12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Daniel Gray-Barnett

 1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

My family and close friends know, but a lot of people don’t know that I’m a triplet.

2. What is your nickname? 

Most people call me Little Dan (my other half is Big Dan!). I’m also known as Commander One (according to my nephew).

3. What is your greatest fear?

Getting to the end of my life and not being proud of my life and how I lived it. To end your life unfulfilled and with regret would be a terrible thing.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words. 

Like a freshly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies.

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

Curious, hopeful, adventurous, thoughtful and playful.

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

Bilbo Baggins. He starts out quiet, reserved and content to stay at home but ends up dragged into the adventure of a lifetime. I’m also probably the same size as a hobbit.

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

I’d go to the future, like the year 2200 - I wonder what the world would be like. What new things would we have invented? Would the planet still be here? Maybe we’ll finally make contact with other lifeforms.

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

I thought you’d be cooler.

9. Who is your greatest influence? 

Roald Dahl.

10. What/who made you start writing? 

My publisher! She encouraged me to write a story based on some illustrations I did for fun and the rest is history.

11. What is your favourite word and why? 

Marvellous. It’s not too over the top, but has just the right amount of magic.

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

Roald Dahl’s The Witches.

Daniel is an illustrator, Australian and based in Sydney. Self-taught, he studied Medical Science at the University of Sydney before swapping his microscope for pencils when he realised illustration had a much lower patient mortality rate. His illustrations have been commissioned by clients such as The New York Times, Sydney Opera House, The Boston Globe, Warner Music, and The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. His work has been shown internationally and has been awarded by the Society of Illustrators NY, Communication Arts and 3x3 magazine. He has three grandmothers and Grandma Z is his first book. For more information, see www.danielgraybarnett.com.