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- author Jackie French

Tuesday 13 September 2016

12 Curly Questions with Cath Crowley

1. Can you tell us something hardly anyone knows about you?
I’m almost certain the next character I’ll write about is called August Winter.

2. Do you have a nickname and if so, can you tell us what it is?  
My oldest friends (sometimes) call me Crowls. I love it – I feel like I’m in high school again.

3. What is your greatest fear?
The deep ocean, far out in the midnight zone. I can’t imagine being anywhere more frightening, or anywhere more interesting.

4. Please describe your writing style in ten words.
Lyrical, humourous, pacey, often about art and friendship and love.

5. Can you tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer?
Dedicated, curious, empathetic, word-obsessed.

6. What book character would you be, and why?
I’d be Stephanie Edgley (Valkyrie Cain) in Skullduggery Pleasant, at least I’d be her for a day. She has adventures and she has attitude.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d go forward fifty years. I want to see the advances and how we save the world from global warming.

8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
Remember that writing stories should be fun.

9. Who is your greatest influence?
I can’t name my greatest influence, but certainly writers who are willing to fail to try something different inspire me.

10. What or who inspired you to start writing?
The students I was teaching at the time were incredibly inspiring. They were working hard on pieces – imagining and editing – and I wanted to do that too.

11. What is your favourite word and why?
Archipelago – it looks and sounds beautiful.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tricky. I think it would be Jane Eyre.


Cath Crowley is an award-winning Australian author of young adult fiction. Her books include the Gracie Faltrain series and Graffiti Moon. Her latest book, Words in Deep Blue, is published by Pan Macmillan. Visit Cath Crowley's website and Facebook page for more information about her books and author updates, or chat with Cath on Twitter (@CathCrowley)