'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Tuesday 17 July 2012

12 Curly Questions with author Anna Barnes

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I have no sense of smell. No, really.

2. What is your nickname? 
Hmmm… not very inventive but my bestie calls me B.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Heights. Or spiders. So I guess spiders at a great height would be the ultimate fear.

4. Describe your writing style in ten words. 
Hmmm… that question is way too hard.

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer. 
Brilliant. Genius. Amazing. Insightful. Modest.

6. What book character would you be, and why? 
Hermione Granger from Harry Potter: super smart and magical powers to boot.

7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Providing we are playing by the “back to the future” rules of not intervening in the past, I would love to go back to the turn of the last century to meet all the amazing Australian women and men who were fighting for the vote for women. The writing about this time suggests that these people were fearless with wicked senses of humour. Plus, then I get to go to the party when women get the vote. Ain’t no party like a suffragettes party!

8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now? 
How come you don’t just eat ice-cream sundaes and watch basketball all day?

9. Who is your greatest influence? 
Writer Toni Morrison, riot girl Kathleen Hanna and playwright Martin Crimp all stay close to my heart at all times.

10. What/who made you start writing? 
I’ve wanted to be a writer since as long as I could hold a pen but I remember when I was fourteen years old reading Toni Morrison’s novel Paradise and it completely blew my mind. That book helped me see how powerful writing can be and after I finished it I remember deciding that this would be what I strive for in my life.

11. What is your favourite word and why? 
My favourite word is zeitgeist. The German language has some fabulous words that are so good at describing something in one word that we just adopt them. It also feels really good saying it.

12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
War and Peace. It makes you swoon, cry, laugh and perhaps most importantly, think. Plus, it’s so long you get more bang for your buck.

Girl! The Ultimate Guide to Being YOU is out now!

If you are an author or illustrator who thinks they are BRAVE enough to answer our questions, 
OR if there is an author or illustrator you would like to hear from, LET US KNOW! 
We will see if they are up to the task. Just email: kellyATkids-bookreviewDOTcom