I kept writing and worked as a translator in France. I was never really far from the written word. It wasn't until my son was born, while we were back in the States, that I seriously started to market what I had written. Like many children's authors, Havill does not have an agent. She prefers working with the editor directly.
Editors help writers find the stories they are trying to tell.
However, the Jamaica stories have been fairly complete when submitted with just a word here or there changed. The Jamaica books are very popular in England. Havill said that she doesn't know why. It could be name recognition, that 'Jamaica' is familiar to them. I'd like to think the story is universal and that they connect with it.