1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
Sometimes I wake myself up laughing loudly from my dreams.
2. What is your nickname?
2. What is your nickname?
Jack or Merch
3. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is your greatest fear?
Painting with words. I see stories like a movie.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Dedicated, happy, curious, grateful, excited.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
6. What book character would you be, and why?
I can’t imagine ever being as brave or interesting as any book character, but you can bet if I was a book character there would have to be a dog or a horse or both in there somewhere.
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 go back to 1984 and see my Grandma and my pony and our dog Katie.
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 knew all that getting into trouble for day-dreaming and thinking about horses would turn out to be worth it.
9. Who is your greatest influence?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
Unfortunately, probably me! I can talk myself into and out of just about anything.
10. What/who made you start writing?
10. What/who made you start writing?
I had to do something with all the stories in my head, and once I started I knew I never wanted to stop.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Magnanimous. I can still remember where I was the first time I heard it. I was in primary school and I thought, 'what a great show name for a horse'.
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?
It would probably be the dictionary. Then at least each word could spark a new story, and I need it because sometimes I just can’t remember how to spell!
Jackie Merchant has worked as a designer, art director and copywriter. She spent the majority of her childhood on the outskirts of Sydney, where, when she was 10, her parents bought an old run-down riding school. Even with no ponies, at the time it was a dream come true for a girl with an imagination fueled by ponies and horses. As an adult Jackie is lucky enough to share her life with three beautiful horses (Moxie, Percy and young Douglas) and one small adventurous pony (named Mrs Wilkinson) and several other animals. She currently lives in Tasmania. The Promise Horse is her debut novel.
