I write books for all age groups – young kids, teenagers and adults – because I get a range of different ideas.

I mean who the hell do you think you are, exactly? Saint Roland of the Perpetual Martyrdom?

How I long to feel the weight of a book in my hand. How I long to turn a page, and pass through the print as you’d pass through a door, into that world of wise and lofty spirits, of strange animals, of noble deeds and faraway cities. If only I could crawl into a book and stay there for the rest of my life.

What ever you do-Don’t get caught.

I'm a very nervy kind of person, who finds it almost impossible to relax.

I'm not a risk-taker; that's probably why I write - because when you're easily bored, but you don't like taking risks, you end up doing it all in your head.

There's nothing quite as exciting or moving as the very finest literary non-fiction.

Mostly I wanted to be a writer, though for a couple of years there I wanted to be an animator, because I loved drawing and capturing beautiful movements.

I was always told you're not going to make much money from writing. You can actually do it. Now I've built a really good, big house out of words.

I was lucky enough to be a child during the renaissance of Australian children's literature, when people like Ivan Southall, Colin Thiele, Lilith Norman and Wrightson were pumping out hugely inspiring stuff.