I can run. Like Forrest Gump. I can run away from anything at any time. Sprints, marathon, slow jog, you name it. It’s why I worry about wearing heels yet love to when I can. I might need to run.
2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Lord Voldemort (AKA He Who Cannot Be Named). Seeking eternal life and ultimate power at any cost even if it means destroying children, and having a name that cannot be spoken. That’s genius.
3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
William Boyd as he is one of my favourite authors so I’d want him there to pick his brain and stare admiringly at him. Rachel Spratt as I love her books and she’s very funny. Julia Donaldson as I love her picture books. JK Rowling, again as I am a huge fan. Christopher Hitchens, I’m a huge fan and he’d shake things up.
4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
Time travel.
5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Black hole that’s ultimately rewarding.
6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Entertaining, compelling, accessible, passionate, awkward (cos it’s true)
7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
Rabbits, a good lamp, pictures on the walls of all the things/people I love and who inspire me, quirky pottery personal pieces on my desk, a nice pen.
8. Grab the nearest book, open it to page 22 and look for the second word in the first sentence. Now, write a line that starts with that word. (Please include the name of the book!)
Home and Away – Kaboom Kid # 6
Lunchtime is always fraught. Where to sit? Who to sit with? And will my choice of lunch be mocked or rewarded today? Lunchtime is hell on earth. There’s Brady Frost giving me the evil eye. Avert glance.
9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
I would ask Enid Blyton ‘How did you have the strength of character to be so strong as a female author and how did you balance the demands of your creative work and family life?’
10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
That’s a terrible question. They both go hand in hand. I would have to say that I cannot give up reading so I choose the latter. Preferably living in luxury with endless books on tap.
