Who’s this then?

Saci Lloyd, 42, is the author of The Carbon Diaries 2015, which made the Costa Children’s Book Award 2008 shortlist and was Waterstone’s book of the month. It was also the subject of a film rights bidding war between Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, and creators of Shameless and Skins, Company Pictures.

Ms Lloyd teaches media studies at Newham Sixth Form College and until last summer was head of its media department. She now works three days a week while promoting her second novel, The Carbon Diaries 2017.

A bidding war sounds fun ...

“Yeah it’s great,” she says. “I signed for Company Pictures in the end. Everyone is upset that I’ve turned down Johnny’s company, but it has to be set in London so I went with Company Pictures. They have a great reputation for making strong, edgy British dramas and we’re currently in talks with the BBC about a series, which is exciting.”

The workload must have been full-on?

“When I first wrote The Carbon Diaries 2015 I was head of department working full-time. Looking back, I can’t believe I did it. I used to get up a couple of hours early. I haven’t had a weekend for seven years. It feels bizarre now. I can’t believe I had that commitment. Teaching three days a week now I do a lot more press and publicity stuff. I’m going on tour this year too.”

Sounds a bit ‘too cool for school’.

“It has worked to my advantage. I’m really interested in getting young people into politics and green issues. We’re doing a project at school where the pupils have created a future diary; a Facebook-style social network site. The site goes live in mid-January and we are launching it with Havering College at my book launch on February 10.”

What’s the plan for the future?

“I have just signed a new contract with (publisher) Hachette. I am writing a new book, again on London in the future. I am going to write a film script for it and approach Johnny Depp’s film company. This one is a bit more futuristic and about the world.”