Wendy Orr - Author Interview Series

Photo by Roger Gould

Wendy Orr's junior novel Nim’s Island has been published in 24 countries around the world. In 2008 it became a Hollywood feature film starring Jodie Foster, Abigail Breslin and Gerard Butler. Her latest release is the picture book The Princess and her Panther. Raven’s Mountain, an adventure novel for middle grade readers, will be published by Allen & Unwin in February.

What authors/books did you read as a child? When did you first discover your love of books?

The love of stories, books and being read to goes back earlier than I can remember; the passion for reading books for myself – and perhaps the start of wanting to write them – wasn’t till I was nearly 7. We lived in France, so I’d learned to read and write with rather boring French readers. However one night before we moved back to Canada, my parents left three ‘Dick and Jane’ readers on my bedside table for me to find. I’ve never forgotten the thrill of reading real stories in my own language!

When did you first realise you were a writer?

When I sat at the coffee table and began writing, “Glossy the Horse or Shetland Pony,” when I was seven. However I didn’t believe I was an author till “Leaving it to You” was shortlisted, many years later!

What do you hope your readers will take away with them from reading your books?

I’m never sure about this question… I’d like them to take away a feeling of their lives being enriched in some way; depending on the genre, I think that means of having lived in someone else’s shoes or been captivated by the fun of word play and story.

Do you find it difficult to read purely for pleasure?

No; when I find a good book I am quickly immersed in it – but I can’t read something that I feel is sloppily written.

Does everything you read come under your ‘writer’ microscope?

I suppose my answer above means it does, but if the book’s good I am simply swept along with it and enjoy the fact that someone has written so well. If I don’t enjoy a book that has had rave reviews I do often spend a long time pondering why I can’t agree, and where I think it’s gone wrong.

Do you have to avoid reading certain types of fiction while writing your own?

Not any more; I used to be more easily swayed when I was still finding my own voice. However when I’m starting a new book I often can’t read any fiction for a week or two.
Does what you read while writing have an effect on what you write? In what way? I don’t think it affects what I’m writing at that moment, but every book one loves and gets involved with must bleed into the subconscious to some extent.

Name five authors or books that have influenced or inspired your own writing in some way?

Mary Renault; Rosemary Sutcliff; Rumer Godden; The Queen’s Music; Mary Poppins

If you were travelling and were told you could only take one book with you, what book would it be and why?

Possession by AS Byatt – because it’s very long, has three different story strands, and requires deep reading. Also I love it!

What makes a book ‘too good to put down’?

Involvement with the characters, and truly caring what happens to them.

What makes you put down a book without finishing it?

Sloppy writing; repetition that should have been edited out, or stereotypical characters that I don’t care about.

Do you have a favourite author? Who is it and what is it about their writing that draws you to them?

Probably AS Byatt, because of the depth of her stories and the beauty of her writing. However you can’t please all the people all the time: I felt that The Children’s Book had so many side stories and lectures that she could have edited it down by a third.

If you had to list them, what would be your ‘top ten’ reads of all time (excluding the classics) and why?

Do you have any idea how hard that is??? Okay, I’ll try.
I don’t think I can explain why for each of these, except that they all have lovely language and have resonated with me in some deep way.

Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye by AS Byatt
The Lost Salt Gift of Blood by Alistair Macleod
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowat
Illywhacker by Peter Carey
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
House of Spirits by Isabelle Allende
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Merry Go Round in the Sea by Randolph Stow

What was your 2010 ‘best read’? What was it that made it number one?

It’s between Cassandra Gold’s Museum of Mary Child, which was beautiful, engrossing, and highly original, and Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance (which is quite old but I hadn’t read till now) – I was totally engrossed by the characters, story, and writing, and felt that it prepared me for a visit to India far better than any non fiction every could have.

What do you think of the non-traditional publishing methods – eBooks etc? Do you think the new technology will encourage more people to read? Do you think there’s a future for print books?

I think there’s a future for print books, but maybe more in the way that there are still beautiful hardcovers around – maybe it will be just the books that we really care about and want to keep physically. My sample of one is my daughter, in her 20’s, who’s found she’s reading a lot more since she’s had an iPad, partly because she travels a great deal and so can take several books with her for any flight. As well as reading her way through the classics, if she sees a review of a book that sounds interesting, she purchases and downloads it immediately. (Whereas I’ve often forgotten the review by the next time I go to town and into a physical bookshop!)

