Name: John Tarlton
Date of birth: 19 April, 1950
Place of birth: Long Beach, California, USA
Now living in: Brisbane, Australia
- What is your favourite food?
- Anything Mexican.
- Do you have a nickname and if so what is it?
- Yes. It is Jack.
- What was your most embarrassing moment?
- I can’t think of any.
- How do you relax?
- I like to bodysurf, paint pictures and read.
- Who inspired you when you were little?
- Walt Disney
- What were you like at school?
- I was a good academic student. I never played organised sports. I had some very good friends. I organised a poetry club.
- What was your favourite/most hated subject at school?
- Favourite: Art and English
Most hated: Math and Sport - What was the book you most loved as a child?
- Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
- Which person from the past would you most like to meet?
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Who is your favourite author/children’s author?
- Favourite poet - Kevin Ireland
Favourite children’s author - Gaelyn Gordon - Why did you want to be a writer?
- Because I had a lot of stories I wanted to share.
It also allowed me to illustrate them. - Do you have a special place where you write your books?
- Yes. I have a studio in my house where I write and paint. I also like to write in quiet places which I often find in public libraries.
- What’s the best thing and worst thing about being a writer?
- Best: to talk to people who like my stories/illustrations.
Worst: when I can’t find the time to write and illustrate. - If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
- As I am already an illustrator, I would like to be a professional lifeguard on an ocean beach.
- What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
- Keep a notebook and jot down everything interesting that happens to you, so when you have a chance to write, you already have something to write about.
- Read some books written by John Tarlton