Deborah Abela, author of Ghost Club
Tell us about your latest creation:
Ghost Club: Part 3 A Transylvanian Tale
After dealing with a haunted castle and ridding their school of its very own pesky paranormal, Ghost Catchers, Angeline and Edgar Usher, are off to the Annual Ghost Club Convention and this year it’s in Transylvania, home of the infamous Count Dracula.
Where are you from / where do you call home?:
Sydney, Australia
When you were a kid, what did you want to become? An author?:
An author and an explorer…but I’m pretty clumsy, so it’s lucky I’m an author.
What do you consider to be your best work? Why?:
This is hard! Each book takes me a year to write, so I become really attached to each character…mmm…but I did almost give up on my novel, Grimsdon, about
half way through, but my editor convinced me to stay with it. It went on to win awards and lots of fans….so that one does have a special place.
http://deborahabela.com/site/V
Describe your writing environment to us – your writing room, desk, etc.; is it ordered or chaotic?:
At certain times of the year, it is the quiet carriage of trains and airport lounges….when I’m home, it’s a room that looks out over the front garden, but is stacked to almost every inch of its life with books, shelves, papers and suitcases with even more papers….there’s an ordered chaos. Sort of.
When you’re not writing, who/what do you like to read?:
At the moment I’m doing loads of research into my father’s story….he was born in a cave on Malta during a bombing raid of WW2…I’m fascinated by everything about that period, including the fact that Malta was the most heavily bombed area of WW2…I also like reading the New Yorker and listening to podcasts from
the BBC…great drama and docos.
What was the defining book(s) of your childhood/schooling?:
The Lorax by Dr Seuss…..it was funny, warm, moving and ultimately, hopeful. I also loved Norman Hunter’s, Professor Branestawm, about a whacky professor who invents all sorts of weird inventions that often went very, very wrong.
If you were a literary character, who would you be?:
Charlie Bucket…that would be fun! I’d get to meet Willy Wonka!
Apart from books, what do you do in your spare time (surprise us!)?:
I go hiking into wilderness areas for days at a time with absolutely no contact with the electronic world….and I love it. The last walk was a five day ancient Aboriginal walking trail from Katharine to Edith Falls in the NT, with clear waterholes at the end of each dusty day.
What is your favourite food and favourite drink?:
Ahhhh….I love food….I don’t eat red or white meat…but give me Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, African, Moroccan…..toooooo many to choose from!
Who is your hero? Why?:
There are many, but Malala Yusafzai…the young Palestinian woman who was shot by the Taliban for going to school and campaigning for the rights of kids everywhere to be educated. She recovered and is quietly and gently helping to change the world.
Crystal ball time – what is the biggest challenge for the future of books and reading?:
Getting books into the hands of the 57 million kids who don’t have access to schools. It will be hard, but there are brilliant NGOs trying to make it happen, like Room to Read, which I love and support.
Website URL: www.deborahabela.com
Blog URL: www.deborahabela.com
Facebook Page URL: https://www.facebook.com/debor
Twitter URL: @DeborahAbela