Warts, Warnings and One Hundred Noses: A Q&A with Cate Greener on Nosy Rosey and the Witch

In her hilarious and brilliantly rhythmic tale Nosy Rosey and the Witch, Cate Greener delivers a cautionary fable with a nose-twitching twist. Rose is a sweet-toothed, curious little girl who learns the hard way that some stories - and some witches - should not be taken lightly. From sweet marshmallows to a hundred noses and a deliciously dreadful villain, this is a rhyming picture book that crackles with energy, consequences, and just the right amount of chaos.

We caught up with author and illustrator Cate Greener to hear more about the spark behind her story, what she loved most about creating this grotesque and funny tale, and whether she herself might be a little bit nosey too...

This is such a fun and theatrical story - where did the idea for Nosy Rosey and the Witch come from?

Growing up I was very fortunate to have such wonderful parents who would send me to bed each and every night with a story. Often my dad would make them up; I recall countless stories about the infamous characters Jungle Jim and Desert Dan!

One of his stories, however, was about a witch (I was obsessed with witches as a child) who nastily cursed a little girl with hundreds of ears all over her body, but with each single kiss from her parents, an ear would disappear. They kissed her because, to them, she wasn’t ugly, and they loved her regardless of her being covered in ugly ears. The story stuck with me, and I felt it had to be written!

The witch is delightfully dreadful. Did you enjoy writing such a villainous character?

I LOVED it. One of my favourite books is ‘The Witches’ by Roald Dahl (also my favourite author!). I was inspired by the deliciously wicked Grand high Witch (who is mentioned briefly in this story!)

Rhyming stories are tricky to get right - what was your process for shaping the rhythm and rhyme in this book?

I’m a singer/songwriter, so when it came to writing stories, it just felt natural for me to do them in rhyme. First, I just get them out of my head and onto paper. The first draft often has far too many words! So I then go back to refine them by reading them out loud. Like a song, they should flow and have a steady rhythm. I then ask a family member or my partner to read it out loud to me so I can hear how it sounds to someone who doesn’t know it. If it still flows with the same rhythm, then it’s ready to share!

The story has real emotional heart by the end. Did you always know you wanted Rose’s mum to be her true hero?

Yes, the moral of the story had to stay true to the story I was brought up with – that beauty comes from within, and the love from parents is strong, unconditional and so very special. It is such a beautiful message; that is what made the story stay with me all these years.

There’s such a strong visual style to the book. What came first, the words or the illustrations?

The words, always. I have a strict rule – I can move on and write another story once I’ve got another illustrated. Writing doesn’t take long for me, and it’s the part I enjoy the most. Illustrating is a much longer process, and I’m very good at getting distracted! When I start a book’s illustrations, I revisit the story, which I love doing, and I create the characters how I imagined them when I wrote it.

I have now written eight stories, and I have just finished illustrating my fifth, which means I am now allowed to crack on with some more writing!

The noses! What inspired that brilliantly bizarre punishment for Rose?

The story from my dad’s brilliant mind about being covered in lots of ears! Noses, however, I think are more comical (imagine one hundred bogies!). They come in all shapes and sizes, and I feel it’s more of a fitting punishment for being ‘nosy’!

Were you a nosey child yourself… or more of a rule-follower?

Oh, I’d have been covered in one hundred noses for sure! I would have definitely fallen into the witch’s trap! I had a massive sweet tooth and a talent for getting into trouble!

What kind of atmosphere or setting helps you get into the right headspace to write stories like this. Is it total quiet, a bit of chaos, or something in between?

I wrote this story over three days in Amsterdam. I loved the bustling atmosphere of people getting on with their lives around me and just claiming a small patch of table with a nice coffee for myself and my laptop. Normally I write at home with instrumental music quietly in the background and my pug Rolo snoring on my lap. I often find myself sitting in the dark, having been writing for hours on end with the day escaping me!

When you’re not dreaming up wicked witches and magical mishaps, what else do you love doing creatively?

Singing! I have a band, so when I’m not writing stories, I’m writing songs for them! I also have a wonderfully funny pug called Rolo, whom I love dearly, so if I’m not scribbling or doodling, you can find me out and about with him!

Where can readers follow you and stay up to date with your books and illustrations?

I’m on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook; just look up ‘Categreenerauthor’ and you’ll find me, and maybe even the odd picture of Rolo!