was sometimes shy about writing her ideas down. With encouragement from her family, Chrissie eventually mustered the courage to put her stories on paper and found fulfilment in bringing her imagination to life through writing.
What a visit from Chrissie Sains entails
Chrissie is always delighted to be asked to visit schools, libraries and festivals. She likes to bring a sense of fun to her visits and encourages plenty of participation. Chrissie has created author talks suitable to both KS1 & KS2.
Author Talk
Chrissie's talk is a fun and interactive experience for large groups, lasting between 45 minutes to an hour. It includes audience-engaging activities that aim to bring people together and encourage creativity and imagination.
Chrissie starts by giving the children a sneak peek into her life as a storyteller, sharing her journey from reluctant reader to published author and sharing some of her earliest writing attempts that are sure to bring a giggle.
Then, she invites the children to participate in a series of imaginative activities designed to encourage their creativity. Depending on the age group and time available, these activities may include:
Inviting a few lucky children to join in on the fun by dressing up as a character from "An Alien in the Jam Factory" and working together with the audience to invent a unique flavour of jam (using imaginative ingredients and some simple materials).
Making a character from a single Brussels sprout and bringing it to life with a unique backstory.
Crafting their own tales of adventure with a treasure trove of intriguing objects to choose from.
With each engaging activity, Chrissie hopes to inspire the children to let their minds run wild and unleash the power of their own imaginations.
Workshops:
Chrissie's creative workshops are tailored for smaller, class-sized groups of children and aim to inspire and promote imaginative thinking. Taking inspiration from the themes in "An Alien in the Jam Factory," the workshops are designed to encourage children to explore their creative potential and develop new ideas.
Through the use of games, visual aids, and props, children are given the confidence to believe in their ideas and explore their imagination. These workshops typically last between 45 minutes to an hour and can be tailored to align with a specific curriculum.
Examples of the workshops offered include:
"Jam-Tastic Inventions" - where children work together to invent a brand-new jam flavour or invention.
"Pets with Personality" - where children use their imagination to create a unique character from their favourite pet or animal.
"Fizzing Factories" - where children design their own jam factory using the methods used to create McLay's Jam Factory.
You can read more about Chrissie and her school visits here
Interview with Chrissie Sains
Why did you join up with Authors Abroad?
Authors Abroad make school visits so much easier! They manage the whole booking process on my behalf, which keeps everything very simple. They also have great relationships with a lot of schools and are really easy to chat to.
You have a new book coming out soon. Can you tell us about the Aliens in the Jam factory series? How did the idea come about – did you have the full series planned from the first book or did it develop as you wrote each book?
The ‘Alien in the Jam Factory’ series is a jam-packed adventure series starring Scooter the inventor and his tiny, orange alien sidekick, Fizzbee.
Scooter McLay’s cerebral palsy affects how quickly he can move his body, but his hyper-creative brain is a constant fizz of brilliant ideas. He spends every day inventing top-secret recipes and machines for his family’s jam factory. When a tiny alien named Fizzbee crashes through the factory window, Scooter’s jam inventions go from extraordinary to out-of-this-world! The pair soon become best friends and the series follows their adventures together.
What can readers expect from the ‘A Spy in the Jam Factory?’
A lot more jammy inventions, a villainous spy and her robot sidekick, plus a visit from Fizzbee the alien’s family!
What do you enjoy most about school visits?
I love seeing young people use their imagination and watching their confidence grow in their creative writing! I ran a workshop recently and started by asking how many children struggle to come up with story ideas – almost the whole class put their hand up. By the end of the workshop, all of them had written something they were proud of – it was amazing!
What has been your most memorable moment from a school visit so far?
In my school author visits, I often spark a conversation about the books that turned us into readers. One boy recently told me that it was ‘An Alien in the Jam Factory’ that turned him into a reader. Also, that he likes it better than (the utterly hilarious) Diary of a Wimpy Kid - I nearly cried with gratitude!
Some of your school visit events look quite hands on and a bit messy! How do you find running these sessions and what can schools expect?
Ha, yes! I have a few different assemblies to choose from, but my jam inventions assembly is one of my favourites – the children get so enthusiastic! It involves inviting a few children to join me at the front where they dress up as a character from "An Alien in the Jam Factory”. They then help me to invent a unique new flavour of jam using a giant jar of slime, imaginative ingredients and some simple materials. There’s a lot of audience participation and it’s tonnes of fun!
What impact do you think having an author in school can have on young people?
A good author visit inspires young people. Children get a behind-the-scenes look at how stories are created. They get to know where ideas come from and how to come up with ideas of their own. They hear stories of adversity, rejection, perseverance and, finally, success. In short, a good author visit motivates and empowers young people in their reading and writing.
What advice would you give for people coaxing reluctant readers to read more?