Wendy started writing seriously in 1986, with her picture book Amanda's Dinosaur. In 1993 Leaving it to You was shortlisted for the CBCA awards, junior readers; Ark in the Park won the same award in 1995. Peeling the Onion, based on a serious car accident Wendy had in 1991, was widely published internationally, with awards including the CBCA Honour Book, older readers, in 1997, and an American Library Association Book for older readers. LOST: A Dog Called Bear, the first of the Rainbow Street Animal Shelter series, will be released by Henry Holt in the North American spring 2011. You can find out more about Wendy at www.wendyorr.com/

Juliet Marillier - Author Interview Series

Juliet Marillier has written eleven historical fantasy novels for adults and two books for young adults. Her most recent publication is Seer of Sevenwaters (Pan Macmillan Australia and Roc US.)

What authors/books did you read as a child? When did you first discover your love of books?

My parents read to me and told me stories long before I learned to read, and I grew up in a home where books were valued, so my love of books is almost as old as I am. Some of the books I loved as a child were the Moomin books by Tove Jansson, the Narnia books by C S Lewis, and Andrew Lang’s collections of fairy tales. Other favourite authors were Noel Streatfeild, Lorna Hill, and Louisa May Alcott.

When did you first realise you were a writer? What do you hope your readers will take away with them from reading your books?

I’m not sure there was a moment of realisation! I did a lot of creative writing up till the time I started university, then I became more interested in music and worked in that field for years. I guess I really did know I was a writer at heart, but many years passed before I went back to doing it seriously. I hope my readers will be swept up in my storytelling – that’s the first level. On the next level, I hope they’ll find truth, learn something about themselves, be helped in some way, and/or discover a fresh passion for reading or writing. I love it when my readers tell me that’s happened for them as a result of reading my work.

Do you find it difficult to read purely for pleasure? Does everything you read come under your ‘writer’ microscope?

I’m far more aware of the craft of writing these days, so I don’t often manage to read without the writer microscope. I choose my recreational reading carefully. I go back to writers I know are consistently good. I try new writers on the basis of reviews (not always a reliable guide!) or on the recommendation of family and friends who know my tastes well. The very best books don’t come under the writer microscope because they draw the reader right into the story from the start. It’s only when you reach the end that you realise how well the book was written.

Do you have to avoid reading certain types of fiction while writing your own? Does what you read while writing have an effect on what you write? In what way?

I generally steer clear of any novel of similar genre to my own while writing, in case I unknowingly pick up the author’s style or ideas. In fact my recreational reading is almost always outside my own genre anyway, as I’m keen on mainstream fiction, women’s fiction and some literary fiction – I do like historical fiction but I read very little fantasy. I read a lot of non-fiction while I’m writing, some research related, some for my own enjoyment. And I read mythology, fairy tales, commentary on fairy tales etc. I believe my lifetime of reading traditional stories shows in my writing, making it richer.

Name five authors or books that have influenced or inspired your own writing in some way?

William Shakespeare: studying the plays at high school had a great impact on me. He was a master of shaping dramatic scenes and a powerful user of language.
Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre (the book that made me love romance)
Dorothy Dunnett: The Game of Kings and its sequels (her books are a master class in writing historical fiction)
Daphne du Maurier: Cornish novels (exciting romantic stories told with an elegant simplicity of style – she could create a scene or image with a few perfectly chosen words. I especially like Jamaica Inn with its feisty female protagonist and bad boy hero.)
Andrew Lang’s fairy books: The Red Fairy Book, the Blue Fairy Book etc had a lifelong impact on me, as they introduced me to the world of myth, legend and fairytale which has played a huge part in my development as a storyteller

If you were travelling and were told you could only take one book with you, what book would it be and why?

A big book of mythology, perhaps the Welsh Mabinogion. That would keep me going for a long time and it would provide lots of food for thought. I might need a porter to carry it.

What makes a book ‘too good to put down’?

For me, it’s the winning combination of great storytelling, excellent writerly craft and originality.

What makes you put down a book without finishing it?

Poor writing, gratuitous sex or violence, ‘head-hopping’ (changes of point of view within a scene), a story that’s overwhelmed by the author’s personal/political/religious tub-thumping, a story lacking any empathetic characters.

Do you have a favourite author? Who is it and what is it about their writing that draws you to them?

I can’t single out only one author. There are several authors whose new releases I always buy: David Mitchell, Iain Banks, Jodi Picoult, Neil Gaiman. They’re all quite different. What they share is that combination of great storytelling and excellent craft.

