12 Curly Questions with children's author Jess Horn

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I’m terrible at picking favourites and answering questions without context. Actually, that’s probably something people do know about me, but I felt the need to add it here to preface my answers to the remaining 11 questions. In more obscure news, I once created an incredibly long insult using my extensive Ghostbusters vocabulary to ward off bullies. Did it work? No. But it thoroughly baffled them
for a bit, which I consider a mild success. I can still recite it to this day, so if you ever end up in my bad books … consider yourself warned.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Olivia Muscat

1.Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

That I really Hate Mars Bars and I hate Mars Bar slice even more.

2. What is your nickname?
My close family and friends call me Oli or Ol … and many variations of those. To my sister, and only my sister, I’m known as Polly.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Jacinta Liu

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I have a double degree in Software Engineering and Finance, and after graduating, I worked in IT at an investment bank. In 2013, I left my job in search of something more and set off on a solo journey, travelling internationally for more than six months with no idea what might be waiting on the horizon.

2. What is your nickname?
My Chinese family calls me Chang Chang, which means happiness.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Rhonda Ooi

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I am a collector. I collect dolls. I have Blythe, Barbies, Pullip and many more. I collected many I remembered from my childhood and am currently coveting a felt doll on Sage and Clare. I also collect socks and picture books. People who follow my Instagram probably already know about the socks and books.

12 Curly Questions with poet and author Robbie Coburn

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

Believe it or not, I used to be a competitive swimmer in my childhood. My best event was the 100m butterfly and I went to the state level for it.

2. What is your nickname?
Technically, I use a nickname professionally. I’ve always been called Robbie. My birth name is Robert, but I’ve never been referred to as that, except maybe at school or work. There is this great photo of my third birthday and the cake has a toy horse on it and says Robbie. But some of my friends call me Rob, and one day I’m hoping to graduate to being called Bob.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Kristin Kelly

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I’m obsessed with origami. I think it’s genius. I love making things by folding paper, often pages torn from old map books. My house is full of paper cranes, boxes and butterflies, which I kick through on my way from room to room, like evolutionary leaves dropped from an origami tree.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Olivia Coates

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I don’t like touching the yellowy foam inside couch cushions or mattresses. It actually freaks me out. And foam body sponges in the shower? Hard pass.

2. What is your nickname?
I got called Charger by my soccer team. I’m not sure why.

3. What is your greatest fear?
It already happened and was worse than I could have imagined. The fear is 100 times worse now. It’s too scary to think or even write about so I’ll jump to the next question.

4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Evolving. Heart with a tentative toe dipped towards humour.

12 Curly Questions with author/illustrator Tom Jellett

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I eat too too many biscuits.

2. What is your nickname?
I’m not sure I have one. Unless there is one I don’t know about. There are only two people who call me ‘Tommy’. They know who they are.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Band-Aids at the bottom of the pool.

4. Describe your writing style in 10words.
I use too many words and run out of…

5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Slow in a good way.

12 Curly Questions with children's author Angie Cui

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I once won a school storytelling competition by making up a story on the spot about a talking dumpling.

2. What is your nickname?
My friends sometimes call me Ang, but my kids just call me Mummy. But I do have a Chinese nickname - Ting Ting (very popular name thou).

3. What is your greatest fear?
That I’ll start a sentence and forget what I was saying halfway through… Oh wait, what was the question again?

12 Curly Questions with children's author Rae White

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

My parents love to remind me that when I was a kid, I’d fold paper into tiny books and fill them with stories. These were essentially bespoke (and often dirt-stained) zines! I was always mesmerised by books – not just their stories, but their shape, texture, and the magical feeling of holding a world in my hands.

2. What is your nickname?
My dad lovingly calls me Poss, short for Possum, while many of my loved ones call me Bun, short for Bunny. Maybe there’s a children’s book in that – The Adventures of Two Unlikely Friends: Poss and Bun!

