Blog Tour: The Tribe Series by Ambelin Kwaymullina

Hi Readers!

Today I've got the pleasure of being the first stop on Ambelin Kwaymullina's blog tour.

While readers might be dying to know all about the series, I'd rather start with some fun questions in getting to know you! And, as this is by blog, it's my rules. So when I say let's have fun, you do as you're told!

Well, perhaps if I lose the totalitarian tone, we can begin...

What was the last book you read?

Unravel Me which is the sequel to Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi.

Ghost At The Point by Charlotte Calder

This book took me by surprise. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it looked interesting and when I started it, there was no turning back.

I guess the most straightforward way to describe it would be Historical, Junior, Australian Fiction. But really, what does that tell you?

What can I tell you about it? That it was really compelling, creepy (the ghost story and set-up works brilliantly), and good fun. It’s set on an island inspired by Kangaroo Island in the 1930s and captures the rural Australian community feeling perfectly. The main character, Dorrie, is a believable, likeable, independently minded girl and is a great protagonist. Her relationship with her grandfather is succinct, yet genuine, what you might expect of people who live in a semi isolated part of an island with a small population. And when her grandfather has an accident and has to spend some time in hospital, she manages to get back to their house unattended because she wanted to stay at home, rather than having to stay with cousins.  But that’s when everything comes to a head.

The persistent and sinister treasure hunters from the mainland turn up in the middle of the night, and the presence of the ghost is felt more than ever. Isn’t that the way? Scary things tend to happen when you’re alone, miles from the next house, and it’s the middle of the night, right?

The no-good treasure hunters, the truth about the ghost, the mystery of it all comes together so well at the end I was reminded of the well constructed mysteries like The Famous Five.

I can strongly recommend this book. Particularly if you (or your child) have a leaning towards stories set in times gone past. But more than that, this book is a well constructed, mysterious ghost story. I really liked it!

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Surface Tension by Meg McKinlay

If you're looking for really good quality Australian junior fiction, look no further than Meg McKinlay. I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and its many layers.

It's set in a town that had relocated to make way for a dam catchment area. The lake now hides the old town, and many secrets. So one Summer, as it gets hotter and hotter, and the water gets lower and lower, what secrets will rise to the surface?

Cassie was born on the day that the town was drowned. She feels like she is missing out on all the shared history that the rest of the population have, and is somewhat obsessed with the underwater town. She likes to sneak far around the edge of the lake, way past the designated swimming areas, past the keep out sign, where it is quiet. Where secrets lurk.

One thing I really liked about this book is how it talks about how history is recorded and the implications of that. Cassie's older sister works for the Mayor and is helping to prepare a celebration for the town's centenary and is putting together a book with all the notable points from their history. Well, all the pleasant, happy points. Cassie can't understand this. Surely history is everything that happened, not just the good things. "History is written by the winners" floats around in her head. By all means, it's not a major part of this book, but it was there enough for me to appreciate what it was saying. That, and that it adds depth and colour to the mystery that unravels.

 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Tanglewood by Margaret Wild and Vivienne Goodman

"On a tiny island, in the middle of nowhere, there was a tree. There was only one tree on the island, and it was called Tanglewood."

This stunning picture book is a beautiful tale of loneliness and longing for companionship. Tanglewood calls to the passing animals, asking them to stop and stay a while, but she is only visited by the wind.

One day a bird shelters from a storm in the branches of Tanglewood, but too soon she must return to her family. The tree knows nothing of family and is saddened to hear that it is everything. Then Seagull must leave and Tanglewood is alone once more.

I don't want to ruin the shivers you'll get when you read the ending for yourself, so I'll leave it there as far as the story is concerned. Just know that once again, Margaret Wild has written something quietly amazing. And Vivienne Goodman's illustrations are perfectly matched. Apparently it took her seven years to illustrate. Seven years to get it just right. They're perfect.

