Your Questions Answered
As an Author I get asked a lot of questions - it seems that kids want to know everything about my books and a lot about me and my life, so thank you for being so interested! Here are a few of the most common questions I get asked, and my answers.
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: This is the question I get asked the most and there are two answers.
1) Ideas just pop into my head like magic. It's weird, but they do, and there is no other explanation.
2) I see something and I think, wow, what a great idea for a story! For instance, I was visiting a children's Museum in Chicago and saw a model of a brain and thought it would make a great idea for a story. My best selling book so far, Brain In A Box came from there. You might also be interested to know that when he was five, my son James thought the toilet was a washing machine so he tried to help his mum by washing his own clothes - in the toilet - I don't know how many he flushed away, but it still makes me laugh when I think of it! And that little story is in Brain In a Box too - poor James, how embarrassing!
Q: How long does it take to write a book?
A: That depends how long the book is! Usually my books take about 6 months and I do at least 10 rewrites before I am happy with it! Then it goes to my wife Diane who tells me if she thinks anything needs changing or adjusting, and finally it goes to my daughter Laura, who is my Chief Editor. She tells me what part of the story she thinks is good and what isn't, then it comes back to me to do any changes before the book goes to the publisher. No-one is allowed to change my stories, they just tell me if it sounds good or not. If someone does try to change them I cry and stamp my feet and go to bed and sulk! I only sulk for a little while because I am a grown up.
Q : Where do you live?
A : Near Sydney, Australia, on a beautiful farm with lots of animals and birds and plants.
Q: Who are your favourite authors?
A : Charles Dickens and Roald Dahl are my all time very most wonderful favourites. Charles Dickens wrote so many amazing books, like OliverTwist and A Christmas Carol!
I like anything Roald Dahl ever wrote and if they made a book with his shopping list in it, I would buy it! My two other favourites are Spike Milligan (he wrote lots of kids books and some awesome poems) and Robert Louis Stevenson (my favourite book of his is Treasure Island) I met Spike Milligan in Australia and he was very encouraging about my writing (there's a picture of me and him below) and I went all the way to Samoa just to visit Robert Louis Stevenson's writing room (there's a picture of that too). They wouldn't let me sit at his desk, but I didn't cry....honest....well, OK... I did, but only for a little while....
Q: Why are you bald?
A: I wish I knew! I think someone stole my hair when I was asleep. Now it's gone. Help me find my hair....there might be a reward!
Q: Do you write all the time?
A: Yes! I love writing and I write every day. It's the best job in the world because you can do it in bed and no one cares if you are not wearing a tie. Sometimes I stay in my pyjamas all day and tap away at my computer. Diane tells me off for being lazy, but I pretend I'm not feeling well, so she lets me get away with it and I stay in my jimjams. Please don't tell her..... pleeeeaaasssseeee!
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Q: What are your hobbies?
A: My two hobbies are writing and reading. I also love cars.... very much.... Diane says, too much. Our animals are also my hobby, and I love everything about all of them. Have a look at the 'tab' marked 'farm life' - there's a lot of pictures! I also love to travel - in Australia and overseas.
Q: What is your favourite colour?
A : Dark Blue for cars, anything else is green.
Q: Do you ever get cranky?
A: Of course not. Never. Ever. Just ask my kids or Diane.... anyway, there's a picture of me below, to prove that I never get cranky.
Q: Do you have any advice for kids?
A: I often get asked this question by teachers and parents. I have two pieces of advice that I always pass on. The first is to
always follow your dreams because you can be anything you want to be in this great big world of ours.
The second piece of advice was passed on to me by one of the most famous English novelists of all time, Alan Sillitoe. When I was struggling to get my books published, Alan wrote to me and told me to Keep On Keeping On, which means to keep trying and never give up on your dreams. A few months later my first book was published!
Q from Steve : Do you have any more questions? You can always write to me if you do. Fill out the 'Write to Steve ' form below.
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 This is the desk where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island all those years ago. It was amazing to visit his writing room in Samoa and I always feel inspired when I look at this picture! |  Here I am with one of my hero's Spike Milligan in Sydney, Australia. His kids stories and poems are wonderfully silly and really funny. If you haven't read any of them do try! The Ning Nang Nong is a wonderful poem and really fun to read out loud. |  If you ever want proof that I never get cranky this is it! Scary eh? At least Diane loves me..... and my kids and donkeys and chickens and dogs and sheepies and Leonard the alpacca, they all love me too (even when I am cranky - which I never am - as you can see!). |
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 Meet Laura, my Chief Editor of Children's books! She is the last person to check my books before they go to the publisher. If she says something is not right, or doesn't sound right, she's usually right! As well as editing my books she is a Yoga instructor and she also travels around taking pictures of herself standing inside giant drain pipes! |