Justine Larbalestier

“I travel way too much to have any pets. But if I could have one, I'd want a quokka. They're basically small kangaroos native to Western Australia.”

“My favourite vampires are all very scary indeed. So the idea of falling in love with one is just weird to me.”

“I'm one of those sad cases who've never wanted to be anything but a writer. I started writing my first novel when I was five years old. I have no idea what it was about, but I do remember spending considerable time trying to get the title right, though this had more to do with crayon colour than scansion.”

“I can critique the bad; I can take the good, and I can add whatever I want.”

“Eating good food is my favourite thing in the whole world. Nothing is more blissful.”

“I remember that feeling when I was a young reader: finding books that were set in Sydney with Australian characters was incredibly exciting.”

“When I was little, I made up my own fairy tales, and the ghostly echo of 'Once upon a time' shapes all the fiction I've ever written.”

“If you are causing trouble, look for allies, always.”

“The job of every generation is to discover the flaws of the one that came before it. That's part of growing up, figuring out all the ways your parents and their friends are broken.”

“I give people 'If You Came Softly' when they demand proof that novels for teens can be as good as the best novels for adults.”