Do yourself a favour, find this picture book and read it.

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Preloved by Shirley Marr

Shirley Marr’s writing style is crisp, fast paced and snappy. I’ve heard very good things about her novel ‘Fury’ but haven’t had a chance to read it yet, so Preloved was my introduction to her.

The book is from the point of view of Amy who feels like she is a minor character in the ‘movie’ of her best friend Rebecca. Her mother is always offering snippets of Chinese mythology and superstition, that she has trouble identifying with, and her father hasn’t made any attempt to be a father since their separation. One day, a locket finds its way to Rebecca who discards it and Amy becomes focused on getting it open. When she manages to open it, it contains the photo of a very attractive boy from the 80’s – whose ghost starts to follow her around. J

Preloved works on a number of levels. Firstly, it is relatable, in that the characters were like ones I went to high school with. It felt Australian, without the slightest hint of Australiana. Despite one of the main aspects of it being about Eastern philosophy, and the main character’s family being Chinese, at no point did I feel ostracised by this. Amy is trying to reconcile her beliefs and those of her mother throughout the story so it is easy for a non-Chinese reader (such as myself) to identify with her.

I felt this was a well done twist on the paranormal romance genre, as it wasn’t anywhere near as other-worldly and soppy as others in this genre. And despite the myriad of 80’s references, it had a very contemporary feel to it. It’s definitely one that I can see teen readers devouring, much like the hungry ghosts the book deals with.

4 Silver Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Blog Tour: Sue Lawson's Forget Me Not

Today I'm thrilled to have Sue Lawson write a guest post here at LittleElfMan's. You might know how much I love Sue's writing from my review of Pan's Whisper and the wonderful post for its blog tour. I'm not going to hog the stage too much, because this is all about Sue and her great new book, a historical fiction novel that follows one family's voyage on the Titanic. I asked Sue to write a particular guest blog and she responded brilliantly! Over to you, Sue!

Hi Michael, it’s lovely to visit your blog again. This is the very first stop on the Forget Me Not Tour and I'm very excited about all the stops I'll be making over the next two weeks!

I had a ball answering your questions about Pan’s Whisper.

Forget Me Not is different to Pan’s Whisper, in that Pan’s Whisper is a young adult novel and work of fiction while Forget Me Not is a junior fiction novel and based on an historical event – the sinking of the Titanic.

So, Sue, you’re packing for a journey to the other side of the world on the largest ocean liner in the world, and you’ll be starting a new life at your destination.

(Please tell me journey doesn’t end the same way as the Titanic’s journey ended!)

 Step us through your packing process…

Dragonkeeper series by Carole Wilkinson

 (New covers released May 2012)

Years ago, when I worked in the children's section of a large inner-city bookshop, one of the books that I could easily rely on to sell, and make a good recommendation, was Dragonkeeper and then its sequels as they came out. I had never read it, but I had heard they were good and parents were keen to give their children something that mixed a bit of history in with the fantasy that they craved.

I even saw an (adult) colleague consume them in rapid succession, which simply fueled my hand selling. Please don't mistake me for some casual staffer who knew nothing of the books they put in your hands, I was simply reading other series at the time and had heard enough good reports to confidently recommend this series. But I always planned on reading them.

Late last year I listened to the Dragonkeeper (book 1) audio book on one of my away trips for work. It was thoroughly entertaining. one of those delightful blends between facts taken from history and fantasy generously layered on top, you find yourself asking, why haven't there been more reports of dragon bones/fossils coming out of China?

So, recently when I knew I would be meeting Carole Wilkinson, I made the time to read the 2nd and 3rd books in the series. They were just as good. They are perfectly paced; excitement, action and adventure unfold equally with character development. They playful nature of the dragons makes you lament their disappearance from the world (for surely they once existed!). But the dragons, their keeper, Ping, and others we meet along the journey become your friends.

