Name: Lynley Dodd
Date of birth: 5 July 1941
Place of birth: Rotorua
Now living in: Tauranga
- What is your favourite food?
- I like tasty soups, strawberries, mushrooms…
- Do you have a nickname and if so what is it?
- No
- What was your most embarrassing moment?
- There are one or two, but they are too embarrassing to tell!
- How do you relax?
- Reading and crossword puzzles. Playing the piano (as long as nobody else is listening).
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Who inspired you when you were little?
- Trees and open spaces. (I grew up in a pine forest.) Lots of animals.
- What were you like at school?
- I liked drawing and reading. I went to a very small primary school (it had only one room.)
- What was your favourite/most hated subject at school?
- Art was my favourite subject. I hated Maths!
- What was the book you most loved as a child?
- I had many favourites. Winnie the Poohopens a new window, the Dr Seussopens a new window books and Enid Blytonopens a new window books too…
- Which person from the past would you most like to meet?
- Two people - Leonardo da Vinci and Jane Austenopens a new window.
- Who is your favourite author/children’s author?
- I have many favourites: Quentin Blakeopens a new window, Margaret Mahyopens a new window and lots of others among children’s authors.
- Why did you want to be a writer?
- I began as an illustrator and decided I'd like to try writing my own books.
It was HARD the first time. - Do you have a special place where you write your books?
- Yes, I have a study upstairs which can get very hot on summer afternoons.
- What’s the best thing and worst thing about being a writer?
- The best thing is knowing that thousands of children (and grownups) around the world are reading my books.
The worst thing is trying to meet deadlines! (I’m quite good but I still worry about it!) - If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
- A musician - but I don’t think I would have been good enough!
- What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
- Keep trying and never be satisfied with second best.
Read some books by Lynley Doddopens a new window
More information about Lynley Doddopens a new window
Read posts featuring Lynley Doddopens a new window on the Christchurch Kids Blogopens a new window
This interview is from 2002.