When I turned 18, I achieved my childhood dream of unfurling a roll of toilet paper down a very steep hill near my primary school.
2. What is your nickname?
2. What is your nickname?
Some people used to call me ‘the Tang’ and my family call me ‘Pen’.
3. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is your greatest fear?
I don’t describe what anything looks like, but I should.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Fast-typing, flexible (with spelling), efficient, auto-biographical, relaxed
6. What book character would you be, and why?
6. What book character would you be, and why?
I would like to be Jo March from Little Women. I am the second of four girls and I have a temper just like her.
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 would go back to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and relive the glory.
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Aren’t you leaving it a bit late to become an Olympic athlete?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
My parents.
10. What/who made you start writing?
Initially, it was my teachers and peer pressure. All my friends started doing it, so I went along with the crowd. Writing became a habit when I started keeping a diary in Grade 4. Now no one really makes me do it. I could stop, but I don’t want to.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Discombobulated. It means confused but sounds like it means ‘head just plopped off’, which is appropriate.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy.
Penny Tangey writes humorous books for young people and her work has been shortlisted for numerous prizes including the New South Wales and Western Australian Premier’s awards and the Readings Children’s Book Prize. Her latest book is As Fast As I Can and is out now through University of Queensland Press. For more information, see https://pennytangey.com.au/.
