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| Photo credit: AJD Photography |
In high school, I was a big-time embroiderer. No joke. Cross-stitch was my jam. All adolescent anxieties melted away with the calm, repetitive motion.
2. What is your nickname?
Dave. Boring. At high school it was Disco Dave, for reasons best known to my grade nine drama classroom.
3. What is your greatest fear?
Falling down stairs. I don’t really jump scare easily when I watch films – but if I watch someone fall down stairs my entire body reacts. My neck is tensing now thinking about it. Ugh.
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
A dag-muffin ponders life, meaning and happiness with fart jokes.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Funny. Meaningful. Diverse. Intimate. Hairy.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Winnie The Pooh. Simple, profound, loyal, clear desires and a good heart. What a way to be.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I want to meet Cleopatra, kneel before her in her palace, and grovel, apparently, as the rest of the world did. And an Egyptian/Roman Cleopatrian feast sounds like the bomb. All of the slavery would bum me out though.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
When did the nipple hair start? And why is it there? And do you ever give up classical piano? (And I would say, yes you do, but you shouldn’t. Keep going.)
9. Who is your greatest influence?
Tricky. I’ve been blessed with a lot of great influences and teachers. My Mum and Dad are great people. I also had a hugely influential drama teacher, both at high school and university.
10. What/who inspired you to start writing?
Paul Jennings, Morris Gleitzman, William Shakespeare and John Marsden.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Lugubrious is pretty great. In a similar vein: salubrious. Also, because I’m a sucker: love.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A cook book. Probably Nigella Lawson. Useful, comforting, funny and meaningful, all in one fell swoop.
David Burton is an Australian author based in Sydney. In 2014 David won the Text Prize for Children and Young Adults' Writing for his memoir How to be Happy, published by Text in 2015. David is also well known for his award-winning theatrical work. Visit David Burton's website and Facebook page for more information about his writing and upcoming events.