Name: Julia Owen
Date of birth: 24 December 1960
Place of birth: Auckland
Now living in: Weka Weka Valley, South Hokianga
What is your favourite food?
Seafood
Do you have a nickname and if so what is it?
Not really though some people call me 'Jules'.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
When I saw an old friend outside The Warehouse and flung open my arms for a hug and knocked over a large stack of pottery planters.
How do you relax?
Fishing, gardening and reading.
Who inspired you when you were little?
My grandmother.
What were you like at school?
A fidget. On one of my school reports it says - "Julia has ants in her pants".
What was your favourite/most hated subject at school?
Favourite: English
Hated: Maths
What was the book you most loved as a child?
The Swiss Family Robinson by J.D. Wyss
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Which person from the past would you most like to meet?
Who is your favourite author/children’s author?
Joy Cowley and Margaret Mahy, opens a new window.
Why did you want to be a writer?
I can make things up and get paid for it. (Though not very well)
Do you have a special place where you write your books?
Yes! A small room in our old cottage full of spiders.
What’s the best thing and worst thing about being a writer?
The best thing is to be able to use your imagination.
The worst thing is that it is a job you do on your own.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
A chef or a musician.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Do lots of reading and never stop writing.
This interview is from 2002.
