Annette Kelleher writes . . .
'I never thought about becoming a writer when I was growing up but I do remember writing stories about mice when I was in primary school. I created one called Sebastian and held him prisoner in a little cupboard above my bed for years. My younger sister was absolutely fascinated with this imaginary character and was always trying to persuade me to arrange a meeting. Of course, I told her that he was very shy and would only speak to me. He kept her fascinated for years and gave me plenty of practice at making up new stories about him on the spur of the moment.
My father was a great inspiration to me. He was the one who taught me by example that imagination knows no bounds. He used to tell us bedtime stories, amazing stories which just rolled off the tip of his tongue, never from a book. My three brothers and I used to pile in around him on one of the beds and we would listen to him, spellbound. We really looked forward to the stories because they were not an every night occurrence but more of an occasional treat. We never wanted the story telling to end and would always beg for more. He also performed magical acts for us. For example, he would lay eggs. This performance was staged with the help of my mother and no matter how many times he did this act we never could work out how it was done. At the time we really thought that he must have laid them himself. We were pretty gullible. Perhaps that was because we didn't have television.
I still get great enjoyment from writing for children. I especially like the combination of fact and fantasy, which I have used in Biddy Blatherskate's Blunder and Harriet's Revenge. It stretches the boundaries and anything is possible. I have a few more of these up my sleeve (or in my pen).
I also like the intermingling of Australian and Irish cultures which started with Pumpkin Head Is Dead and then followed again in Biddy Blatherskate. I suppose this combination is only natural as I grew up in Ireland but am now very much at home in Australia.
Other books I have had published are Noodles on Our Ceiling; Seaweed in Our Soup; and Pet for Elvin.'
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