3. What is your greatest fear?
Probably toads! One humid New Year’s Eve, our driveway and the road outside our house were completely covered in recently hatched toads. The floor wasn’t lava – the road was toads!

12 Curly Questions with author Cassy Polimeni

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I once appeared on Deal or No Deal. Being on a game show had been on my bucket list so when I got the chance I took a day off work and dragged a friend and our mums along. They filmed a week’s worth of shows at once so we spent six hours playing audience members before getting called up onstage. When my moment finally came to guess how much was in my suitcase I was so dazed and delirious from the lights and the long day that the host had to call my name three times before I answered.

2. What is your nickname?
I don’t really have one – despite years of campaigning! During the height of my nickname campaign some workmates took pity on me and tried out ‘Casio’ and ‘Cassiopeia’ but neither really caught on.

Guest Post: An Interview with Allayne Webster

Allayne Webster's latest novel, Selfie, is highly appropriate and current. At a time when Social Media Influencers control and break apart many people’s lives, comes the brilliant, riveting Selfie.

Allayne speaks with Anastasia Gonis about her novel.

You have two leading characters, Tully and Dene, total opposites. Their friendship, initiated too fast by Dene, is cryptic, therefore suspect. An Insta famous influencer and a lonely girl. Is this unusual friendship the central theme of the story? 

One hundred and ten percent. This story is about relationship power dynamics—who holds power and who relinquishes it, and the interchangeable nature of that. It’s about the desperate need for connection and friendship in the face of living up to other’s expectations and keeping everyone happy (and failing dismally in the process.) Selfie is about how individuals may employ manipulative tactics to achieve desired relationship outcomes, but how they often fall victim to their own guilt/moral compass and regret certain decisions. Ultimately this novel is about settling into the idea of letting go, of ceasing to attempt to control everything and everyone, and to simply trust in another person. It is also about dodging grief—as we soon learn both girls are grieving the loss of loved ones who are not yet in fact dead.

Can Selfie be described as an exploration or an uncovering of the roles played by Social Media Influencers, to manipulate and gain power and control over their followers?

Definitely. There’s a blatant portrayal of this in Selfie when it comes to Dene’s engagement and likes on posts. Influencers do their best to harness social media algorithms and make them work in their favour, and so invariably, their decisions are strategic and not necessarily from the heart.

Too soon, Tully is emotionally controlled by Dene, and the relationship totally consumes her. How difficult was it to write the powerful scenes surrounding Tully’s conflict?

I think Tully presents herself as relatively confident, but internally she struggles with self-belief and confidence like anyone else. The opening scenes of Selfie highlight the things she values; signposts or markers, if you will, are provided to the reader with what Tully thinks makes a person valuable. As the novel progresses, these values come into question. In a way, Tully is the victim of capitalism and the messages she’s internalized about money, status and value.

When writing any emotionally powerful scenes, I need to tap into my own fears and misgivings and harness them for the story. Writing is like acting on paper. I think I very much feel/react emotionally when writing and this helps to make my characters believable. You must be honest with yourself. You can’t ‘put on a show or a brave face’ when writing. You effectively have to let it all hang out—as soul-cringingly embarrassing as that can be. No shame here!

You have perfectly captured the gap between adolescents and adults, and the attitude and behaviors of teenagers. Please comment.

I often give myself pause for thought about what makes me an adult. I mean, quite often I just feel like a big kid. At what point did I grow up? Perhaps we’re the same person, just a little wiser with every passing year? When writing for young adults, I speak to them, not down to them.

Some adults infantilize young people, which helps no one, and certainly doesn’t foster strong open communication. Stop. Listen. Learn. Don’t discount young people’s experiences as being somehow world’s away from your own. They’re not. We exist in the same space. Our feelings and our reactions are valid, no matter what our age. If anything, young people are learning to access their internal toolbox for dealing with complex social situations; they’re learning self-reflection, endurance, self-confidence, empathy… Allow them the space to do that and to f*ck it up.

