Sunny Garden

FAQ - page one

Do you always put aspects of yourself into your novels? Since they always seem to be written in first person, does this affect what characteristics and qualities you give your protagonists?

Do the cultural idiosyncrasies (like vegemite, paddle pops, chuppa chups, the Courier Mail, even particularly QLD references like QUT, Toowong and Indooroopilly) become a hindrance when it comes to presenting your stories to an international audience?

Why are the protagonists of your novels usually the underdog? Do you think Australians have a culture where they like seeing the underdog win and the tall poppy get cut down?

Are you consciously aiming at the youth audience with your novels? Do you have some ulterior motive to start getting Australian youth reading again?

Why the shift from more 'serious' books (like After January and particular short stories) to more light-hearted subject matter (Zigzag Street onwards)? Was that shift a conscious decision, or just where your writing evolved? Or are there still 'serious' stories being released, but it's just the funny ones stealing the attention?

Do you have any influences when it comes to (i) your writing style (which, you have to admit, is slightly unconventional) and (ii) your subject matter?

What's with the UK cover of Bachelor Kisses?

FAQ - page two

There's an ongoing theme with awkwardness in your novels - does this reflect more your personal experiences or what you observe in other people?

Why do you think so many people - young and old(ish), male or female, Australian or German, relate to your books so well?

Your range of media is widening - CDs and live television appearances being two examples - so with your increasing influence, are you going to use that to push political and social consciousness or is that just not your arena?

Are your protagonists ever going to be female or a different race or would doing that lead to a contrived novel?

Is there a lot of pressure from the powers that be (publishers, friends, etc) to write a formulaic book that really isn't your style?

Are there a lot of characters through your novels that are actually drawn from real people, down to the last detail?

What are you long term aims through your work?

FAQ - page three

Do you find it difficult to find inspiration?

Writing in first person narrative, is it hard not to think 'What would I do in this situation' and make the character like yourself, or somebody you're close to?

Is is difficult to get motivated to work when you have no-one to tell you what to do?

You get flown around the country to speak publicly, you must have had some interesting experiences on these trips?!

Have you ever read a book (or one of your books) and found a character and thought 'I wish I was that person'?

In 48 Shades of Brown and After January the teenage characters were, in a way, sad but oh so true. How were you able to enter the mind of somebody twenty years younger?

FAQ - page four

Nick, I particularly like your short story 'Green'. I have had the pleasure of hearing you perform it live twice now and I was wondering do you ever get the urge to read it differently? I noted between performances you had improved your delivery. Do you ever want to re-write sections of a short story like this one? Especially as you continue to perform it and thus remain intimate with the story?

I was wondering if you had any struggles to get published?

Have you interviewed Nick Earls for an assignment? Want to see your name up in lights? (Well, okay, so next to a pair of chopsticks.)

Sunny Garden is on the look out for previously completed interviews to add to the FAQ pages. If you're interested in becoming part of the bustling Sunny Garden kitchen then email any completed interviews to Liz

Disclaimer:
Sunny Garden is designed, written and maintained by Liz Perkins, in cooperation with Nick Earls, Penguin Books and Random House Australia. Any questions about Sunny Garden should be directed to Liz

All original contents are © Liz Perkins.