Where it began – for me
EXCLUSIVE from Cherith Baldry!
BY CHERITH BALDRY
More than nineteen years ago, I had a telephone call that changed my life.
I had already written a number of books for the packager Working Partners, including several for the series Puppy Patrol, where I had worked with the editor Vicky Holmes. Now Vicky was asking me if I would be interested in contributing to a new series about cats.
I jumped at the chance!
Once I was on board, Vicky sent me a map, background notes, and the manuscripts of the first two books, written by Kate Cary. So I was able to plunge into the wonderful world of Warriors and into writing what eventually became Book 3 of Series 1, Forest of Secrets.
The first thing that attracted me to Warriors was that the characters are cats. I have loved cats ever since I was a child, and I have lived with them for most of my life. I never grow tired of observing them: their graceful movements, their intelligence and sense of humour, their independence, and the feeling of mystery that enfolds them.
I also love the intricately detailed world of the warrior cats. Even at that early stage, Vicky had produced the map of the territories and the surrounding areas so that Kate and I could visualise the background where the warrior cats’ adventures would play out. The structure of the Clans was in place: how a kit would become an apprentice and then a warrior, and maybe rise to become Clan deputy and leader, their names changing as they progressed. There was the idea of StarClan, and the relationship between the living cats and the spirits of their warrior ancestors. And there was also a sense of history, although that became much more developed in future series, particularly in the inclusion of the Ancient Cats and SkyClan. I’m convinced that one reason Warriors has become so popular is that our fans can easily imagine themselves into this realistic world.
Forest of Secrets was exciting to write. First there was the challenge of thinking myself into this new world and then drawing my readers into it. Also, I think that this book has one of the strongest plots in the whole of Warriors. There’s so much going on: the mystery of the deaths of Oakheart and Redtail, and the mystery of who were the parents of Mistyfoot and Stonefur. There’s the relationship of Graystripe and Silverstream, and the birth of their kits, which leads to Graystripe’s departure for RiverClan. Above all, there’s the discovery of Tigerclaw’s treachery, his banishment from ThunderClan, and Fireheart’s promotion to deputy. What writer wouldn’t want to have a story like this to get their teeth into?
One of the strengths of Warriors is the range of strong characters that our readers can engage with. Bringing them to life, building on the foundation laid by Kate, was tremendously fulfilling. I loved them all from the start; not only the heroic Fireheart, and Graystripe, torn between his Clan and the cat he loves, but Tigerclaw too, who is a magnificent villain, and the cranky medicine cat Yellowfang. I think I like the cranky characters most of all, like Yellowfang, and in later series, Jayfeather.
I said at the beginning that Vicky’s telephone call changed my life. I had no idea at the time that Warriors would go on from strength to strength, and that nineteen years later I would be working on Series 8. I couldn’t have foreseen the Super Editions, the e-novellas and the manga, and all the related material like this website, as well as the writing and artwork of our wonderful fans. I certainly never imagined that I would be traveling the world to meet those fans and to talk with them about Warriors. It’s been a fantastic experience, and it’s still continuing.
Here’s to the next nineteen years!