It's not hard to see why this series has won so many awards. But what makes them even better for me, is that an eight year old could pick these up (and they do) and love them, just as much as a teenager could, or a 28 year old (yes, I mean me). Good writing transcends target age groups.

Now I'm very excited to read the fourth book in the series, Blood Brothers, which will be out in May, but I can't wait for it!

4 Gold Star

Find them on Goodreads:

Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

The Great Bear by Libby Gleeson and Armin Greder

You only need glance at the cover of this amazing picture book to see that it is probably going to be dark. After all, it's night time, and there is a crowd staring at you in what you could interpret as an off putting way. The title tells us it's about a bear, little do we know that we have already been put into the bear's point of view and we haven't even opened the book yet.


I love it. I love how arresting it is. These people demand you look at them, perform for them. The bear is all but neglected, until it is harassed into performance. and you experience it all with the her.

That is, until the bear's anger is unleashed and it roars, looking for an escape. From here on, we get to watch as the bear flees to the stars.

It is beautiful and poetic. Moving and intriguing.

Clearly not a bedtime story for a three year old, but not all picture books are.

I have long considered this as one of my favourite picture books. It is full of emotion of many kinds. Have you read and felt this book?

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan

So this is how it went for me and Margo Lanagan: I had a long-standing love affair from a-far with Tender Morsels which you can read about HERE, which sadly remains unresolved, as I haven't got around to reading it yet.

Then, last semester, her collection of short stories 'White Time' was a set text for my masters subject. I liked what I read there, I liked that I had to fit myself into each story like someone doing advanced yoga of the mind. But alas, Tender Morsels still waved, sadly-unread, from my shelf.

Then there was the release of Sea Hearts AND the possibility of meeting Margo at an event at Better Read Than Dead, a beautiful bookshop in Newtown where a friend of mine works as the Children's specialist. What was I to do? I'll tell you what: I got my hands on a copy, forced myself to take a break from work reading (it was well timed really) then Sea Hearts jumped the queue. I had accepted the invitation to the event, so I knew I had to have it read.

The plan was to read Tender Morsels as well, so I could seem switched on and genuine in my apparent fandom. Because, lets face it, despite having only read some of her short stories last year, I have thought of Margo Lanagan as an author that I love for years. (it might have something to do with the jacket of Tender Morsels - See the other post) But I know I loved the idea of her.

This has turned into a rather long pre-amble for my review of this book, I know. But partly the time it took me to read it is needed to explain how I felt about it. I read each night when I climb into bed. It's the one time of the day I can guarantee myself the time to read. Unfortunately, I picked a time to read Sea Hearts when I was particularly exhausted from work and life in general. One thing I discovered when I picked up this book is it's the kind of writing that you sort-of need to pay attention to (not quite as hard as the aforementioned mind-yoga, but still) and this is difficult to do when your eyes are struggling to stay open as it is. Therefore, it took me much longer to get through this book than I had hoped. (then along comes reading for work again, and unless I can read three books in the next 2 days, there no chance of be even attempting to start Tender Morsels before the event on Wednesday.)

Enough already! I hear you sighing, tell us about the book! Ok, here it goes:

It's a moving re-work/fleshing-out of the Selkie legends from the regions of the far-North Atlantic Ocean. Now I had only a passing/second hand knowledge of these legends, so for me, it read like a well thought out fantasy. I can see how others who know the tales better would enjoy it even more than I did. Margo Lanagan's writing is superb. She doesn't fluff around, but fills her prose with the magic of time and place. Her conviction to the story she is telling is striking. This is a book for anyone who loves a tale of love, loss and a spot of magic.

I feel like I have to say, though, that as a male reader, I felt appalled at the state of men in this book. Every single female character was wronged at the hands of a male, and absolutely none of the men had any redeeming characteristics, save for one pre-pubescent boy who devised a way to help his mother. I understand that in the context of the story that the sea-wives were enchanting, but I would have loved to see at least one man resist. As you do with books, I put myself in their shoes and asked: What of a gay man? would he be equally beguiled? (Although I must admit that the Seal King magiked into a man was rather steamy...) Or are all men destined to hurt the women in their lives and rely on their young sons to make amends on their behalf?