If you had to list them, what would be your ‘top ten’ reads of all time (excluding the classics) and why?

(In no particular order – I’ve left out children’s books)

The Crow Road by Iain Banks
The Business by Iain Banks
Little, Big by John Crowley
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago
Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban
Selected Poems by George MacKay Brown

My ‘top ten’ covers a pretty broad range of style. I’ve included a book of poetry and a book about women’s roles in traditional stories (Clarissa Pinkola Estes). The rest are novels. My list favours the quirky and unusual. They’re all books I have on my ‘keeper’ shelf and will come back to over and over. Each of them has been memorable to me in its own way, and some of them have been life-changing.

If you asked me for a ‘top ten’ in the sense of great works of literature that everyone should read, it would have some different books on it. This list contains my personal favourites.

What was your 2010 ‘best read’? What was it that made it number one?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. This is an engaging, unusual novel written through letters. I was caught up in the story from page one and captivated all the way through. It combines comedy and tragedy with a deft, light touch. Fantastic storytelling. I was feeling rather low at the time and it made me happy.

What do you think of the non-traditional publishing methods – eBooks etc? Do you think the new technology will encourage more people to read? Do you think there’s a future for print books?

I don’t own an e-reader, but I understand how convenient e-books are for people who travel or commute and don’t want to lug print books around, and I can see big advantages of the e-format for textbooks or research material. I don’t think the availability of e-books on its own will encourage more people to read books. Lots of people read a significant amount of text online in blogs etc, but many of them won’t engage with something requiring as much time and concentration as a novel does. I think the same people who read now will read in the future, probably dividing their reading between e-books and print books. Many people, like me, vastly prefer to read off-screen and like the physicality of a print book. I don’t think that is entirely age-related. However, publishers of print books may find it increasingly hard to turn a profit, especially if e-book prices are significantly lower than print book prices. This will also have an impact on writers’ ability to earn a living from what they do. Lower book price, lower royalties.

Juliet Marillier was born and brought up in Dunedin, New Zealand, and now lives in Western Australia. She is a graduate of Otago University and worked as a teacher and public servant before becoming a full time writer. Her novels are published internationally and have won a number of awards. Juliet is a member of the druid order OBOD. When not writing she tends to a small pack of needy animals.

http://www.julietmarillier.com/ (website)
http://www.writerunboxed.com/ (award-winning genre writing blog; Juliet posts monthly)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Juliet-Marillier-Official-Fan-Page/104020489628627?ref=mf (Official Facebook Fan Page)

Sherryl Clark - Author Interview Series

This is the first in my series of author interviews. You can expect 1 or 2 new interviews per month for the duration of 2011. If I get more authors willing to join in the fun then the series will be likely to run into next year... Enjoy!



Sherryl Clark is an Australian writer who writes mainly for young readers - her latest book Meet Rose (the 1st book in a new series Our Australian Girl published by Penguin) will be released on Jan 31st.


What authors/books did you read as a child? When did you first discover your love of books?

I basically read everything I could get my hands on! My country school got boxes of books from the School Library Service every three months, which was never enough for me. I joined the town library when I was about 11, I think, and went berserk. Favourite authors were Arthur Ransome, TH White, Malcolm Saville and, yes, Enid Blyton. But the big winner was the Narnia series – my sister gave me ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ first and I was hooked.

When did you first realise you were a writer? What do you hope your readers will take away with them from reading your books?

I didn’t start writing seriously until I was close to 30. That was also when I went back to school and did an arts degree at Deakin, with a major in Literary Studies (and writing). It took longer than that to feel like a writer, though. Publication helps! I hope that a reader will love the world and the characters I’ve created, and want more – more books, by anyone. If I can help a child to become a keen reader, I’m happy. With my adult fiction, I guess I want a reader to take away more than just what’s on the page, something to think about. A big challenge as a writer.

Do you find it difficult to read purely for pleasure? Does everything you read come under your ‘writer’ microscope?

I do read for pleasure all the time. I’m a reading addict. If I am somewhere where I have to wait and I have nothing to read, I get twitchy! I do read as a writer all the same, although I’ve been doing it for so many years that it’s like a computer program running in the background – it logs on when I read something I think I can use in class, or learn from.

Do you have to avoid reading certain types of fiction while writing your own? Does what you read while writing have an effect on what you write? In what way?

