Interview with Rayner Tapia, self published author

1. Please could you tell us about yourself. 

My name is Rayner Thind. I was born in the Midlands, many, many, many years ago. I went to a wonderful state school. I was one of the first ones to complete a GCSE in IT!. Grew up, and left education with a degree in English Lit and Linguistics, with Computer science. Married and moved to London. I have 3 gorgeous boys, now young men. I worked as a training senior consultant teaching all over, mainly the city of London for 8 years. I then progressed into Banking.  After my last son was born, very small and very premature, it was difficult to work. My youngest son was bullied at 5, 7 so I decided to devote all my time to my boys, youngest in particular. I had two mini-strokes. Although, I recovered it was difficult for me and my husband to contend with. My working life in the city suddenly ceased. So, I started writing, tutoring and teaching students. This was for a charity based inner city London, which helped students as their last chance to gain some education. I started with four struggling students, which then increased to 20. Rewarding and challenging.

2. You are self published, can you tell us about why you decided to go down that route?

Having commenced on a self-publishing route, I found it to be extremely expensive and very cut throat. However, I began to obtain recognition, in the UK and elsewhere. My first accolade was winning the British Hafta Awards, for Young Achievers 2011. This was organised by the Lord Lieutenant for the Queen in the Midlands, and my crystal trophy was presented by the Dean Chancellor of Aston University with a BBC radio compare. My first book, The Adventures of Tom McGuire, The Bard of Typheousina, was launched and it was initially a stand-alone book.  It was later, that I realised a series would be another option. All this was achieved as self-published author, and I felt I had more control. So, I just continued self-publishing.

3. My favourite book you have wrote is the hidden door, I really like the concept of it and it’s very popular in my school, which book do you like best and why?

Thank you for your kind comments. One of my all-time favourites, is indeed Hidden Door, too. I love it because for me in evokes respect, Respect and love for each other the world over. I love writing that the characters all from different backgrounds, we are the same. As Joe Cox, rightly said,”We have more in common than that which divides us”.

4. Is your Tom McGuire series still being made in a film?

Yes. This is an incredible feeling, to know that my book, has made the mark for films. I have spoken with the Hollywood producers, to discuss this, in detail. I feel very honoured and overwhelmed. The company that wanted to represent me, were trying to steal my IP and screen script I had written whilst hoping to cut me out of the plan. So, I left. However, Martin. G Baker, with the VFX creators of CGI who worked and designed the effects in the Kingsmen movie together with the two Hollywood producers want to retain a relationship for a future movie. I have a new producer, who will ensure this happens. However, he is currently now working on 2 more £5 million movies, at the moment.

I do believe, if a job is worth doing, where there is a will there is always a way. 

5. What I love about you is that you do both fiction and picture books, which do you prefer writing?

I started writing picture books, whist I was waiting for the new producers to conclude their timing for the movie. I had written the script and was waiting so I thought, what better way, than put pen to paper. I love the joy that words bring to the mind and face of the reader and listener. 

6. Where you a reader at school and who did you read as a youngster?

Oh my, yes, I was always reading anything, newspapers, magazines, ‘Jackie’, (I am that old at school). We would all march upto the library on a Thursday after school to read. I would go to Brownies with a huge Brownies guide. 

I would always grab my Dad’s FT and pretend to read it. I say pretend because I didn’t understand any of it! I got a paper round, and would carry a huge orange bag of newspapers. Unfortunately, I would always be late on delivering the papers, as I would stop and read them! Whoops!

7, I’m a primary school librarian, where I spend my day encouraging children to read, what piece of advice could you give me?

Ok, I would suggest, perhaps find a new word, ‘DID YOU KNOW’ and write it on a sign on your wall. For all subjects, so the library becomes somewhere information is found and is accessible, at all times.

For example, TANGERINE

It’s a fruit, but it is from Tangiers, Morocco. It can used to describe a place too even evoke a sense eg, ‘Sun kissed dune melted in the Tangerine sky. ~Or, I sky dived in the tangerine sunset.

This may encourage children to pop into the library to gain a new word for the day, week etc to use it in their work. You can do this for any subject, Science, ‘DID YOU KNOW’, E=MC²  means “Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared.” History, Suffragettes ‘DID YOU KNOW’ – The suffragettes were a women’s organisation who, in the early 20th century campaigned for equal opportunities for women. Maths, DID YOU KNOW, Isosceles triangle “This is a triangle that has at least two sides of equal length.”

7. Where do your stories ideas come from?

Reading, reading books, children’s books, papers. Moments of my life, my children, my experience’s, people. I have a cup that has been given to me, which reads,

“Don’t upset the writer, she might put in a book and kill you!” A bit drastic, but I believe an author has a duty in society to do good. 

8. What is next for you?

Well, I love writing, teaching and making people happy. So, I will continue through to the next stage of my life.

9. I adore spooky, creepy YA books, would you consider giving that genre a go?

Never say never, but I do get scared very easily. So, if I do write a spooky story, I hope I don’t get spooked before I finish the book.

I hope you like my antidotes and suggestions. Thank you, for your support.

Thank you for taking time to answer my questions, I was blown away by the answers, and I found it all incredibly interesting. 

I have great respect for people who decide to go down the self publishing route, and your books are extremely popular in my school.

Here is my review of your Christmas themed book.

The Mouse and the Christmas Tree

• Illustrations by Marian Marinov

As we crept towards Christmas, children wanted to read stories full of Christmas trees , Santa, snow, all things bright and colourful, so when I was sent this beautiful book, I discovered that my children had taken it to bed to read. I struggled to get it back off them as once it goes in their rooms it might not ever come out again. 

But I managed to convince them that they could have it back straight away as soon as I’d finished with it. I always think that if my boys are interested in it, it’s going to be a good book.

So I settled down to read it, and I could see why my boys loved it so much. Farmer Joe has brought a tree into the house, mouse and his friends can’t understand why ( actually it’s a question my boys asked when they were little) so they sent off to find out why.

What you notice when you open the book is how colourful the book is, it does make you feel like Christmas.

The story is lovely and gentle, and the characters are adorable.

So after reading this book the book disappeared again into one of the boy’s bedrooms hidden so that I can’t find it- this has happened to all of Rayner’s books.

They eagerly await her next book.