About
Clare is a former primary school teacher, now children’s author and writing mentor living in South West England with her husband and two children. Clare does her best writing by the sea (or on the sofa with a dog on her lap!), which is lucky because she lives close to many beautiful beaches (and has a dog called Hope!)
When Clare isn’t writing stories, she is inspiring children to write their own. She loves visiting schools, libraries, bookshops and festivals in her authormobile, giving her an outlet for her BIG ideas. Once she helped a class make a giant rice crispy cake that was so wide it wouldn’t fit through the door!
But her best idea yet has been putting pen to paper. Clare writes everything from funny to informative, lyrical to rhyming, but is especially passionate about stories that help children deal with big feelings and difficult issues. She is the founder of Books That Help – an initiative that aims to celebrate picture books and how they can be used to navigate life’s up and downs.
Ten Fun Facts about Clare Helen Welsh…
She used to be a teacher!
Before becoming a full-time author, Clare was a primary school teacher. She once made a rice crispy cake with her class that was so big, it didn’t fit through the door! She has also worked in France and for Father Christmas.She’s written over 70 books!
Clare has published lots of books - picture books, early readers, young fiction, non-fiction and middle grade. She’s actually written a lot more… 20-30 books a year for the last ten years, but not all stories become published books.She loves nature and animals!
From forests to oceans, dogs to dolphins, Clare includes animals and nature in almost all of her stories. She has a cavapoo called Hope who is a brilliant writing buddy. (Hope hasn’t featured in any of Clare’s stories yet and she is NOT happy about it!)She owns more notebooks than shoes!
Clare has many, many notebooks. Some are glittery, some are spotty… all are filled with scribbles, ideas, notes and doodles. She actually writes on her phone or laptop most of the time, though, because her handwriting is so messy.Her favourite sandwich filling is pineapple and cream cheese!
It sounds weird, but Clare says it’s the perfect combo of sweet and savoury. Best on thick white bread!
She is neurodivergent
Clare’s brain works a little differently to others’, but that’s one reason she is such a skilled, versatile and exciting author. She thinks neurodivergent characters make super book characters because they are interesting, complex, they break stereotypes and are often misunderstood.
Her children used to call her ‘The Boiled Egg.
In 2019, Clare had cancer and her treatment made all her hair fall out. Being so ill was motivation for her to worry less, follow her dreams and be grateful for time with family and friends.
She believes books can help.
Some of Clare’s stories deal with tricky topics like illness, divorce, dementia and change. She hopes her books make children feel comforted and understood.She knows how to make lampshades!
Clare has tried all kinds of hobbies, from mosaic to pickleball, rounders to lampshade-making. She once gave everyone in her family a lampshade for Christmas!
She will never stop dreaming up stories!
Clare starts some hobbies and stops soon after. But writing is something she began in 2012, and she hasn’t stopped since. She will probably write forever and ever and ever. The end.