#InterviewByTheme with Kerry Malone

It is with our utmost pleasure to welcome the lovely Kerry Malone to our Romance themed interview today! Thanks for joining us! 😘 💕

If you could receive any gift from any children’s author or illustrator, what would it be and who would it be from?

The chance to sit down over a coffee or glass of something and chat about their story, how it all started and about their writing life now. The list of authors I’d love to talk with is too long to put here though!

Finish the sentence… “I’m so in love with…”

Joey! I can’t believe I did it; actually wrote and produced a book. The world he has opened up to me is often terrifying but so much fun. I am doing things now which were never in my wildest dreams and I have learnt so much from the wonderful authors and illustrators who inspire me.

What has been the loveliest feedback you’ve received from a fan?

I went into a café for my morning coffee to be greeted by the owner. ‘We are so over your book.’ I was shocked and didn’t know what to respond when she continued. ‘We have to read it every night and every morning, often twice and when the babysitter arrives she has to read it too!’ So funny!

Have you ever received any feedback on your books that reduced you to tears? What was it?

A student came up to me after a school visit and asked me if I could come back to the school the next day when he would give me his phone number so that I could call him when my next book came out. He then asked if he could have a hug. I held it together until they all left the room.

Which of the stories you’ve written is closest to your heart? Why?

You can do it Joey! will always be special because it is my first book but my current character came to me ten years ago when I really needed her. I had serious eyesight issues and was feeling a bit sorry for myself. My husband asked me. ‘What CAN you still do?’ I sat down and wrote a story about a little girl going to school for the first time wearing her glasses. It’s time to write her story.

Which author / illustrator simply takes your breath away?

So many Australian authors and illustrators do and my favourites change all the time but at the moment I love when Sally Fawcett’s illustrations pop up in my Facebook feed. They are so beautiful.

What do you love about creating books for children?

I love seeing children discovering new authors and books and seeing the reactions from little ones to great picture books is always a joy. Putting a smile on the face of one reader and inspiring them to read lots of books makes me happy.

Kerry, thank you for your participation and for being as delightful as you are! 💐 😊

Thanks for asking me Romi. It’s amazing what pops into your head when answering these questions!

Kerry has spent years writing bits and pieces and started numerous manuscripts. When her great-niece Tayla was born she realised she had lots of stories to tell this little person. She had found her ‘one reader’ and it turned out that children’s stories were the ones she most loved to write.

Kerry launched her first picture book You can do it Joey! in November 2015. Tayla loves her book and tells everyone that her favourite pages are WHOA … THUMP!

Find Kerry Malone at her website and Facebook page.

#InterviewByTheme