That said, I loved reading this. There was a sequence in it that was one of the most exciting-cannot-put-down-what's-going-to-happen things I've read in at least 6 months (and I've read a lot in that time). It's a beautiful novel that reveals the devastating effects of taking things from where they naturally belong for your own personal gain.

I really need to stop writing now, so I can go and read and hopefully - finally - find the time to read Tender Morsels.

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

TopographicalFeature: Sea Hearts - Margo Lanagan

Something You'd See In The Sky:

Creepy Crawly:

Type Of House:

Something You'd Carry In Your Pocket, Purse, or Backpack:

Something You'd Find On A Calendar:

Jaguar Warrior by Sandy Fussell

What would you do if you were imprisoned in a box, waiting to be sacrificed to the Sun God? You’d want to run. You’d want to get as far away from there as possible. Unless, of course, you believe the gods will listen to your sacrifice and spare your people. When Atl [Ay-tell] is released amidst an attack by the Spanish Pale Lord, and told to run to a neighbouring city for help, he sees it as an opportunity to run for freedom. But something more sinister and unforgiving is chasing him, and if he is caught, slavery is no longer an option. Death will quickly follow.

Sandy Fussell has created a rich, fast-paced novel that drags you in so you don’t realise that she is also giving you a light history lesson. Ancient cultures are fascinating; the Maya / Inca civilisations of South America in particular.

Atl finds that (although he doesn’t want it - to begin with) he needs help on his journey from both humans and gods. Even if the gods delight in spilling human blood, which angers Atl. But his journey gives him time to contemplate the nature of sacrifice, slavery, friendship, courage, and pride. What I loved about this book is that Atl’s contemplations provide a great opening for the reader to think about these things too. What kind of gods would demand the slaughter of their subjects?

I really like the cover too.

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Cinnamon Rain by Emma Cameron

Teenage years can be troublesome for most of us, regardless of how well we've got it. Dealing with expectations of parents, teachers, friends and any/all of the other people that seem to want something from you, or want you to do something. Trying to feel comfortable in your own skin can be is one of the most difficult things to achieve when you can't even fathom your place in the world. 

These are just some of the things that came to mind as I read this novel by debut author Emma Cameron. Then, on top of all of those expectations, awkwardness, friendships, etc. some people have a troubled home life thrust on them as well. I find it hard to imagine everything that some teens have to go through as well as just being a teenager. This book helped me see some of those things.

A stunning verse novel that really brought these characters alive, Cinnamon Rain follows three teens approaching the end of year 10, Luke, Bongo, and Casey (the girl they both love). I loved the format of this book. first, we get Luke's story, which introduces us to the other two as well as others in his life. Some aspects of his friends' lives remain a mystery to him though. Then, we get a similar time line over again from Bongo's point of view, taking us a little further along in time. Finally, we revisit the events from Casey's perspective, filling in the gaps that were left and taking us to a place where the characters have a chance at a sense of belonging. 

Occasionally, I hear people scoff, or turn up their nose at a verse novel. I don't understand this. I genuinely feel that it is a great and under-used format. On the most basic level, they are simply easier on the eyes to read. You breeze through it, absorbing it all with ease. Then, poetry is ripe with poignancy, each poem with its 'punch-line' bringing the message home on each page. I love it, and Cinnamon Rain was no exception. 

All in all, this is a great teen read by a new Australian author that I now look forward to what she does next. 

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson & Amy Lissiat

Riley is a rat. He only lives a short time, compared with a human. But how much of our human lives are spent unhappy, wanting things? 

True, Colin Thompson seems to have stopped illustrating in the style that I love so much and which made me take notice in the first place, but that doesn't mean I love this book any less. 

