Featured Author:Nikki Tate

Bibliography at Orca

Razor's Edge: Travis and his best friends Ryan and Jasper live for the thrill of watching their horses race. When a thief starts hacking off the tails of Standardbred horses stabled at Blackdown Park, suddenly the track isn't such a great place to hang out. Things get even more unpleasant when a troubled girl comes between Travis and his friends. Travis has to make some tough choices, but how can he stand by his friends when he no longer trusts them?

Venom: Sixteen-year-old Spencer loves his job at the local racing stable, but when he becomes convinced that someone is drugging the racehorse Lord of the Flies, no one believes him. In an effort to find out who is behind a dangerous race-fixing scheme, he takes on some of the most unsavory members of the track community. By refusing to turn a blind eye, Spencer risks losing those he cares most about, including Em, the stableowner's niece.

Interview

Why do you write and why young adult books? It's some kind of sick obsession. I can't seem to stop. Like breathing, except more painful. A bit baffling, really. Which is a terrible answer – I'll let you know if I come up with a better one.

Do you put your family and friends in your books? I put bits and pieces of my friends and family in all my books. I chop them up, though, and mix them around a bit so it's not quite so obvious.

What is your favourite children's book? I have so many! I love to read and always have several books on the go at any given time. Many of those are books for children and teenagers. My first favourite was Black Beauty, though technically, it isn't a children's book.

What is the funniest or most interesting reader response you've ever had? The most impressive reader response was from the girl who re-wrote Tarragon Island as a full-colour graphic novel. Her version was truly brilliant.

What are the best and worst things about writing books? The best part about being a writer is the freedom it gives me to be nosey, spy on people, ask lots of questions, and try cool new experiences (because, you know, someday I might write about wrestling with a Canada Goose, or my head being sandwiched between a tree and a runaway horse, or getting lost in the Tateyama Mountains, or throwing myself between a thief and the only exit in the restaurant…) Not only does all of life (and everyone I meet) become potential fodder for an article or book, I can write whenever and wherever I want. My first choice is writing in coffee shops (great for spying on strangers) – and my second is writing very late at night, sometimes propped up in bed. Writing in airports is fun (lots of weepy and/or ecstatic people to spy on…) The worst part is the actual writing. And rewriting. And rewriting. And still, at the end of a very long process thinking the book could have been better. A sane person might then decide to choose another profession – I, however, think things will surely improve with the next book. They never do. I am never satisfied with what I produce and suffer a sick kind of dread that I won't live long enough to write something truly brilliant.

Biography

Nikki Tate was born in Birmingham, England, but spent her childhood roaming the globe. In Australia, Nikki battled a tarantula, in Banff she was chased by a mother black bear, and in Ontario she wrestled with a Canada goose.
Despite the fact that she has been kicked, bitten, stung, pecked, and sprayed, she has never been able to resist injured, lost, or lonely-looking animals. Over the years, her menagerie has included horses, dogs, cats, birds, snakes, squirrels, rabbits, rats, gerbils, spiders, crayfish, goats, pigs, hamsters, and a pond full of koi fish. These critters and their antics often find their way into her stories. Not surprisingly, Nikki's favorite book when she was little was Black Beauty, though she also loved The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and The Hobbit.

Nikki has always enjoyed writing stories and still has the notebooks she used when she was eight years old. She made up stories about animals, plane crashes, outhouses, and Doctor Dolittle's travels in outer space.

A born ham, Nikki danced, acted, and modeled her way through her younger years. She still loves to perform, most often as a storyteller. She also enjoys camping, kayaking, horseback riding, travel, and building big things with sticks and string. Nikki and her father, artist E. Colin Williams live on Vancouver Island along with her daughter Dani who lives at home part-time. They share their home with a collection of furred, feathered, and finned creatures including three dogs, four horses, two cats and four goats.

Nikki’s popular books include the StableMates Series, Estorian Chronicles, Tarragon Island Series, Jo’s Triumph and Jo’s Journey,Grandparents’ Day, the Behind the Scenes equestrian non-fiction books, and Double Take, a biography of Karen Brain. Visit Nikki's website  www.nikkitate.com  for more information.