1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
Well everyone knows I’m a kitchen dancer so that’s not going to impress anyone. But no one knows I’m a mirror dancer. That’s so embarrassing I would never tell anyone!
2. What is your nickname?
2. What is your nickname?
An old friend - whose nickname is Gigi Hairplop - calls me Lady Lisa. While not as good as Gigi Hairplop, Lady Lisa at least sounds a bit royal no? Sometimes I feel royal, too. And sometimes I feel like Larry Loser. One of the pitfalls of being a writer.
3. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is your greatest fear?
That I’ll get caught dancing in the mirror. It happened once. I used to share a house with Gigi Hairplop and her boyfriend. One night I was home alone and busting out a few moves. I had the music up so loud I didn’t hear them come in. The Horror! The Horror!
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Hopefully amusing, sometimes fantastical and, if all goes well, affecting.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Clean (most days), intermittently jolly, wide-eyed, and good-in-short-bursts.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
A Moomin. They have lovely bottoms. Or a Snork. Who wouldn’t want to be a Snork! They change colour depending on their mood. If I could do that I think my children would find it very useful.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I’d drop myself somewhere in the early '70s. Vintage era for music.
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
I can’t believe you like country music! You’re such a dag.
9. Who is your greatest influence?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
Roald Dahl.
10. What/who made you start writing?
10. What/who made you start writing?
My children. Lack of sleep sent me doolally and gave me mad ideas for stories.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Can I have two? Lickety-split. Sounds great. And doolally. It reminds me of my Dad.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Lisa Nicol is a writer and documentary-maker. Working across film, television, radio and print, Lisa's work has been broadcast on ABC TV, pay TV networks and Radio National. She has been published by all the major broadsheets. Her documentary about Australian poet Benjamin Frater won a Silver medal at the 2012 New York Festivals International Radio Awards. Her documentary Wide Open Sky, about a children’s choir in outback NSW, won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2015 Sydney Film Festival and gained a national cinema release. Dr Boogaloo and The Girl Who Lost Her Laughter is Lisa’s second book for children. For more information, see www.lisanicol.com.au.
