Author of the Hannah the Spanner series of children’s books
Hannah the Spanner and the Racing Car
Let’s start at the beginning
I was born in Birmingham and moved down to Sussex when I was about three. I went to school at the local schools in East Grinstead. I also had a very nice year 10 at the British School of Brussels where we moved when my Dad got transferred by Texaco. He politely reminded me as his company was footing the bill for the second most expensive day school in Europe, it would be appreciated if A, I did promise to attend and B, I’d actually make an effort for once somewhere other than on the sports pitches. It was really nice there but sadly we couldn’t stay. I guess I’m a classic late developer in most of things I’ve done so ended up doing alright educationally in the end. I still would have had no idea whatsoever that I’d end up doing what I am now when I was at school.
Now decades later, I’m married to Jacky, who has had my back for many years now. She has had a brilliant career in HR and deserves all the success that has come her way. She told me early on that I need to do something that I love for a living or I’ll be completely useless to anyone and everyone which was probably true. Somehow she has encouraged me to do the things that I’ve loved.
I spent most of my life playing or coaching sport
Like lots of little boys my age I was obsessed with Thunderbirds and the Gerry Anderson shows until sport kicked in when I was about eight or nine years old. I was a decent footballer in my youth until realising I’d be nowhere near good enough to make it after playing for North Sussex Schools and being on the end of a proper mauling against North London. Later I found out that I was actually a far better cricketer than I had ever been a footballer and that started me off down another sporting route. The only trouble was that I’d missed out on being where I should have been with my peers and that was always a problem when various people started mentioning playing at a higher level. Still I was lucky enough to have started coaching, kids seemed to laugh at my jokes and I was still good enough to have been able to travel the world on the back of being able to let go off a red ball at fairly decent speed. I got to play in Australia and South Africa and met and played against some truly legendary players. Eventually after years of hanging in there, I finally represented Sussex so it didn’t turn out too badly.
This all started by me opening up my laptop one day
After years of trudging around grounds all over the world I finally called time in 2016. After finishing playing top flight club cricket, I’d gone back to play at the village club where it all started in the early 1980’s which was a nice way for it to end. I’d had one operation too many and was so past my sell by date it was scary. So, in the winter of 2016, I was miserable for a few reasons and so I did what I’d always promised I’d do and started writing it all down. Firstly, so I wouldn’t forget it all when I was older and also to try and make sense of the seemingly stupid way I’d managed to avoid having to get a proper job. I had no idea that by lifting the lid on my laptop and using my two fingers would lead down a completely different route than I ever could have imagined.
I still miss school and my friends
I’d finished working at schools in the summer of 2017. I worked as a coach at a whole host of schools in both the state and independent sector and numerous places overseas. I started out in 1991 with Sussex CCC as part of their youth development programme, had my own Academy for a while with is schools programme and then finished by working in larger schools doing all sports as I could still just about kick a football.
If you’re lucky enough to work in a good school with a brilliant staff, then you’re very lucky. The staff room can be as enjoyable as the dressing room and there’s always the various functions, trips and Christmas parties which could sometimes be hilarious. Although I’m very lucky to do what I do now, I still really miss seeing my friends every day.
Meeting Bill changed plenty for me
As I wanted a cover for my cricket book, I needed to find an illustrator. A mutual friend put me in touch with an artist called Bill Greenhead and we hit it off completely. We’re very different but he loved what I’d done and after telling him of the next project I had in mind, he started sketching and sent me off to go and write some of the Hannah the Spanner stories I’d made up on her bed years ago. Thankfully I’d written bits of them down as it was a long time ago. Within months we’d set up a company and I would end up writing the seven Hannah stories that came out this year.
Hannah knew nothing about the books as we kept it a secret for her 21st Birthday
It all just happened that as Hannah was away at University and approaching her 21st birthday that it would be a nice idea to surprise her. I’d always promised the girls that I’d try and turn the bedtime stories into books one day and so was thrilled that I was able to actually do it. She had no idea what was going on and was getting quite suspicious towards the end. Thankfully Lucy knew what was going on and kept putting her off the scent. When she finally received them on her birthday, she opened them, saw the Dancing Bear cover and burst into tears. Amazingly, when we read them that night, she remembered all of them like it was yesterday. That was a good day.
I can’t believe that someone has just run a marathon in under two hours
I did the New York Marathon a few years ago and it took me about three and a half weeks. That’s level 20 on the treadmill for 26.2 miles which is just ridiculous.
When I look back, we’ve had an amazing twelve months
Somehow, we’ve released seven books which have had incredible reviews, had a book launch at one of the famous book shops in London, recently been taken on by an International Rights Agency, been to fairs in London, Frankfurt and Shanghai, and also made a TV Trailer with Dawn French doing the voiceover. She was as delightful as we’d hoped she’d be. We’re finishing the year with a function at Foyles in Charing Cross Road for the release of Hannah and the Polar Bears and the launch of our You Tube channel which comes out properly in early 2020.
I’m still involved as a Vice president at Sussex CCC
I still do some stuff for the Sussex Cricket Foundation which is the charity arm of Sussex Cricket. We’re trying to get as many children and adults of all ages playing. I still enjoy the challenges it brings as it’s getting harder and harder to get people active. It’s also a chance to keep in touch with some brilliant people and gets me away from the day job for a while. I’ve also come out of retirement to play for the Sussex Over 50’s in the County Championship.
The world or authors and publishing is a tough one
It’s been really interesting to be able to learn about a new industry and all the complexities that comes with it. I’m lucky that I own a decent property business that has has allowed me the financial stability to write the books and gone down the avenues we have. Being an author and working in publishing is a tough gig and they all have my full admiration as trying to get anywhere can be a soul destroying prospect when you see all the hurdles in front of you.
Luckily I have some very talented people around me to make it look like I know what I’m doing, because believe me at times it does seem like I’m making this up as I go along.
The best thing for me is that I’ve been lucky enough to never really care what day of the week it is as enjoyed the things I’ve done for a living. Thankfully no Sunday night blues or dreading the alarm going off on Monday morning, and for that I’m very grateful. I’ve said all along that this project could end up in Hollywood and it could end up going no further than boxes in my garage, so we’ll just have to cross our fingers and see how the mop flops.
About the author:
Stuart Simmonds is a married father of two girls, Hannah and Lucy. An accomplished cricketer and sports coach, he now runs a property business from his home in East Grinstead, Sussex.
Prior to writing the Hannah the Spanner series, he wrote an autobiography on a life in cricket, titled ‘Watching With My Heroes’, which was widely sold through all major retailers.
Having long considered writing children’s books based on a promise made to his daughter when she was just five, late last year he presented her with the first edition drafts on her 21st birthday.
Web: www.hannahthespanner.com