12 Curly Questions with author Lynn Jenkins

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

My full name is Lynette and I don’t like it, because it is my ‘in trouble’ name. I was always called Lynette when I was in trouble.

2. What is your nickname? 

I tend to get called Lynnie a lot. It brings a warm feeling.

3. What is your greatest fear?

Well, it’s a bit weird - lots of little tiny things together like lots of tiny circles sitting closely to each other. I recently learned this is called Trypophobia.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words

Long-winded, then cut down; try to be funny often.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.

Passionate, obsessive (when I have an idea), daydreamer, self-amused, giggly.

6. What book character would you be, and why? 

I would be Ollie in my book Ollie’s Treasure because he learns for the first time the pleasure generated from noticing the simple things – I love that feeling!

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?

I love corduroy at the moment so a year in the seventies.

8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now? 

Listen to your gut more. Just do it. Don’t doubt so much

9. Who is your greatest influence? 

In mindfulness (which is what Ollie’s Treasure is about) it is Surya citta – a mindfulness teacher in the UK. He taught me how to use and teach mindfulness, which is a big part of my life now, so much so, I wanted to write a book for kids on the subject. To get in early in little lives.

10. What/who made you start writing?

I don’t know! I always turned to writing to express myself. When I was young, a neighbour of similar age died – I wrote about it. When I was a teenager and became strongly passionate about everything in the world, like the Holocaust and apartheid – I wrote about it. So I’ve always written, but I received some positive feedback about my writing at times from teachers, which made me think I was OK at it.

11. What is your favourite word and why? 

I’ve always liked the word ‘angst’. It just sounds good to me and is fun to say. I am a bit prone to making up words too that seem to describe something appropriately to me.

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

I love The Bronze Horseman, by Paulina Simmons. I still remember the feeling when I realised it was the first book in a trilogy after reading it.

Lynn Jenkins is a clinical psychologist, author and mother of three. Lynn is passionate about early intervention in the social and emotional development of children, and has written two previous picture books on the topics of anxiety and worry (Lessons of a LAC and Brave) as well as two non-fiction titles for adults, Best Start and School Start.