This was the second book I wrote after ‘Boy in the Tower.’ I always start my stories in the same way - by doodling on paper and seeing what my brain throws out to me, in that moment. On the day I was starting ‘Where Monsters Lie,’ I found myself drawing a body of water as well as lots and lots of slugs and from this strange starting place, ‘Where Monsters Lie’ came to be. I had some wonderful memories of visiting Loch Ness as a kid when visiting my family in Scotland, staring into the water and willing Nessie to appear. I felt pretty sure I’d spotted her and so this is an ode to the bit of me that could be so sure they could see something if they looked hard enough.

Note: An especial mention and thank you to the very many slugs invading my kitchen at the time to eat the uneaten cat food left by my fussy cat.