Your leading character Dene is complex, Insta famous; a pyramid character created by her exploitative mother. How difficult/easy was it bringing her to life?

I will confess Dene took a little more work than Tully. Dene is more often than not the antagonist in the story, and I think I struggle to inhabit that as a writer. When I removed blame from Dene, she became easier to write. In order to write about her successfully and three-dimensionally, I had to consider her actions with a level of empathy; I had to think about the drivers making her behave in the manner she does. Are they really her fault? That said, Tully is by no means a saintly character either. They’re both flawed, which is what makes them interesting, and is what makes the reader invested and (hopefully!) question whose side they’re on.

 

There are several sub stories that enrich the storyline, such as Tully’s family upheaval, the ending of Kira and Tully’s friendship, and crushing outcome of Dene and Tully’s relationship. How important are these stories to the novel?

The sub stories of any novel should always enrich the overall narrative. All killers, no fillers—as they say. In the case of Dene and Tully, what goes on for them in private at home, or when separated from each other, has a compounding impact on the overall story. How they perform in other relationships says something about their character and their nature. Humans are multi-faceted. We all know that in the company of some people we present a different face or a different version of ourselves. The same thing goes on in the story. That said, I think the most powerful and telling part of any story is what is revealed via the character’s internal monologue versus their action/what they actually do and say. That’s why I love writing in first person—because our actions don’t always marry our words, nor our thoughts. I love the interplay between these. 

Full of tension and at times painful to read, how important was writing about this theme for you?

In all honesty? It was cathartic. Authors have a responsibility to assist publishers to promote their work, and this means regularly and actively being online. Adults are just as suspectable to subliminal messaging, just as vulnerable to images of perfection, etc. For me to write Selfie, I had to be in touch with those positive and negative emotions produced by social media.  If I, as a rapidly ageing adult, sometimes struggle with the messaging of the online world, what on earth is going on for our young people? I am always thinking: Thank God I didn’t have social media as a teenager, I would’ve embarrassed myself no end. I would have over-shared, overthought, potentially shared dangerous images of myself for attention and validation, and I would have written/said things that two seconds later I would have evolved from, yet would be recorded for years to come and for history to judge. The idea frightens the hell out of me. In a way, writing this novel was protecting younger me from the things I could have done had I grown up in the era of the online world.

What do you hope readers will come away with from Selfie?

As a writer, I hope to hold up a mirror and reflect society back at the reader. I would hope Selfie provides Aha! moments, or vigorous head-nodding, or exasperated sighs of OMG, that’s me! I’ve felt like that! Or I’ve been guilty of that. I don’t ever hope to deliver moral judgements or to lay foundations for what might make things better.

What I hope to do is A) create empathy, B) incite questions; make readers interrogate their own viewpoint and consider other angles. Ultimately, at the core, I want young readers to know their self-worth is not defined by the adulation or condemnation they receive from friends or strangers online.

Selfie is about empowering young readers to see through the glossy veneer of the online world. In moments of vulnerability, I would hope they remember Selfie and question any unhealthy thoughts induced by online interactions. I would hope it’s a tool in their toolbox for thinking beyond surface level.

 

12 Curly Questions with author Jess Galatola

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

Not many people know that when I was 13, I volunteered to work for free in a bookshop, in the hopes of earning an ongoing position. After cleaning every shelf in that shop (which took a full day), I scored my first casual job at QBD The Bookshop. I later found out that cleaning every shelf in one go was a dreaded once-a-year occurrence. I didn’t care. I was happy to be surrounded by books and use my staff

discount to start collecting picture books, YA novels and art and history resources that I felt I would use one day when I become a teacher (which I did, eight years later). Those formative years in the workforce continued to foster and fund my love of reading!