I was a reluctant reader myself as a child. It was my teacher who changed that. She made reading part of our class community. We were encouraged to chat about whatever we were reading, be it comics, magazines, even recipe books!
What’s your writing process for a new story idea?
I’m a planner and spend a few weeks drawing pictures and building the world before I write a word. Once the story has formed in my mind, I make a chapter plan and develop the characters. Then I start writing!
How do you find the co-writing process when you create a book with someone else such as in ‘I got this’?
It was a real pleasure to co-author ‘I Got This’ with Cara Mailey and it was a really lovely collaborative process. Initially, we spent a lot of time brainstorming. We had a lot of ideas and together, we gradually developed the characters and built the story arc. Cara had a really clear vision of what she wanted the story to be – full of fun, warmth, humour and truth. I’m so proud that I was able to help bring that vision to life.
You are funny with some very amusing books. Does humour come naturally, or is it a skill that can be honed?
Thank you! I'd say humour is a mix of nature and nurture. I've always seen the funny side of things and never taken myself too seriously, which definitely helps. I’ve always added humour to my writing, but the idea of delving into comedy was my agent’s suggestion.
I did my homework – there are loads of books to read about how to write comedy. Sometimes, I'd have what I thought was a hilarious scene in my head, but it didn't land as expected. Researching what makes things funny really gave my comedy writing a boost.
Inclusion matters in the media, but how is it writing about characters who face different needs to those you experience? Does anything about the writing process change to make sure characters are accurate and sensitively portrayed?
I strongly believe that all children should be able to see themselves in books and that’s something that I’m eager to support in any way that I can. Crafting characters with diverse needs demands a careful approach to avoid tokenism - it’s a big responsibility and takes a lot of research.
In the case of Scooter from 'An Alien in the Jam Factory,' the character was inspired by my goddaughter, who, like Scooter, has cerebral palsy. During the character development process, my goddaughter played a significant role, contributing her insights. Additionally, we collaborated with a sensitivity reader to ensure an accurate representation of cerebral palsy in both the text and illustrations.
Likewise, in 'I Got This,' the protagonist Erin was inspired by my co-author, Cara, who has achondroplasia. Despite the personal connection, we recognised the importance of authenticity and collaborated with a sensitivity editor to ensure that the portrayal was as genuine and respectful as possible.
Which writer do you enjoy the most/admire the most?
Every author! It’s a wonderful job but it can also sometimes be a tough job - there's a lot of stepping out of the comfort zone, learning new skills and overcoming fears, not to mention the perseverance and resilience it takes to get published in the first place! I have a huge respect for every author out there!
In terms of who I enjoy reading, I must say I absolutely love Jennifer Killick’s books.
Do you think that funny books are too often dismissed for young people with a lot of the book awards focused no serious dramas and topics?
Hmmm ... this is a tricky question. Quite possibly funny books aren’t recognised enough … but it’s not something I tend to dwell on too deeply.
There’s no doubt in my mind that funny books are essential to children. Comedy provides them with so much—an escape from the world, an opportunity to look at difficult subjects through a softer lens, the ability to laugh at themselves, and, of course, fostering a sense of connection.
A funny story about something that matters can be a hugely effective way of reaching children and to my mind, that cannot be undervalued.
When is the last time you laughed out loud?
Oh, just this morning during a Jam Inventions workshop at a school in London. The kids were whipping up some wild combinations like Brussels sprout jam with slug slime, gravy, and, believe it or not, guinea pig droppings. Their reactions when I chucked in the 'guinea pig droppings' (actually just raisins) had me in stitches!
You are doing a mini tour of some sale priced visits for Authors Abroad at the moment, how are you finding the school visits so far – is there a buzz about ‘A Spy in the Jam Factory’ forming?
Yes, it has been loads of fun already and it’s been really great to see so many children excited about the next book in the Jam Factory series!
What jam flavour would you invent?
I’d quite like it if wasp-repelling jam was a real thing – I’m really not a fan of wasps.
What are your future goals?
I’d really like an orange mini. Also to write more books and become a bestselling author.
Quick Fire
Would you rather be able to fly or turn invisible?
Fly
Stater or dessert?
Starter
Batman or Spiderman?
Spiderman
Computer games or board games?
Board games
What’s scarier a gerbil with laser vision or a tiger with wheels?
A gerbil with laser vision - eek!
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what law would you introduce?
I would make Brussels sprouts illegal.
Arrange for Chrissie Sains to visit your school
To make an enquiry about Chrissie Sains, or any of the other authors, poets & illustrators listed on this website, please contact us as follows
UK visits
Email: UKbookings@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Head of UK Visits, Yvonne - 01535 279850
Overseas Visits
Email:Overseasvisits@caboodlebooks.co.uk
Or contact Overseas Manager, Robin - +44(0) 1535 279853