1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
STOP the Bully isn’t the first junior novel I’ve written. Josh and the It, my sci-fi novel, was under consideration by a leading publisher for 14 months. My vow is to rewrite Josh, infusing it with a positive mental health message.
2. What is your nickname?
Kaz. My sister loves to call me this.
3. What is your greatest fear?
That all my hard work is in vain. That my latest book is a flop.
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
Emotive. Fast-paced. Controversial. Original. Thought-provoking. Unexpected. Empathetic. Dramatic. Honest. Captivating.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Trail-blazer. Passionate. Motivated. Diligent. Determined.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Amelia the taekwondo champ from STOP the Bully. She empowered herself with strong anti-bullying self-talk. Amelia helped other children stop the bully.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1966. Go back to my childhood bullies and stop them in their tracks. I’d empower myself to change my life history. I’d never allow a bully to destroy my self-confidence again.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
Let’s sit beneath the willows on the river bank and dream. ‘I can be anyone. Achieve anything I desire. Dream. Imagine. Achieve.’ My childhood Karen would remind me to live every day in the moment.
9. Who is your greatest influence?
My childhood self. The child within: full of wonder, imagination and determination to succeed.
10. What/who made you start writing?
Parents of my school student bullied me to breaking point. Police incarcerated me into the psychiatric system. Finally I ‘escaped’ joining a writing group and Queensland Writers Centre, determined to publish my recovery story. STOP the Bully is my fourth mental health book.
11. What is your favorite word and why?
Imagine. Our imagination opens up all kinds of possibilities. Imagine if we could achieve all our dreams!
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Any novel from Kate Forsyth.
STOP the Bully isn’t the first junior novel I’ve written. Josh and the It, my sci-fi novel, was under consideration by a leading publisher for 14 months. My vow is to rewrite Josh, infusing it with a positive mental health message.
2. What is your nickname?
Kaz. My sister loves to call me this.
3. What is your greatest fear?
That all my hard work is in vain. That my latest book is a flop.
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
Emotive. Fast-paced. Controversial. Original. Thought-provoking. Unexpected. Empathetic. Dramatic. Honest. Captivating.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Trail-blazer. Passionate. Motivated. Diligent. Determined.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Amelia the taekwondo champ from STOP the Bully. She empowered herself with strong anti-bullying self-talk. Amelia helped other children stop the bully.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1966. Go back to my childhood bullies and stop them in their tracks. I’d empower myself to change my life history. I’d never allow a bully to destroy my self-confidence again.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
Let’s sit beneath the willows on the river bank and dream. ‘I can be anyone. Achieve anything I desire. Dream. Imagine. Achieve.’ My childhood Karen would remind me to live every day in the moment.
9. Who is your greatest influence?
My childhood self. The child within: full of wonder, imagination and determination to succeed.
10. What/who made you start writing?
Parents of my school student bullied me to breaking point. Police incarcerated me into the psychiatric system. Finally I ‘escaped’ joining a writing group and Queensland Writers Centre, determined to publish my recovery story. STOP the Bully is my fourth mental health book.
11. What is your favorite word and why?
Imagine. Our imagination opens up all kinds of possibilities. Imagine if we could achieve all our dreams!
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Any novel from Kate Forsyth.
STOP the Bully is available from Amazon and is endorsed by Kids Helpline and aligned with Kids Matter. You can download free STOP the Bully children's activities and teachers' notes from Karen's website, and you can follow Karen on Facebook.
STOP the Bully Blog Tour, June 2 - 11
2 June
Karen Tyrrell - STOP the Bully Release Party & Reviews
Sally Odgers - Interview
3 June
Jill Smith - Review
Charmaine Clancy - Interview
4 June
Sally Murphy - QUICK Questions
5 June
Melissa Wray - Interview
Yvonne Mes - Interview
6 June
Ali Stegert - Interview
7 June
Kids' Book Review - 12 Curly Questions (that's us!)
9 June
Bug in a Book - Review
Jackie Hosking - Interview
10 June
June Perkins - Interview
Robyn Parnell - Interview
11 June
Nicky Johnson - Review
Literati Radio - Interview 9am AEST
If you are an author or illustrator who thinks they are BRAVE enough to answer our questions,
OR if there is an author or illustrator you would like to hear from, LET US KNOW!
We will see if they are up to the task. Just email: susanATkids-bookreviewDOTcom
