Stuff
Mem Fox Revealed
Revealing Questions
- Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
- A. Australia Africa England Marriage Motherhood Teaching Writing Reading
- Q. What is your motto or maxim?
- A. Do it now!
- Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
- A. Sleeping.
- Q. What’s your greatest fear?
- A. Becoming a widow
- Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
- A. On the couch at my daughter's house, having one of our rambling, lovely conversations
- Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
- A. Napoleon: I want to conquer the world!
- Q. Which living person do you most admire?
- A. Nada Vawser, an elderly neighbour
- Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
- A. Divine! Fantastic! Oh, God, that's hysterical!
- Q. What do you regret most?
- A. Having only one child
- Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
- A. Piano playing
- Q. What is your greatest achievement?
- A. Writing the best selling picture book ever in Australia
- Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
- A. Being too nice
- Q. What’s your best quality?
- A. Warmth
- Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
- A. The ruler of the world
- Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
- A. My spiky red hair
- Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
- A. Atticus in Lee Harper's TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD
- Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?
- A. Fagin in Charles Dickens' OLIVER TWIST
- Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
- A. William Wilberforce, the Englishman who spent most of his life in the late 18th and early 19th centuries working to abolish the slave trade. I'd say: "Congratulations! And thank you, thank you, thank you thank you!"
- Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
- A. Badly brought up, out of control children
- Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
- A. Cooking
- Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
- A. Book shop owner
- Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
- A. Forgiveness, generosity and tolerance
- Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
- A. Persimmons
- Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
- A. Penny Lane, Steal Away, Flow Gently Sweet Afton, the African national anthem: Nkosi Si'kelele Afrika, and my own song: Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes.
On Books and Writing
- Q. Who are your favorite authors?
- A. Dickens, Balzac, Jane Austen, Harper Lee, E B White, AS Byatt, Sebastian Faulks and a million others including picture book writers Martin Waddell and Lynley Dodd
- Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
- A. A Tale of Two Cities Birdsong Possession To Kill a Mocking Bird Pride and Prejudice
- Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
- A. Where is the Green Sheep?
- Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
- A. Avoid adjectives and adverbs
- Q. What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
- A. My child (or my class) LOVES your stories
