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| photo: Marco Del Grande |
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a little boy had short, short (very short) hair!
2. What is your nickname?
There was a time when I was called Sunlong (remember those TV commercials for rice). Maybe Chenga, Chengie, or China … none of which I would respond to. And a very dear friend of mine calls me Cheng - he is the only one who ever gets a response to that!
3. What is your greatest fear?
Blood … I can’t even watch those medical television programmes (argh, irk, turn-the-head-away and cringe before screaming ‘why didn’t they warn us first!!!’) … just ask Bini what happens! argh!
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
Write, read, edit, repeat (and again), ponder, ready? Then send to editor (I was not too good at maths at high school).
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Inquisitive, perfection, passionate, obsessive, loving (I have the best job in the world - I told you I was not too good at maths at high school).
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Aslan - because he is!
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Could? I do … just like The Dr.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
How the heck did you ever become a children’s author!
9. Who is your greatest influence?
Impossible to name one …
As an author - the amazing friends who are today’s kids writers - and they know who they are.
As a person - members of my family (by birth and adoption) both near and far - and they (and she) too know who they are … who love me for what I am, who inspire my books, who love what I do and who totally and unswervingly support me in all my endeavours!
10. What/who made you start writing?
I was an Education Officer at Taronga Zoo, creating teaching material, teaching the sprogs (very big and very small and sometimes on the same day) who visited (or those I visited) and I was working with keepers creating promotional material and then Scholastic (it was Ashton then … who’s Ashton many will say) made inquiries and low and behold i was writing my first book.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Fantazmagorical - it just sounds so lovely and I can use it and so many of the people I know are!
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe - and I usually read it at least once every year … sometimes skimming and sometimes thoroughly.
Learn more about Chris and his work at www.chrischeng.com. His new book, New Year Surprise!, with the National Library of Australia, is out 2016.
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