This book that compares humans to rats is one of my favourites. However, it warns that people should never compare their lives to animals because it will just leaving you feeling depressed when you realise that rats have a better life than you. 

"They want to go to the seaside-ski-resort-paradise-dream-world-castaway-exclusive-you-must-be-really-rich-if-you-can-afford-to-come-here-plaza-luxury-get-away-from-it-all-anywhere-but-here-theme-park."

This book just makes me feel happy. And has a great message: You just have to learn to be happy with less. 

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

I'm Taggarty Toad by Peter Pavey

I love this book. It is so bizarre that it just seems to work.

Pavey's illustrations are something else all together. There are an incredibly detailed mix of styles from cross-hatch to sparse cartoon-ish parts coloured gently with pencil. There are bright and arresting elements and then at times some very realistic looking animals. These are all combined on each page. There is just so much to look at it's fantastic!

The story itself is very funny too. Taggarty Toad turns up to an audience of animals as a guest speaker. The group consists of a cat, a chicken, a wallaby, a snake, an emu, a fox, and a dodo; just to name a few. Oh, and some odd looking lizzardy-dragon-thing (for a point of difference?).

Anyway, Taggarty Toad begins to describe how magnificent he is, how he's "indestructible" and then starts to list all the "unbelievable" things he has done. These include catching gigantic caterpillars, sailing the seven seas and tying a knot in the tail of a tiger. They become more and more far fetched until his speech is cut short when a tiger with a knot in its tail attacks him. The next (and final) page sees our big talking hero walking away covered in bandages.

Now, this will pose the question: 'Did he really do all those things?' Well splashing the sun and bending the moon don't really seem possible, so surely he hasn't done any of them and he's just a big show-man. BUT, why then, did the tiger attack him? Surely it wanted revenge for the wrong done to it? So, could all the other things also be true?

I'm sure you'll enjoy puzzling over these questions with your child/ren if you share this classic with them. I know I enjoy puzzling over them on my own.

4 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The True Story of Mary By Jane Godwin and Drahos Zak

The True Story Of Mary Who Wanted To Stand On Her Head.

This has been in my personal library since I discovered it during my days working in a bookshop, what seems like years and years ago. The moment I found it I knew it was special. It remains one of those special gems that come to mind whenever I think of my favourite quirky little books.

I just wanted to write a short post, bringing it to people’s attention and letting them know that it’s well worth tracking down.

Jane Godwin’s rhyme is perfectly matched to Drahos Zak’s dark and peculiar illustrations that together really embody what this story is all about: being true to one’s self.

The back cover sums it up pretty well: “Mary is an upside-down girl and there is just no stopping her. The delightfully spiky story of a wayward girl who is determined to live her own life.”

I love it!

4.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

JudgeABook: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

This is my 2nd JudgeABook post! I'm enjoying them. Feel free to join in the game any time you like! Read about it HERE

Shiver by Maggie Stefvater

My first reaction to this jacket was that it caught my eye and made me think 'ooo look at that!' I'm partial to tree designs and the simple, layered graphic nature of this one is very striking. I quite like that the leaves are reminiscent of hearts too, and the drop of blood is a nice touch. This is another one that I acquired because I liked the look of it, but it has been sitting on my shelf for a long time, unread.

My interpretation of the cover:

It was hard to tell if the trees held the frost with their branches, or if the frost had the forest firmly in its grasp. No matter how tight the grip of either, the wolf slipped between their fingers, stalking his prey. The last remnants of summer dropped one at a time from the branches, falling with her memories of the love she had left behind. This was her future, she must submit to it. With the realisation that she would never leave the forest again, she shivered, and set her jaw against the years ahead. 

Cover rating:

3.5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Other JudgeABook posts.

JudgeABook: Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Welcome to the inaugural post of my new series called JudgeABook that is all about the cover. You can read all about where this came from HERE.

