Name: Maggie Lilleby
Date of birth: 28 October 1953
Place of birth: Skelton, United Kingdom
Now living in: Nelson
- What is your favourite food?
- Anything except garlic! At the moment I’m into Asian food, especially Thai and Indian.
- What was your most embarrassing moment?
- I've had so many the ones that stand out are crashing in bike races so many times!
- How do you relax?
- Walking, cycling, gardening, reading. I like being in the outdoors, on a beach or surrounded by bush.
- Who inspired you when you were little?
- I was very close to a great-aunt who gave me a lot of encouragement.
- What were you like at school?
- In primary school - tried hard, got good marks.
In secondary school rebellious, lazy, didn’t really try at all, and got into a lot of trouble with teachers. - What was your favourite/most hated subject at school?
- Favourite: English
Most hated: Maths - What was the book you most loved as a child?
- Greek and Roman myths, plus anything about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
- Which person from the past would you most like to meet?
- William Shakespeare. Or Elizabeth I she was such a strong woman.
- Who is your favourite author/children’s author?
- Author - Elizabeth George. She writes amazing crime/mystery books.
Children’s author - no one particular author, I read lots of books by different authors. - Why did you want to be a writer?
- I love working with words, making "pictures" with them. I also enjoy languages, learning origins of words, different meanings. And I wanted to "create" things for others to enjoy.
- Do you have a special place where you write your books?
- First longhand draft can be written anywhere I like sitting outside or in a room with a good view! Then I work on the computer in my "office".
- What’s the best thing and worst thing about being a writer?
- Best thing sitting out in the sun writing or editing, and calling it "work".
Worst thing the isolation. I got cabin fever after a while. 
If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be? - Something "arty" like a painter, or photographer. Or I'd just like to travel the world meeting lots of people (and writing about it all).
- What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
- Read a lot all sorts of things. Practice a lot. And keep on trying.