2. What is your nickname?
Most people call me Del.
3. What is your greatest fear?
I just celebrated a birthday and I can officially cross off ‘dying young’ from my list! It’s likely something so tragic now that I can’t even bring myself to put it into words. Closely followed by being forced to work in an office cubicle from 9-5!
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Warm, playful, authentic, observant, nostalgic, hopeful, gentle, simple, nimble, effervescent.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Honest, curious, spontaneous, intuitive, patient.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
I’d choose Charlie Bucket because of his kindness, humility, and ability to find joy in small things. He reminds me that love, imagination and gratitude matter more than riches. Being him would mean staying true to myself, discovering magic in everyday life and holding onto hope. (And then moving my whole family into a chocolate factory!)
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Back to my Nonna and Nonno’s early years in (the 1950s) Australia. I’d love to sit in their little kitchen, smell the crostoli frying, the tomato sauce bubbling on the stove, and see my nonna as a young woman, watch my Nonno tending the garden. Either that, or the mid 1980s, so I could wear blue eye shadow and pink leg warmers without ridicule.
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
“WOW! You did it! Keep going.” (getting a picture book published)
9. Who is your greatest influence?
I’d have to be honest and say Michael Jackson. I don’t have a musical bone in my body but I admire how he poured so much creativity, energy, and storytelling into everything he did. His work connects with people of all ages. He told stories that mattered to him, things he felt strongly about, even if they weren’t always considered cool. I try to do the same and write about the stories that matter to me.
10. What/who made you start writing?
I was an only child, so I read a lot to keep myself busy. Of course, I wanted to make my own books too, turning all the stories I kept imagining into something I could hold in my hands. I would staple paper together and write and illustrate all my books. I’d make them all very official by drawing a barcode on the back cover and adding a call number to the spine. Then I’d stack them all on my bookshelf.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Love. Because it’s ordinary and extraordinary at once, and it’s the answer to everything.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. It’s full of funny, silly and clever poems that make you laugh and think. It’s a bible for understanding life, being creative and never taking things too seriously.
Adelle Frittitta is a children’s author and art teacher who creates stories and art inspired by the everyday moments closest to her heart. When she’s not writing, she's sipping milk tea, enjoying strawberry iced donuts, or getting crafty. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two young children. For more information, see www.adellefrittitta.com.