I recently discovered that McDonalds now have little smart tablets filled with games, so the kids can now glue their little eyes to vivid pixels, while their parents catch up on Facebook. I just get lost in my own little stream of consciousness without ever feeling the need to 'test the audience' because I'm not even thinking about an audience, I'm just writing a story and enjoying the creative process. And that's not even a conscious decision.

I have never once tested any of my books on a child. It was like playing spot the millennial! But why are we all so obsessed with recording moments, taking selfies (which 10 years ago would have absolutely been considered to be completely self-obsessed and narcissistic) and staying connected every waking minute of the day? Of course, all of the above relates more to adults than children, but I personally think the best stories come from real life. Then I saw someone else doing the same thing. For example, just the other day I was watching a David Bowie tribute act with my Dad and noticed someone watching the entire show through her tiny little phone. It seems that whenever I go to a concert, show or even a nightclub, people are literally viewing their experiences through tiny smartphone screens instead of actually living, which I think is quite sad. Unplugged is my reaction to today's obsession with social media and viewing life through filtered screens. I thought to myself, 'I seriously need to unplug!'. I was more interested in Twitter than where I was walking. The idea of Unplugged came to me when I almost walked straight into a lamppost. Monster in the Hood has a similar theme but focuses more on learning not to judge someone based on preconceived and ignorant notions. Green Lizards Vs Red Rectangles was my reaction to the world becoming a much smaller place and how humans from different backgrounds often struggle to share the same space. My stand-alone titles often explore themes relevant to our times. But what's even better, and still something I find a little surreal, is seeing my characters take on a life of their own as they fly into bookstores, libraries, schools and the hearts of little readers. A book release is always exciting and although this is my 12th release the feeling is still just as amazing as seeing my first book in print.

Unplugged steve antony