On the tenth and a half of August, Tasmanian writer Danielle Wood joined forces with the talented Heather Rose, and together they formed the pen name, Angelica Banks.
The result?
An awesome new chapter book, Finding Serendipity, published by Allen & Unwin.
I just know that you are going to love Danielle’s answers as much as I did.
Tell us about you in 25 words or less.
I often wear red, I love shoes, I clean my teeth in the shower and have been known to make dresses for guinea pigs.
What makes you happy?
The happiest part of my day is when I snuggle up at night with my children and read to them. It’s an excuse to read books that I love, and to share the magic of words with three of my favourite people.
Where have you always wanted to visit, but haven’t made it to … yet?
I haven’t yet made it to the Orkney Islands, but I’m keen to get there, both because they are mad keen knitters over there (like me), plus the isles are rich in folk and fairy tales.
Where is your favourite place to write?
Very soon, my favourite place to write will be my new “room of one’s own”, a gypsy caravan in my garden. Roald Dahl wrote many of his magnificent children’s books in a gypsy caravan in his garden, and I’m hoping a tiny bit of the magic he put into books like Danny, Champion of the World might rub off onto me.
What was it like working with Heather Rose – did she have an annoying habits?!
Working with Heather Rose was a huge amount of fun and I learned a lot from her, especially about making imaginative leaps of faith. Her most annoying habit is that she can’t make up her mind how she takes her tea.
What’s the best thing about being a published author?
I actually love having my work read by editors, the pickier the better. With each book I’ve become a better writer, largely because I’ve had wonderful editors who have taught me a great deal.
What’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
When Angelica Banks made her first public appearance, somebody in the crowd asked “which one of you really wrote the book?”. We were quite flabbergasted because the process was so equal, to the point where we can’t even remember which one of us wrote some of the sentences. So, we told her that.
Who or what inspires you?
Strangely enough, I am inspired by the dictionary, because it reminds me of just how many wonderful words there are in the world, and how limitless are the possibilities of putting them together in new and exciting ways.
What is your worst habit?
Daydreaming when I’m driving.
Your favourite word(s) and why?
At the moment I love that one of my twins calls her elbow her “oboe”, and that my other twin told me that I have a lot of bones that make up my “skellington”.
This is your first novel for children. What were the challenges you found in the switch from writing for an adult audience?
Ursula Le Guin famously said that writing for children is only as easy as raising them! Like her, I don’t think it’s easy, but it is different from writing for adults. I enjoyed the freedom to really let my imagination rip.
Did we forget anything?
The only other thing I should tell you is that my motto in life is one that my grandfather taught me. HE said there’s no such thing as biting off more than you can chew; you just take a big bite and chew as hard as you can.
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? Twinings Traditional Afternoon, with milk (sweetened condensed milk on a bad day)
Paper books or e-books? Paper books, on a couch, with slippers.
Vegemite or Marmite? Vegemite for every day, Marmite for best
Write or type? The luckiest thing that ever happened to me at school was that I was forced to learn to touch type. Seriously lucky because my handwriting degenerates when I’m writing fast.
Poetry or prose? How can you be sure there’s a difference?
Beach or bush? Beach by the bush.
Hot or cold? Flannelette pyjamas, two doonas AND the electric blanket on “3”.
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