Let's jump straight into it:

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

(In the rules, I've said that you should only write one sentence about how the cover made you react, but I'm going to expand a bit.)

When I first saw this book, I was riveted by it. I visit a lot of book shops and I think 2 or 3 of them had it in stock and every time I went back I would find myself picking this one up and just looking at it. I'm pretty sure it was a long time before I even read the back cover. In any event, after 6 months of periodic gazing at it, I finally bought it, still knowing very little of what the book was about. I have now owned it for almost a year, but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. It even has a spot on my coveted spinner (one of the beautiful, wooden Vintage Classics ones I scored from one of my old jobs) which is in my lounge room and reserved for my favourite books as that's the shelf that gets browsed by visitors. But there it is, it's gorgeous cover staring at me while I watch TV. 

A while into my affair with this cover image, a friend of mine told me it's a Shaun Tan cover! Amazed, I looked in the publishing details and lo an behold, there it is, copyright Shaun Tan. I basked in the confirmation of my own good taste. Later, when he released The Bird King, I would discover a preliminary sketch of this very cover image. 

In all honesty, the amount I think about this book, I cannot believe I haven't read it yet. Maybe I'll select it for my choice next time for Bookclub. 

But that's enough of that. I'm sure you can see by now how I feel about this cover. On to part 3!

Rather than a synopsis, I think I'll write a glimpse of the story that the cover tells me.

The time she had spent in that forest would surely be coming to an end soon. Scratched and bruised, she clung to her friend who had been more humane to her than the man she had fled. Tear-matted fur stuck to her face; she could feel the setting sun on her back, falling beyond the reach of the trees (for the last time?). The wrath of an ignorant man is a terrible thing; too ready to trample and claim. She shivered as the last of the light died on a barcoded horizon. Was this the price of love? 

Cover Rating:

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

Other JudgeABook posts.

Blog Tour: Pan's Whisper by Sue Lawson

Very excited to be hosting a stop in Sue Lawson's Blog Tour for Pan's Whisper!

If you haven't already, you can read my review of it HERE (I'm still a little chuffed that my review made her speechless!)

The other stops on the tour have been asking all the hard and interesting questions about Pan's Whisper and the writing process and all that melting pot of goodies that resulted in the brilliant book. These are all great, and I wanted to know them too, but I read them elsewhere and decided to do something a bit different here.

I thought I'd use this as an opportunity to get to know Sue a bit more, so I've asked her a series of less serious questions for a fun and frivolous way to start this, the last week in the lead up to Christmas.

So let's jump in!



What was the last book you read?
I’m studying my masters, so the last book I read was for that – Pagan’s Crusade – loved it! 
Now I’m reading masses of short stories.
Plus, I have also just read Karen Tayleur’s latest manuscript. WOW!
(Oo! I've got Six sitting on my to-read-sooner-than-later pile at home. And Snap! I'm doing my Masters too.)

Score out of 10?
Pagan’s Crusade – 8/10
Short Stories – vary
Karen Tayleur’s manuscript. 10/10 
(Can't wait to read it then!)


Any books you have re-read over and over?
Heaps – The Outsiders, SE Hinton, Dirt Music and The Riders both by Tim Winton, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee and a few others. Generally though I’m flat out keeping up with my reading pile, so it’s not often I re-read books.
(I know what you mean! Sometimes I find myself thinking I'd LOVE to re-read something, but where's the time?)


Where’s your favourite place to read?
I’ll read anywhere. I do love reading in bed, though I often read until my eyes hurt and have had the book fall on my face more than once.
(What I've noticed recently, is that I'll be reading in bed and then I'll find myself thinking, Wait, why isn't the story progressing? oh, that's right, my eyes are closed!)


