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J A M E S C A R T E R is a popular visitor to Primary schools all over the UK - where he gives poetry (with music) performances and workshops. A widely anthologised children's poet, James' critically-acclaimed collection of children's poems, Cars Stars Electric Guitars (Walker Books) is a recommended Poetry Bookshelf title. James is an INSET provider, a lecturer in Children's Literature/Creative Writing at Reading University and the author of five creeative writing books for Primary teachers.
Do you know any really bad jokes? It's dated a bit but it's still bad - Q. Why did Oasis drink soup? A. You gotta roll with it... How old were you when you wrote your first poem? Don't know, but I wrote my first few songs when I was 15, when I bought my first electric guitar. I couldn't read music, so I just made words and riffs up. Can you stand on one leg, pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time? Yes! What inspired you to become a poet? I never set out to be a poet, but I'm extremely happy to be one now! I stopped writing songs in my late 20s, and concentrated on writing instrumental music. So I wasn't writing words for a while. When I began working in education a few years later, I started writing the odd poem. I sent these off, and some of them got published. I haven't stopped since. I love writing poems - there's so much scope to writing about anything you want to, in so many forms. Which is your favourite animal? Our lovely but weird cat, Alice. But am I her favourite human? How many poems have you written? Absolutely hundreds. Some are just titles, the odd line, a phrase.. I must have had over 150 published now in various books, anthologies etc..but only a small percentage of what I write gets published. Are you frightened of spiders? Are you? (No!)  Where was your first poem published? In 'School Trips' edited by Brian Moses. It was entitled 'Rules for School Trips'. How long does it take you to write a poem? Between twelve and a half minutes and fourteen months. But seriously - ages and ages. I want to get them right. Poems should not be sloppily written - they need to be tight and punchy! Do you have an all-time favourite poem? Either Horace by Terry Jones or Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. Or Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. Or Elephant Dreams by Ian McMillan. What are your favourite biscuits? Oh golly! I like all biscuits (and porridge too - but more of that later). In fact, I'm just writing a poem called 'How to Eat Biscuits' - here's a little taster! H o w t o E a t a D i g e s t i v e It really is best if (according to me) you break it in two then dunk it in tea but not for too long or it'll go wrong and drown in your tea how sad that'll be © James Carter 2005 Do you illustrate your own work? No! Other people do it much better - including the brilliant Mique Moriuchi - who illustrated my collection 'Cars Stars Electric Guitars'. Do you write your poems with a pen, or do you use a computer? Always pen first. Never a computer. I've learnt not to trust the screen. The poem looks too good too soon on the screen, as Roger McGough (not name dropping or anything!) once told me. I scribble a first draft onto an envelope. I always keep one in my pocket, in case I get an idea. Then I type it into the PC - then immediately do a printout on paper and work manually on that for a while. I keep doing this - putting the updated versions into the PC and keep going - for maybe up to a year - until the poem is right. I'm very patient. Every single word - the rhythm and flow of every line - the structure - opening - development, and conclusion have to be as good as I can get them. Writing is a craft skill! What is your favourite word and why? I like loads of words - blue, apple, thingy, and that very useful word 'interesting'. D e a r P o e t Dear Poet, We are class 4b we read your book today you see and thought that we would write to you and ask you for your point of view on many things. Is that okay? We hope it is. Now anyway : Do you always talk in rhyme? Write your poems all the time? Are you a really hunky guy? Are all poets weird and shy? Do your servants wash your clothes - cook your meals and type your poems? Do you drive a fancy car? Are you a famous mega star? An A1 fab celebrity - in the news and on TV? Yours forever, Class 4b Dear 4b, What can I say? Your letter really made my day! And such great questions too, but oh - To every one the answer's 'No'! No servants, typists, big flash car and no great wealth. And mega star?!? People say I've no great looks - and famous? No - but do write books - full of poems. I'm not shy - or weird! But I'm a lucky guy : with two great kids and lovely wife wow I have a super life! Please write poems send them too - yours A. Poet (Class 42!) © James Carter 2005 If you had not become a poet, which job do you think you would be doing now? I'd like to be a guitarist in a jazz orchestra or an archaeologist. 
Do you have a favourite poet? These people have certainly inspired me - Michael Rosen, Dylan Thomas, John Hegley - as well as Monty Python films and CDs. In a very different way, my children and my wife are also a constant inspiration to me. And music too - I'm always listening to music - and that gives me many ideas. Favourite music at the moment includes Rilo Kiley, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Beatles, some jazz etc etc. Do you have to be brainy to be a poet? What is brainy? You certainly have to use your brain to write a poem! Do you have any sensible or not-so-sensible advice for young poets? Read a lot of everything - from novels to plays to poems to porridge boxes, crisp packets, everything and anything. Write at home. Write whatever you want, however you want. Don't even show it to anyone. Try writing all kinds of things - stories, short plays, songs,
all kinds of poems - from raps to haikus to kennings. Get into the habit of writing poems, anything, a diary, as often as you can. If you want to, try reading your poems out to friends, and hear how they sound as you say them. Get others to read them to you. Do the words fit, do they flow? Are you saying excatly what you want to say? Are the words all doing their job? What can you do to develop the poem? Leave the poem/piece for a while, say a few weeks. Go back to it and see what needs doing next. Beware of lazy rhymes : Do you visit schools? All the time. I visit schools all over the UK, and do poetry/music performances for reception, Key Stage 1 and 2, and workshops for years 2-6. I love performing, and getting children to write for themselves. I'm based in Oxfordshire, but I travel far and wide! Please do not hesitate to contact me via my publisher, Walker Books. T o p 5 P a r e n t s ' E x c u s e s A s T o WHY YOU SHOULDN'T OWN A PET: 5 : UNICORN - 'Too expensive. And those horns are way too pointy.' 4 : 3-HEADED DOG - 'Too scary. Might upset your Aunty Jean.' 3 : DINOSAUR - 'Too noisy. And who'd want to look after one of those when we go to Cornwall in August?' 2 : LOCH NESS MONSTER - 'Too famous. TV crews would be round here every day. We wouldn't get any peace and quiet.' 1 : DRAGON - 'Too bad-tempered. Anyway, the tail might get in the way of the telly. And you know what your sister's like when she misses her favourite programme.' © James Carter 2005  If you would like to contact James, please click here Walker Books or contact the Marketing Department at Walker Books on 0207 793 0909.  Games | Teachers and Parents |Recommended Titles | Jokes| Exciting Websites | Contact Us | About Us | Site Map | Privacy | ©2006 Man In The Moon and all authors |