12 Curly Questions with author Amy Freund

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

Ooh, this is a hard one as I’m such an over-sharer, but when I’m feeling under the weather or just need a pick-me-up, I watch cheesy 80s action movies; the more unbelievable the better. Anyone ever seen Under Siege? Absolute classic.

2. What is your nickname?
My family nickname is Amybob and my uni friends call me Amypants, both named after my idol, Spongebob Squarepants.

3. What is your greatest fear?
I am TERRIFIED of huntsmans: they are just too big and hairy! I used to live in Eltham, and every hot day at least two huntsmans would be hanging out in my bedroom; so much so that I nicknamed them ‘Fred and George’, like the Weasley twins. I still get a bit on edge every time it’s a hot day that Fred or George will come and visit my new home.

10 Quirky Questions with author Margaret Wild

1. What's your hidden talent?

I would like to say levitation or time-travelling, but, alas, I’ll have to settle for an endless capacity for playing Scrabble.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?

Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair by William Thackeray. She is clever, resourceful, selfish, 
remorseless, resilient and fascinating. I reread Vanity Fair every five years or so just for the pleasure of encountering Becky and her shenanigans yet again.

Guest Post: Q & A with Meredith Rusu on The Creative Process by Nia Shetty

There’s a Robot in My Socks by Meredith Rusu is a light-hearted story that skillfully captures the wonders of childhood while addressing the complexities of emotions in a fun, engaging way. 

The book follows Jamie and her trusty robot companion through a delightful adventure that showcases how even ordinary items, like socks, can spark extraordinary moments. 

Rusu’s book is filled with playful humor, vivid imagery, and a creative blend of the real and the imaginary, making it a perfect read for young children and their parents who are navigating their own big feelings.

One of the standout features of this graphic novel  is how themes of comfort, emotion, and the occasional chaos of childhood are wonderfully mixed. 

Through the imaginative lens of a child’s world, Rusu touches on separation anxiety, the need for routine, and the importance of emotional expression, all with a charming robot by Jamie’s side. The vibrant illustrations by Martín Morón bring Jamie’s world to life with bright colors and whimsical designs, perfectly complementing the story.

Now, let’s hear from the author herself, Meredith Rusu, as she shares insights into the inspiration, characters, and creative process behind There’s a Robot in My Socks in our exclusive KBR interview:

12 Curly Questions with author Kirsten Ealand

1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.

I came equal dux of my primary school because I very unexpectedly topped the grade in creative writing with my story A day in the Life of a Car. Wish I kept it – I’d love to read it now.

2. What is your nickname?
Family and old school friends call me Kirst, though I was Big Bird for a while in high school after the incident of the bright yellow dress.

3. What is your greatest fear?
Putting aside my biggest mortal fear of bad things happening to people I love, my biggest everyday fear is getting a chai latte when I ask for a chai tea – it’s a totally different drink and it really needs a totally different name.

10 Quirky Questions with author Margaret Wild

1. What's your hidden talent?

I would like to say levitation or time-travelling, but, alas, I’ll have to settle for an endless capacity for playing Scrabble.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair by William Thackeray. She is clever, resourceful, selfish, remorseless, resilient and fascinating, I reread Vanity Fair every five years or so just for the pleasure of encountering Becky and her shenanigans yet again.

Guest Post: An Interview With Catherine Norton

Writer Catherine Norton’s interesting children's novels are full of magical adventures and characters that are bright stars on the page. 

Catherine's novel,  TheFortune Maker, is long-listed for the ARA Historical Fiction Prize 2024. 

Catherine generously shares information on what brought her to writing and when her writing journey started in this exclusive interview with KBR's, Anastasia Gonis.

10 Quirky Questions with author Katrina Roe

1. What's your hidden talent?

I’m great at finding things that nobody else in my family can find. Oh and I make a mean cup of tea. Seriously, you should try my tea.

2. Who is your favourite literary villain and why?
Dolores Umbridge. She is the villain I love to hate. She’s just like the mean girls at school who pretended to be nice while stabbing you in the back.