Phil was born in Hull, where he grew up wanting to play football for Hull City. His first job was as a care worker in a children’s home. Nowadays, when he’s not writing, he works as head of sales and marketing for the independent book publisher, David Fickling Books, who publish Philip Pullman. 

 

We talk about getting into reading through comics and graphic novels, agree on a book that’s a masterclass in structure and characterisation – a checklist of excellence, Phil calls it – and the joy of the rollercoaster of writing a story for the first time. When it comes to marketing, Phil believes in the power of the voice and is reassuringly passionate about supporting a writer through their career, and not just the debut, when they are the shiny new thing. But writers must put the work in too. 

Links: 
Phil Earle website: http://www.philearle.com 
When The Sky Falls: https://www.waterstones.com/book/when-the-sky-falls/phil-earle/9781783449651 
David Fickling Books: https://www.davidficklingbooks.com 
The Outsiders by SE Hinton: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/575/57559/the-outsiders/9780141189116.html 
Skellig by David Almond: https://davidalmond.com/tag/skellig/ 
Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/609/60993/goodnight-mister-tom/9780141362717.html 
Holes by Louis Sachar: https://www.waterstones.com/book/holes/louis-sachar/9781408865231