If I’m writing something historical (like my pirate novel) I avoid similar kinds of novels in that age group, but I’ll maybe read a Bernard Cornwell just to see how he manages the factual detail, and how he weaves it into the story. That feeds into what I’m writing on a craft level, but I think I read so much that no single book influences me. However, I have written the start of something a couple of times and then realised it’s too close to a book I’ve read, so I’ve had to throw it out.

Name five authors or books that have influenced or inspired your own writing in some way?

“The Bone People” by Keri Hulme was a book that changed the way I thought about books and how they could be structured.
Billy Collins’ poetry always inspires me. Sharon Creech’s verse novel “Love That Dog” was what led me to writing verse novels for kids myself, I think.
Michael Connelly – he’s a crime writer who talks about “the telling detail” in setting. I also like James Lee Burke for the same reason – great details and settings.

If you were travelling and were told you could only take one book with you, what book would it be and why?

To be honest, I couldn’t pick just one. I couldn’t stand having to slave over Proust or James Joyce because I felt I should! And once I’ve read a book, I rarely ever want to read it again. These days, I’d cheat and take an e-reader and a power source and about 1000 books on the one device.

What makes a book ‘too good to put down’?

Characters that intrigue me, that I care about, who have interesting things happen to them both outside and inside. Plot on its own is not enough, language and style is not enough. I think I like diving into other people’s (characters’) lives.

What makes you put down a book without finishing it?

Boring or unlikeable characters. My pet hate is the male character in his late 30s who has just discovered life sucks and can’t deal with it. I think I just dislike characters who are pathetic or apathetic in some way. I can’t wait 250 pages for them to get a grip!

Do you have a favourite author? Who is it and what is it about their writing that draws you to them?

At the moment, my favourite is Kate Atkinson. I’ve just read the four Jackson Brodie novels and loved both her style and voice. Also her range of characters and how she weaves their lives together. She always surprises you and yet everything works.

If you had to list them, what would be your ‘top ten’ reads of all time (excluding the classics) and why?

Goodness, that’s hard. Um…
“The Bone People” by Keri Hulme – because it’s different and resonates in so many ways.
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy – beautiful writing but a story, too.
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” by Jonathan Safran Foer – a strange little boy but you really want to know what happened and why.
“Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver – I know everyone always picks “The Poisonwood Bible” but I liked this one better – again because of characters and interweaving plot lines.
“Cold Mountain” by Charles Frazier – historical fiction that is so real you can almost touch it.
“The Dive From Clausen’s Pier” by Ann Packer – this tackles a scary subject of a disabled spouse and loyalty.
“Postcards” by Annie Proulx (most of hers, in fact)
“Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant” by Anne Tyler – again, her characters are amazing – I picked this because it was the first one I read and I loved it.
“The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd – great character voice. Movie was horrible.
“Northern Lights” by Phillip Pullman (and the other two as well) – wonderful characters but also a story that has all those deep themes that really make you think – and imagine!

What was your 2010 ‘best read’? What was it that made it number one?

“Case Histories” by Kate Atkinson – it’s great when you discover a writer whose books you haven’t read before and you love their writing. And you know there are more to come! (See 9 above)

What do you think of the non-traditional publishing methods – eBooks etc? Do you think the new technology will encourage more people to read? Do you think there’s a future for print books?

I hope there’s still a future for print books! I hope we’ll continue to have print books for kids for a very long time, especially picture books. Books can be really precious possessions, things to hug and put under your pillow! But I’m moving to ebooks myself for several reasons – one is that books are just too expensive in Australia. $36 for a paperback! And a lot of them I no longer want to keep on a shelf as I have no room, so having them digitally will mean I think I’ll actually buy more, as long as the e-versions are cheaper. Also I’m the person who’s always over my luggage weight at the airport because of my books, so an ebook reader will be a bonus there, too.
But books I want to keep, I’ll buy in print. I’ve heard of people reading ebooks and then buying the print version to make sure they never lose them. Print books just feel more permanent and real to me.

Sherryl started writing poetry and adult fiction in the 1980s. Her first children’s book, The Too-Tight Tutu, was published in 1997, and she now has more than 40 books in print. Her verse novel Farm Kid won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Literary Award for children’s books, and her second verse novel, Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) was an Honour Book in the 2008 CBCA Awards. Other recent titles include Motormouth, One Perfect Pirouette and her picture book of poems, Now I Am Bigger. Her books have been published in Australia and overseas. Sherryl teaches in the Diploma of Arts – Professional Writing and Editing at Victoria University TAFE. Her website is at http://www.sherrylclark.com/