1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you
I wouldn’t say ‘hardly’, but it is a lesser-known fact that I met my hubby Latin-American dancing. Ironically, neither of us are Latin-American!
2. What is your nickname?
2. What is your nickname?
Katie is actually my nickname as my full name is Kathryn. However, I’ve only ever been called Kathryn when I was in trouble!
3. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is your greatest fear?
Losing someone I love. And anything scary to do with my children – particularly having to watch one of my them hurt and not being able to step in and take the pain.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Entertaining, candid, playful, fun … now I’ve run out of words!
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
I like making you smile.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Pippi Longstocking – she is red-headed, whimsical, full of sass, and fabulously strong. And she has tremendous dress sense!
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?
Oh Mr Darcy – I’d head straight back to the Regency period and give Lizzie a run for her money!
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
My 10-year-old self was a bit of a nerd so would probably be happy that I am still working too hard. I’d love to go back and tell her not to take things quite so seriously, and that school isn’t the pinnacle of your life. However, I don’t think she’d listen to me!
9. Who is your greatest influence?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
In life? My kids. They continually inspire me to strive to be the best human I can be… and they make me laugh! In writing? Authors that play with language and rhyme with ease: Lynley Dodd, Andrea Beaty, Julia Donaldson.
10. What/who made you start writing?
10. What/who made you start writing?
I’ve never not written. I was one of those verbose seven-year-olds who would write ‘novels’ with chapters instead of normal kid-length stories! I am now ‘that’ mother whose kids’ birthday invitations are always written in rhyme. And I don’t even mind writing academically (I’m studying my Masters and currently working in higher education).
11. What is your favourite word and why?
11. What is your favourite word and why?
I love words that are fun to say… Skedaddle! Nincompoop! Flabbergasted! Discombobulated!
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?
That’s a tough one! It would probably be The Princess Bride by William Goldman (could I have Pride and Prejudice too?).
Katie is a former early years teacher with a passion for both children's literature and the arts. She has taught piano for 25 years and currently works as a university lecturer in arts education. Katie lives in Brisbane with her three hilarious children, her illustrator husband, and four chickens.