What book would you most like to see turned into a film?
That’s a tough one as generally I don’t love film adaptations (see below for those I did!). I’d probably like to see Dirt Music because the setting (WA) is so amazing.
(Hehe, I've got a t-shirt that says: 'MOVIES: Ruining the book since 1920')


What is the best film adaptation of a book that you can think of?
Atonement. Man I loved that book and to be honest was a little scared about the film, but loved it. My advice to anyone who is a romantic, leave or turn it off when the old lady is about to be interviewed!
The other film adaptations I’ve enjoyed are Lord of the Rings (Wow! I like that far too much!) and Harry Pottter.
(Have to say, I'm a bit more than partial to the last two... I've never read Atonement though, but I thoroughly enjoyed the first half the that movie.)


Where was the best Holiday you’ve taken to?
Last year, my husband, daughter and I went to Italy, Switzerland, France and England. We had the most amazing time.

(Nothing like a bit of public nudity :)


Favourite Dessert?
Baked Cheesecake with berries. Or Lemon Tart.
(Mmm Cheesecake with berries...)


Dogs or Cats? (or something else entirely?)
Dogs – preferable robust, loving and personality filled dogs like Labradors (We had two labs when I was growing up – Sam and Rocky) We used to have a Cairn Terrier called Dougall – now he was a sensational dog!
(Is it too embarrassing for me to say I've got a soft toy dog called Dougall?)


Who would you cast in a Bio flick about you?
Susan Saradon. She is just a fantastic actress.
(Ooo, good pick! She's great! I loved her in Elizabethtown)


Ideal night out?
With friends, at a restaurant – Thai, Indian or maybe Malaysian. 


Ideal night in?
Either have friends over for a barbeque or watch a movie with my husband and daughter.


If you had to pick one food that was the only thing you could eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
One food – you’re kidding. Okay - fruit, especially berries. So it’s cheating, but I love food too much to be stuck to only one kind!
(Yes, I know what you mean, Just one??? It is a cruel question.)


Name a guilty pleasure when it comes to your reading life.
Jilly Cooper. I love her books – they baddies are so bad and the goodies so good.
(They do look like a bit of a guilty pleasure...)


Are your dinner plates patterned or plain?
Plain. Hope that isn’t indicative of my personality! In my defence, I love the look of food on plain plates – we eat lots of veggies and the colours are spectacular. Okay, now I just sound weird!
(Not at all! In my opinion, patterned is a thing of by-gone tastes - with few exceptions - who knows, in another 30 years our children or grandchildren might think we're so daggy for having plain plates!)


How many members are there in your family? (let’s start with immediate then move to extended)
Immediate – three of us – my husband and daughter.
Extended – two brothers, one sister, Mum, Dad, (who died 14 years ago) two sister in laws, one brother in law, two nieces, three nephews, six cousins, 17 second cousins, two aunts, one uncle…then there is my husband’s family…his parents, sister and brother, sister in law, six nephews…okay I’ll stop.
We’re a relatively small family. A friend of mine is one of 18 brothers and sisters!
(Sounds like it's big enough when you start looking at extended members.)


What was your favourite board game as a child? (or now, if you’re anything like me).
As a child I loved playing Monopoly – not so much now. My daughter has been able to whip me since she was about 8. Not good for the ego.
(Monopoly was never one of my favourites, I always seem to loose. But I'm a sucker for Board games in general)

And finally,
What’s the most random/left-of-field thing anyone has ever said to you?
“Oh – I thought you’d be blonde.” (Guy at a pub when I worked in radio. He was so disappointed when he saw me. Wish I had the words to describe his face! Apparently I sounded short and blonde when I was on radio – not sure how to take that.)
Then there was the time when…I’ll stop shall I?

(Well, sometimes you just can't live up to expectations! But, that's his problem. I can think of a few witty remarks, but lets keep it PG, shall we?)

Sue Lawson (Left) at the Pan's Whisper book launch with Corinne Fention.

Thanks so much, Sue, for your fantastic answers! I've had so much fun reading them through and putting this post together. It was such a pleasure!

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