What is your favourite music?

My favorite music is country and western. I have loved it ever since I was a little girl. It holds me and rocks me and moves me. I travelled all the way to Austin, Texas to hear it played. I love Emmylou Harris, Kimmie Rhodes, Iris DeMent, George Jones, Willie Nelson – the list goes on. I shall end it with Dolly Parton.

And your favourite book?

One of my favorite books is Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr Seuss. It is musical and funny and powerful. Horton is an inspiration. He never gives up; he has great faith and honours his promises. And Horton is rewarded in the most wonderful way.

Who is your favourite author?

Favourites are difficult; the answers change, and different authors appeal for different things. Dr Seuss will always be favorite, but so will J.D Salinger for Catcher in the Rye.

And your favourite literary hero and heroine?

Holden Caulfield. I had a crush on him as a teenager, then empathised with him more deeply as an adult.

Name an early literary idol or influence whom you no longer admire – or vice versa.

I really can’t answer that one. Anyone I admired as a younger person, in the literary world, I still do. Enid Blyton is still wonderful to me.

How old were you when your first book appeared?

My first book appeared when I was thirty-two: My Yellow Blanky, a picture book illustrated by Tom Jellett.

What, if anything, impedes your writing?

The only thing that impedes my writing is a baby called Milo. He is impeding it right now.

How do you regard publishers?

With love and gratitude.

What do you think of the state of criticism?

What do I think of the state of criticism? I don’t know enough about it. I have such limits on my creative time and my reading time: all my passion and energy must go into my own writing. I haven’t time to consider the state of criticism right now, to fret about it, to be angry about it, or pleased. I must write when Milo allows it, hard and fast and furious. But perhaps I am making excuses, blaming poor Milo. Even without him, what could I tell you about the state of criticism? My strength lies in the imaginary world; the real one I have much more difficulty negotiating.

If you had your time over again, would you choose to be a writer?

I would be an actress, a very rich one. I would give huge amounts of my money away to charity. And I would have a claw bath.

What do you think of writers’ festivals?

I love writers festivals; most of the ones I have appeared at have been for children, and they are great fun. They have given me the opportunity to meet other writers. Most of the time I work in isolation, so the festivals are wonderful. I like presenting to children. I trained originally as an actor; for a number of years I performed my picture book My Yellow Blanky to children all over Australia.

Do you feel artists are valued in our society?

Artists should be valued more than footballers, in my view.

What are you working on now?

I am working on getting Milo to sleep so I can get back to my next book; another novel for adults.