1. Were you ever naughty as a child?
Yes – of course but I could smile and charm my way out of any frown.
2. What is your guilty pleasure?
Anything that sparkles: smiles, sunlight and serious jewels.
3. Did you have a favorite teacher at school?
My French teacher was strict but always looked like a fashion model straight from Paris, with exquisite accessories.
4. Where do you most like to read?
Snuggled up in bed when it’s cold or on the patio when it’s not too hot, but I do most of my reading these days sitting in front of my computer in my study, surrounded by the written word!
5. Which childhood books stick in your mind?
The ‘Royal Book of Ballet’ by Shirley Goulden, illustrated by Maraja, published by Follett 1962. Stories of famous ballets; Nutcracker, Petrushka, Swan Lake, Copelia, Sleeping Beauty… then there’s also anything by Enid Blyton: Faraway Tree, Wishing Chair, Noddy etc etc.
6. Where are all the books in your house?
All around me in my study, in the lounge, family room, passage to the bedrooms, in my bedroom plus I have boxes in storage too!
7. Did you ever fail at anything? Or what are you hopeless/worst at?
Often! I absolutely freeze at exams no matter how much I’ve studied and usually know the answers… But I’m also very good at running away or hiding at the first sign of success.
8. My mother (or father) always told me to ….
Do my best.
9. Do you have a favorite word?
No – far too many (seriously) to choose from.
10. If you could invite anyone (past or present) to dinner, who would it be? Please explain why.
- Joanne Rowling I have some things in common with her: No money, a belief that I can write for children, the willingness to forgo common comforts and the tenacity to keep writing. I want to share more. I want Warner Brothers (or Steven Spielberg) to buy the rights and produce movies of my stories and let me write the scripts.
- Richard Ford – I attended his workshop at Munster Literature Centre in Cork, 2003. He was inspiring and fascinating as a writer. Think ‘Independence Day’, Pulitzer Prize and the Pen/Faulkner Award. http://www.salon.com/weekly/interview960708.html
- Barbara Streisand – her grasp of melody, her strive for perfection, her non-compromising attitude and talent. As a screenwriter I want to discuss films, as a not-so-gorgeous girl, I related to ‘Funny Girl’ but also as a woman, we’ve both recently fallen in love and found true romance after fifty.
- Lord Macaulay – I want to know how he came up with the idea of writing ‘The History of England’ – never mind his approach and are we related?
11. What is your career highlight?
Writing: Winning a Furphy Award for the Best Children’s Book Manuscript ‘The Swimming Pool People’ 1983
Poetry: publishing my first book ‘Hidden Capacity ~ a poet’s journey’ in Ireland 2003.
Film: the film of my script ‘Love You Mum’ made in 2005 then the film winning Best Film & many other awards or nominations in festivals here and overseas.
12. What is your career lowlight?
Not being eligible for nomination for the film ‘Love You Mum’ in any of the awards it was entered, many of which it won, here and overseas because I wasn’t a resident of South Australia.
Paying Options for three years on a series of two children’s books and one proposed (1/2 page story), then writing a 1st draft feature length script as I imagined the 3rd story and characters. When the author later published the 3rd book based on my screenplay – I was never acknowledged. Lesson learned.
What are you currently working on?
Current writing a War-time love story/feature based on my parents: Dad was a Pathfinder in the RAF and Mum was a WRAF Sergeant so I’m engrossed in family research AND writing and learning to illustrate manuscripts for picture books.
#FrancesMacaulayForde #10ThingsAboutMe #FurphyAward #LoveYouMum #HiddenCapacity
Perth Words... exploring possibilities. 