Place and Date of birth:
Melbourne
6^th of October, 1952.

What is your favourite book and why?
Quentin Blake’s Words and Pictures because it has wise words and great pictures. And I can read it forever . . .

Who would you most like to meet and why?
My dad again – to ask about things and talk about things. I can’t do that now – he died in 1980. I don’t know quite why I’d most like to meet him.

What did you do before you were a published author/illustrator?
Taught art in high schools.

When did you start writing/ illustrating books?
About 1979.

Where do you get your ideas?
From inside to outside to inside and sometimes from outside to inside and sometimes just from inside.

Can you give your top 5 tips on becoming a successful author/illustrator?

1. Draw a lot – both from life and from memory.
2. Build up a good visual memory by looking critically and curiously and drawing (as above).
3. Look at other people’s work, read, and absorb current and past publishing. Analyse why you like what you like.
4. Experiment and explore without worrying about making mistakes, wasting time, and going off the track.
5. Develop your voice – practise.

What is your favourite memory?
One is the smell of the hot bush, eucalyptus, crisp leaves and gum trees when we’d come home from summer holidays.

If you hadn’t been a writer what would you have done?
Probably kept teaching and explored another area in the art field – probably printmaking.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Don’t give up for long, or be discouraged for long. Talent is one thing, but it’s not always at your fingertips and creative energy develops as you exercise!