Hiding grated zucchini in muffins.
2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Templeton the rat in Charlotte’s Web, because he’s so cantankerous it’s funny and he ends up reluctantly saving the day.
3. You're hosting a literary dinner party, which five authors would you invite? (alive or dead)
Judy Blume, SE Hinton, Roald Dahl, Maurice Sendak and EB White – because these authors all had a profound impact on me as a reader and a writer growing up, and I would like to have the chance to thank them.
4. Which literary invention do you wish was real?
The Magic Faraway Tree.
5. What are five words that describe your writing process?
Exultant, despairing, hopeful, exhausting, grateful.
6. Which are the five words you would like to be remembered by as a writer?
Empathetic, curious, dedicated, passionate, kind.
7. Picture your favourite writing space. What are five objects you would find there?
Teapot, notebook, window looking out over trees, fireplace, dog.
8. Grab the nearest book, open it to page 22 and look for the second word in the first sentence. Now, write a line that starts with that word. (Please include the name of the book!)
Are there dogs out there who are good at typing? (Three Women by Lisa Taddeo, page 23 as page 22 is blank.)
9. If you could ask one author one question, what would the question be and who would you ask?
Maurice Sendak: writing or drawing?
10. Which would you rather do: 'Never write another story or never read another book'?
Never read another book. If I stopped writing, I would become very unpleasant to be around!
Sally Rippin was born in Darwin and grew up in South-East Asia. As a young adult she studied traditional Chinese painting for three years in Shanghai and Hangzhou, which inspired her first novel Chenxi and the Foreigner. Sally is the author of many books for children, including the popular Billie B Brown and Hey Jack! series, and the highly acclaimed children's novel Angel Creek. Currently, she lives in Melbourne with her partner and three sons, and writes and illustrates full time. For more information, see www.sallyrippin.com.
