| Why did you become a writer? |
I have always loved reading and writing stories. English was my favourite subject at school, and at home I often wrote plays for my brothers to act out. But as I grew older I decided that I wasn't very good at writing, and stopped. Then I began telling stories to my own children and remembered how much I'd enjoyed writing. I tried a story or two, found that others liked them and soon writing had become my favourite hobby all over again. |
| What was your first book? |
My first book, Something Special, was published in 1984. Like all my early books, it was written in my spare time -- I worked as an editor in a publishing company back then, and writing was still a hobby. Since 1994 I have been working as a full-time author, and fell very lucky to have a job I love so much. |
| Where do you get your ideas from? |
It's hard to explain where my ideas come from. Usually it starts when I'm just thinking about something quite ordinary. By asking myself "What if this happened...?" I get my imagination going. In this way a story can be made out of the most everyday situations.
I always carry a notebook around with me, and scribble down every idea that comes to me -- ideas for characters, plots, or mystery clues, for example. That way, if I'm stuck for an idea later, chances are I'll find something in my notebook to help. |
| Do you base the characters in your books on real people? |
None of the characters in my books are exactly like anyone I know, but all of them have things in common with people I know. Everyone writes from his or her own experience. I look at people I know and listen to them and when I am trying to think of a new character, those things come back to me. |
| Why do you have another name? |
My real name is actually Jennifer Rowe. When I finished Something Special, I sent it to the publishing company where I worked. I put my grandmother's name, Emily Rodda, on the manuscript. I was a bit shy about my writing, and wanted to get an honest opinion about the book from the other editors in the office. Then Something Special was published, and won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. The name Emily Rodda got quite a bit of publicity, so now I use it for all my children's books, and use Jennifer Rowe for my adult books. I don't find it confusing -- it's a bit like having a nickname. |
| What are your hobbies? |
Ever since I can remember, reading and writing have been my favourite hobbies. These days I don't have a lot of time, but even so I might read up to three books a week -- depending on how long and complicated they are, of course! |
| Do you have any children? Do you have any pets? |
I am married with four children, and live in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. We have a dog called Sunshine. And because we live next to the bush, the garden is always full of frogs, lizards, magpies, cockatoos and kookaburras. |
| Which of your books is your favourite? |
Children who write to me often say that the Rowan of Rin books are their favourites. And I can say they've probably been the most pleasurable to write. But my books are all special to me in different ways. Choosing my favourite would be as difficult as choosing a favourite among my children. |
| How many books have you written? |
I have written and / or co-authored forty-eight children's books and eight mystery books for adults. I also created the television series Murder Call and wrote many of the stories too.
See the Book List section for more info. |