Kate Gordon answers our Ten Terrifying Questions!

Kate Gordon grew up in a very booky house, in a small town by the sea in Tasmania. After studying performing arts and realising she was a terrible actor, Kate decided to become a librarian. She never stopped writing and, in 2009, she applied for and won a Varuna fellowship, which led to all sorts of lovely writer things happening. Kate’s first book, Three Things About Daisy Blue, was published by Allen and Unwin in 2010. Her most recent publications are the young adult novel Girl Running, Boy Falling and the younger reader novels Juno Jones: Word Ninja and The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn.

Today, Kate Gordon is on the blog to answer our Ten Terrifying Questions. Read on!

Kate Gordon

1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

I was born and raised on the North West coast of Tasmania, on the edge of a beautiful town called Wynyard. We could walk to the beach from our house and would often wander home in our bathers via the shops for ice cream. I went to school in Burnie, a one-hour bus trip there and back again. I spent the bus ride reading, of course!

2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

When I was twelve, I wanted to be a lawyer. I had just turned vegetarian and I think I had vague notions of working in law and animal rights. A horrible teacher in grade seven told me in front of the class that I was too stupid to be a lawyer and I believed her, which saddens me now!

At eighteen, I wanted to be a scriptwriter – I loved theatre and acting but I loved writing more. Making up dialogue is still the most fun part of writing for me. I’d love to get back into scriptwriting one day!

When I was thirty, I’d just had my daughter and all I wanted to be was her mum. I was her mum, and only that, for four and a half years, until she started school, and those were, hands-down, the most magical years of my life. I didn’t write as much in those years, and didn’t publish anything at all, but my imagination was challenged and expanded every day, so when I came back to writing, I was so full of stories I thought I might explode! One of them was Wonder Quinn.

3. What strongly held belief did you have when you were younger that you do not have now?

Probably that there is a certain way to be an adult and that grown-ups have it all figured out. I don’t believe that for one second now. Most of us are just madly pretending to be grown up and together and hoping nobody notices we’re still scared, strange, silly little kids inside.

4. What are three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – that you can now say had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?

I’m a huge (read: obsessive) fan of the musician and novelist Josh Ritter. His music has inspired my writing and his novel, Bright’s Passage, is one of the most beautifully crafted books I’ve ever read, and vastly underrated.

My father, Steven Lovell, is an incredible writer and reading his work makes me want to be better in mine.

When I was a kid, I was low-key OBSESSED with the series, The Worst Witch. I’m still trying to write a book as good as those books. One day.

5. What made you choose to write a children’s book?

My daughter says that her dad is a grown-up and her mum is a kid who looks like a grown-up. I think that says it all. I’m still, in my head, around twelve years old. My nan (in her nineties) says the same. I guess that’s why!

6. Please tell us about your latest book!

The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn is set at a school called Direleafe Hall. Wonder Quinn is a student of the hall. Every year, when the new students arrive, Wonder hopes to meet a friend amongst them. She never does – not properly – until Mabel arrives. No matter how much Hollowbeak the crow warns her that Mabel will break her heart, Wonder and Mabel become closer and closer, as Wonder helps Mabel tick off items on her strange list. Maybe Hollowbeak will turn out to be right – maybe Mabel will break her heart. But it might be worth it, in the end. Wonder Quinn is my take on a boarding school novel and a gothic novel, and it’s all about friendship and love and loss and I hope readers really connect with Wonder on her journey.

7. What do you hope kids will take away with them after reading your book?

Hope. I think that’s what I want kids to take from all my books. We’re living in a pretty tough world – especially right now. I love the idea of a kid reading my books and finding some joy or hope for the future. Wonder Quinn never gives up on hope and is rewarded in the end. I hope that resonates with the kids who read this book.

8. Who do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?

Too many! I’m so lucky to be part of the Australian kidlit/LoveOzYA community. They’re such a talented, kind, thoughtful group of people. In terms of a writer I’ve always wanted to emulate, my dad gave me books by Sonya Hartnett when I was a kid, and I fell in love with her complex, poetic style – she wrote for kids but never talked down to them or simplified her prose because of the demographic she was writing for. Kids are smart. You don’t need to dumb down your work so they’ll understand. They understand much more than we give them credit for. I learned that from Sonya Hartnett and she continues to inspire me today.

9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

I actually don’t set myself career goals at all, and I have zero ambition, which sounds a bit pathetic when put like that! I just like writing and I’m really, really happy if other people want to read it. My goals in life are more personal – to raise a good kid and to help other people when they need it.

10. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Don’t be too precious about first drafts. Just get the words down – you can edit later. Any words are better than none at all. And don’t worry yourself too much about what other people are achieving – except to support them and build them up. We’re all in this together and your time will come.

Thank you for playing!

—The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn by Kate Gordon (University of Queensland Press) is out now.

The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn

by Kate Gordon

Wonder Quinn is a lonely orphan who lives in the attic of Direleafe Hall with only a gloomy crow for company. Every year she watches the other girls return to school, hoping to find a friend among them. And every year her heart breaks when she doesn't. So when a fiery new girl befriends her in class, Wonder's dreams seem to be coming true.

Mabel Clattersham is outspoken, kind and, most importantly, unafraid of the awful Georgiana Kinch. But as the girls grow closer, Wonder discovers her friend has a list of strange...

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