Abi Moore
Name: Abi Moore
Novel name: What We Become in the Woods - YA
Abi Moore lives in Leicestershire with her husband, two children and one grumpy cat. She has been a fan of all kinds of horror ever since watching Evil Dead 2 at far too young an age and wants to write the kind of horror books she would have devoured as a teen.
As well as being shortlisted for the Cheshire Novel Kids Prize, What We Become in the Woods was longlisted for the WriteMentor Novel and Picture Book Award 2024, and helped Abi be selected for the WriteMentor Summer Mentoring Programme in 2023.
What made you enter the Cheshire Novel Prize?
I actually entered this novel in the adult CNP competition the year before. I didn’t make the Top 100 and used the feedback to make my opening much stronger, as well as applying some of the more general advice to the rest of the novel. I entered it again into the kid’s competition, not really expecting much but hoping they’d at least see some improvement!
What did it feel like when you were LL and then SL?
I was so shocked. I was incredibly anxious about the LL after seeing my book in the Top 100 snippets. I don’t think I did any work that morning even though I knew the announcement wouldn’t be until 2pm. I screamed when I saw my novel pop up in the announcement video.
The SL was even more of a surprise. I’d convinced myself I wouldn’t be on it, as the chances just felt so slim. I don’t think I reacted properly when I found out, I was too stunned!
What was the reaction from those around you/family and friends?
My husband was so happy and proud. I live for his reactions to these things! My writing friends were so happy for me. Big shoutout to Lucy for being the best cheerleader and screaming with me whenever something good happens.
You were unrepresented when you entered the Cheshire Novel Prize, can you say what’s happened since?
I’d already started querying this novel when I entered the competition. I had a few full requests early on but after that everything moved painfully slow. I loved being able to put being LL then SL for CNP on my query letter and hope it helped me stand out a bit. I’m not quite ready to make an agent announcement yet, but very close, so watch this space!
How did you come up with the idea for your book?
The monster was the start of this story, and it was based on a drawing my husband did (he’s an artist) of a man with too many arms, a monster made up out of his victims. The story started spiraling from there. I really wanted to set it in Wales as I went to uni in North Wales and lived there for a while after and it has a really special place in my heart.
What’s it about?
What We Become in the Woods is a YA horror about two sisters spending their summer in Wales with their estranged grandma. Anna gets involved in a local tradition that promises her heart’s desire if she wins, while falling for a local village girl. Laura discovers a hideous monster is behind the competition and has to save her sister before Anna becomes part of the monster forever.
What’s your writing routine?
I like to write early in the morning. I feel like it prioritises my writing and makes me get it done: if I try after a full day of work/kids/life then by the time I sit down I’m just too tired. I get up at 5:45 and write until 7:30, or when the toddler gets up, whichever is soonest! I like to have a word count target when I’m drafting and will usually aim to do at 1000 words, but when I’m editing it tends to be the opposite and I’ll be reducing that word count as much as possible.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on some edits for this book. So much is changing about it, but the core story and characters are still the same and I think it’ll make the story much stronger. After that, I’ll be drafting the next one, another YA horror, this time set on a stranded cruise ship.
What are your favourite children’s books and why?
This is such a hard question! For books from my childhood, it has to be the Animorph series by K.A Applegate. It really pushes the boundaries for body horror in kids books and teaches the harsh reality of war, all while managing to be funny and entertaining. I’m reading them with my son at the moment and it’s so special to share something from my childhood with him.
For modern books, I love anything by Holly Bourne and Louise O’Neill. Anything with their names on are instant buys for me, their books are also so captivating.
Any tips for writers intending on entering the competition?
Just go for it! I always recommend CNP because the feedback alone is so valuable and really unique to this competition, so even if you don’t make the LL or SL, you’ve still got something positive out of it. It’s also such a welcoming space, everyone is cheering each other along and it’s a wonderful part of the writing community.