1. What inspired you to start writing Crossing the Line?
Back when my best friend broke the news that her son was involved with a drugs gang, I’d never heard of county lines. I thought this boy was just passing through a really difficult adolescence, but it turned out he’d been groomed and pressurised into fighting membersother gangs and dealing drugs. He managed to get himself free eventually, but he wanted me to tell his story, to warn other children. There was very little in fiction about county lines then and I knew it was really important conversation to have, particularly in schools.
2. Can you tell us a little about the book?
Crossing the Line is a verse novel for teens which tells the story of Erik, who’s a target for a drugs gang because he’s a ‘clean skin’ (not the kind of boy the police are likely to stop) and vulnerable. He lost his Dad in the pandemic; his mum’s been abandoned with baby twins andhe feels like he’s got to step up and be the man of the house. He doesn’t realise he’s being groomed until it’s too late; he’s trapped. Luckily for Erik, his loyal friend Ravi doesn’t give up on him . . .
3. Can you describe it using only three words?
Gripping, authentic, inventive.
4. You are a fan of verse novels (like me). What is it about this style of writing/genre that you love?
As an author, I love the creativity and freedom – you get to write your own rules, to do so much with space and format. They’re immediate, strongly voiced, a fast-paced read. I love it when readers say they can’t put verse novels down, that they’ve been grabbed in a whole new way. Verse is so accessible, especially for lapsed or emerging readers. I wrote Crossing the Line for a fourteen-year-old boy who was more used to scrolling through his phone thanopening a book.
5. How long have you been writing? When did you first start?
I’ve written poetry most of my life, but I only started trying to write novels in my forties, when I realised how much I was enjoying writing a company blog. A friend kicked me up the backside, and that really helped; having someone believe I could do it. But it was always hard to give myself permission to write – still is, if I’m honest, because, you know, you’re taking time and attention away from the people you love.
6. How does it feel being a published author knowing readers are really enjoying your stories?
Incredible and deeply fulfilling. A girl who saw me talk about grief at a festival bought a copy of Crossing the Line and then wrote to thank me for writing it. I was amazed that I’d been able to put words onto a page so that they actually helped someone. Wow.
7. What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
The self-sabotaging voice that tells you, you can’t do it, the well’s dry. And trying to work out the laggy bits (thank God for crit partners). And structure . And knowing when to stop. And the endless proof-reading (I’m not very good at that). And allowing myself time away from all the other demands. And did I mention the self-sabotaging voice . . ?
But ask me about when it’s going well. Then it’s like flying. Exhilarating. Like falling in love.
8. What advice would you give to those who are writing their first book?
Keep going! Finish it. When it’s done, you can edit, and that’s where the magic happens.Also, don’t do this alone: find a crit group and work hard at giving good feedback. Listen to all feedback – not just on your own work, but others’ too. Study the craft, learn as much as you can. I’m beyond proud that I just graduated from Bath Spa with an MA in Writing for Young People – it was such a great experience, and now I’m part of a warm, supportive family of alumni.
9. Which authors do you most admire and why?
I don’t know where to start with this question. So many! Pretty much every author I’ve read in the past two years has been amazing for one aspect of their craft or another. What appeals to me most is voice and clever structure: we pick up a book for the story – but we stick with it for the voice. For grown-up reading – and for this reason – I always recommend anything by Max Porter, and Evie Wyld’s All the Bird’s Singing. For children’s, I adore Katya Balen’s and Sara Barnard’s use of voice. I love issue wrapped in a parcel of wonderful – so, for example – I just read Simon James Green’s Boy Like Me and I loved the cheeky way he ripped down the fourth wall (and boosted librarians!)
But still, this feels like picking favourite children. Not fair!
10. What are common traps for new authors?
For the craft, I’d say over-writing. We have to learn to simplify, to learn how powerful the gleaming bones of words can be, stripped of the flesh of our beautiful descriptions (ha ha, see what I did there?).
For the journey – thinking they’ve finished when they’ve done a first draft and its rejected – giving up too soon. Don’t give up! Listen to feedback and improve! Improve! Improve! It’s astonishing how far books come, from first draft to finished text.
11. Where is your favourite place to write?
For comfort and efficiency, my desk.
For living my best writing life, under a tree on top of a hill.
12. What risk have you taken with your writing that have paid off?
It was a risk to imagine myself in the head of a fourteen-year-old boy selling drugs. I nearly gave up after the early research because I felt it was too far from my own safe world: I was scared I’d fail, that I’d be called out. But thank goodness, my agent and Hot Key Books believed in me, and I worked with The Children’s Society – one of the charities which advocates for victims of county lines exploitation – to ensure it was credible and that I’d fairly represented the victims. I’m so glad I did. It was needed. I’ve developed resources on my website so teachers use Crossing the Line to open up conversations about county lines, bereavement, bullying and friendship.
The other risk I took, egged on by my wonderful MA tutor Finbar Hawkins, was all the formatting craziness in Crossing the Line. I was worried I was going too far, but it seems not. Writing a poem in the shape of a toilet roll was my apogee!
13. If you could spend the day with another author who would you choose and why?
At the risk of being overly fan girl, Max Porter again. He’s so damn intelligent. Katherine Rundell, ditto. I would worship at their feet and hope some of that sparkly brain stuff drops down on me. And I would love to spend a day in the pub with Phil Earle and Neil Gamain just because I think it would be a lot of fun.
14. What were your favourite books growing up?
Nothing to be proud of! My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara (and any other horsey book). Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton – until I went to boarding school and discovered the awful truth! I LOVED the Puffin Book Club at school. I lived in a little village. There wasn’t abookshop for twenty miles, and no Amazon of course. It was so exciting when the books arrived.
15. Are you writing anything at the moment? If so, are you able to give us any clues?
Yes, and it’s *so different* from Crossing the Line! Historical middle-grade prose, would you believe? I started it as an outside-my-comfort-zone exercise during my MA, and just fell in love with the characters. I hope you get to meet them one day.
I want to say a huge thank you to Tia for taking the time to answer my questions and feature on my blog. You can buy Tia’s book(s) using booksellers, online and of course using your local bookshops.
You can find Tia online using the below:
Website: http://www.tiafisher.com
Twitter: @tiafisher_
Instagram: @tia_fisher_writes
BlueSky: @tiafisher.bsky.social
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