Guest Post: Sibéal Pounder 

Author of Sprouts

Tips on Writing Funny Festive Adventures

 Tip 1: Look at Traditions from Around the World to Inspire your Story

Christmas traditions from around the world are so fun, and many inspired the characters in Sprouts, from the terrifying Krampuses to Gryla the Christmas hag and Befana the kind Christmas witch, there are so many traditions that can be fun to twist.

In my first Christmas book Tinsel I looked at the character of Mrs Claus, and in Sprouts we explore Christmas witches.

One of my favourite traditions, that I haven’t worked into a festive book yet, is Tio de Nadal. This tradition comes from Catalonia and it is a log with a cute face painted on. Children hit him gently with sticks while singing songs, and if they’ve been good, he will poop out presents and sweets!

Tip 2: Bring something festive to life.

What if an inanimate Christmas object became a key character in your story?

In Spouts we have the giant enchanted Christmas tree called Eggnog and he’s one of my favourite comedy characters to write, he began as a young tree in Tinsel. 

Maybe it’s a broken Christmas tree decoration, an opinionated stocking, a sleigh that wants a holiday, a shy cracker…

 There are so many options!

Tip 3: Ask yourself what could go wrong?

You wished it could be Christmas every day…

In Sprouts, it’s the year 4024 and Christmas is out of control – it is everything, it is everywhere and it is EVERY DAY. Everyone travels by flying sleigh, Santa rules the world and all food is served in the form of flavoured candy canes!

Think of something in the festive make-up, whether it’s Santa’s delivery system or how we celebrate, make it go awry and take it to extremes!

 Sprouts by Sibéal Pounder is out now (hardback, Bloomsbury)