I got the highest final grade in Grade 11 Latin (98 per cent) in the history of that Junior High School.
2. What is your nickname?
Coco
3. What is your greatest fear?
This is a tough one. I think my greatest fear is losing people I love.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
I write from the centre of my heart and being.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
I hope that my writing gives readers: hope, joy, imagination, beauty and kindness.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
I would be the girl in Roald Dahl’s The Magic Finger and I would use my Magic Finger to do good (and maybe a bit of mischief). A quote from the book: ‘I can’t stand hunting. I just can’t stand it. It doesn’t seem right to me that men and boys should kill animals just for the fun they get out of it.’ I own the book with the original illustrations – they are a bit dark and disturbing, which I admire.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
I would travel back to when both of my grandmothers were alive and healthy and have a tea with them. I would ask my Grandma Momo to cook for me and to make me her macaroni and cheese and hamburger patty, with ketchup on the side – literally the best lunch ever. But, also, because it is top of mind right now, I would travel back to 1997 and try to help Michael Hutchence (a very underrated talent who died a lonely, sad death, far too young) to get help for his mental health issues (I watched Mystify recently – it is sad and very moving).
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Do you really live in Australia? Aren’t you scared of all the spiders?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
My Mom and Dad. They both worked hard and they never let anyone push them around.
10. What/who made you start writing?
I was always thinking of stories in my imagination (and still do) and I used to write little stories when I was a kid (either for school or for fun). But I really started writing as an adult after I had my son. I was pretty bored because he would only sleep on me during the day so I started writing stories one-handed (because my son was asleep on me) on a little laptop. That is when I wrote my first published book, Max & George.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
So many tricky questions! Oh right, it is called Curly Questions! I do love the word ‘tenacious’. I love the way it sounds and what it means. I often use it as a word to describe me. I also love the word 'beautiful' because I remember how I learnt to spell it when I was a kid. I made up a little song in my head where I would sing each vowel, eg, BE-A-U-TIFUL. I still sing that song when I spell it!
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. It is so full of characters and is so rich in detail. It is one of my all-time favourite books.
Cori Brooke is a CBCA shortlisted picture book author (All I Want for Christmas is Rain, 2017 CBCA shortlist), which is something she never thought she would be able to say. Cori spreads herself thin doing too much and multi-tasking to the extreme. At a school visit a little boy pointed at her and said ‘you’re crazy’. Cori found it hard to disagree. But then again, sanity is very subjective. Cori is originally from Canada and lives in Brisbane with her husband, son, dog and cat. Cori loves reading, cooking, camping and, of course, writing. Cori works full time as a proud Australian Public Servant. For more information, see www.coribrooke.com.au.
