Penny Matthews, born and raised in South Australia, is the author of many delightful children’s books. We are delighted to welcome her to My Book Corner to answer our questions.
Penny Matthews is the talent behind the character of Nellie, the young Irish girl featured in the Penguin’s highly popular Our Australian Girl Series.
Matthews is now bringing the intriguing Ruby to life. The first in the series, Meet Ruby, packs plenty of pace and drama into its 100 pages!
Tell us about you in 25 words or less.
I started off as a reader, and then I worked in publishing as an editor, and then I became a writer. My life has been (and is) my family, and books!
What makes you happy?
Discovering new writers and new books to read. Magpies carolling at sunrise. My two-year-old granddaughter’s naughty giggle.
Where have you always wanted to visit, but haven’t made it to … yet?
Uluru. I’m not sure why I haven’t made it there yet. That’s a very good question.
Where is your favourite place to write?
I do all my writing in a tiny office tucked away at the side of our house. My window overlooks the front garden and a patch of dark red hollyhocks. When the late afternoon sun shines through the hollyhocks they glow crimson, and it’s so beautiful I have to stop writing to look.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I’d wipe out illiteracy and ignorance. Education is the start of a solution to so many of the world’s problems.
What’s the best thing about being a published author?
Having my pleasure in writing turned into something that will (I hope) also give pleasure to readers.
What’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked?
I think that this question (number 7) may be one of the strangest … and that’s my answer!
Who or what inspires you?
The fascinating tiny details of life. And reading. I’m constantly dazzled by the way other people write.
What is your worst habit?
I’m a dreadful procrastinator. I’ve been meaning to tidy up my desk for months, and it’s still covered in piles of paper. I’m sure there’s all sorts of interesting stuff at the bottom of those piles…
Your favourite word(s)?
I love old-fashioned words like ‘casement’ and ‘reticule’. Also adjectives that taste good, like ‘fragrant’ and ‘buttery’ and ‘spicy’. But my all-time favourite word is ‘lucid’. I’m not sure why. It just is.
Where did you gain your inspiration for the character of Ruby?
Ruby is really her own person, but in many ways her story is the story of my mother. When Mum married my father, a farmer, she left her comfortable Melbourne home for a very different life in the country. The culture shock she faced (and overcame) is very much Ruby’s experience too.
Did we forget anything?
You forgot to ask me what I’m writing now! It’s the last book in the Ruby series, Ruby of Kettle Farm. I’m dawdling over it a bit. I’m so fond of Ruby that I really don’t want to let her go.
Just for fun
Tea or coffee? Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon. Also rooibos tea, which smells wonderful.
Paper books or e-books? Definitely paper books. They make such a satisfyingly big pile on my bedside table.
Vegemite or Marmite? I absolutely can’t live without Vegemite. Probably I should have put that in my answer to the ‘What makes you happy?’ question.
Write or type? Writing is for scribbled inspiration and shopping lists. Definitely typing otherwise. For me the computer is a writer’s best friend.
Poetry or prose? I’m more of a prose reader, but I love poetry too. I’ve never tried to write poetry, but I admire those who can.
Beach or bush? The beach. Salt wind, crashing waves, seagulls … bliss. (That could go in my answer to the ‘What makes you happy?’ question, too.)
Hot or cold? Both. It depends on the season, doesn’t it? Is there anything better than going for a walk on a cold nippy frosty morning and coming inside to a glowing fire?
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