Personal FAQ
Q: Where were you born?
A: Sydney, Australia. In Paddington Women’s Hospital, which is now a block of flats.
Q: How do you pronounce your surname?
A: Lar-bal-est-ee-air. It can also be pronounced Lar-bal-est-ee-ay or Lar-bal-est-ee-er. Those are all fine by me. Friends at school used to pronounce it: Lavaworm. I have to really like you to let you get away with that one, but.
Q: Which is your favourite cover?
A: I’m assuming you mean of one of my books. I’ve been very lucky. I like every single one of my covers. But I think my absolute favourite is the one Cat Sparks did for Daughters of Earth.
Q: What’s it like living with another writer?
A: Wonderful. I’m very lucky because even if I wasn’t married to him I’d be a Scott Westerfeld fan. This way I get to read and comment on everything he writes first. He’s also a fabulous editor and reads and comments on all my work.
Q: Do you both write in the same room? Or do you have separate studies? Isn’t it annoying having someone else working so close by?
A: Mostly we write in the same room, sometimes not, though we’re always within shouting distance of one another. Scott and me travel a lot and write in many different places on our trusty and very transportable laptops. Magic or Madness was written in three different houses in Sydney, one in New York City and two in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. Magic Lessons was written in two different houses in Sydney, one in New York City and one in Buenos Aires. Magic’s Child was written in San Miguel de Allende, Sydney and New York City. Who knows where I’ll finish work on the great Australian cricket, mangosteen, Elvis, young adult (YA) novel?
It’s not even slightly annoying writing in the same room as Scott. We get to ask each other for synonyms, how to spell things, and whether Agnetha is an okay name for a character? (Apparently not.) It makes writing even more fun.
Q: What’s it like living in two countries?
A: (For those who don’t know, me and Scott spend half the year in Sydney, where I’m from, and half in NYC, where Scott has lived the majority of his life.)
Living in two places is most excellent. I have two sets of friends. Two sets of favourite restaurants. Two sets of everything really. When it’s six months at home and then six months in New York City I rarely get homesick and nor does Scott. Works out pefectly. Also lots of summer. I love me some summer.
Q: Why do you love Elvis so much?
A: Why doesn’t everyone? The story of how I came to love Elvis love is here.
Q: Why do you love sports so much?
A: Again I ask, Why doesn’t everyone? Explaining my love of sport is like explaining my love of breathing or eating. Without air and food and sport living is impossible.
Q: What kind of car do you drive?
A: I do not drive. I have never learned how. I dislike cars. I think they are the worst invention of all time and responsible for untold carnage. Not just to all the people killed in and by them but for making us so dependent on oil. I wish cars did not exist. Our world would be in much better shape. We need to switch to bicycles and horses. And airships. Transmat beams would also be most excellent.
Q: What’s your favourite colour?
A: All colours are good colours. Except vomit yellow.
Q: Have you ever played organized basketball?
A: Briefly in primary school. I have never excelled at team sports. I, um, don’t take direction well.
Q: What’s your favourite place in Sydney (apart from the cemetery in Newtown)?
There are so many! But right now—other than my parents’ house—it’s the Botanical Gardens.
Feel free to ask more questions below. I can’t promise a quick response but I definitely will answer.
Steph Says:
I have two questions:
As a very small child, what did you want to be? (I wanted to be a dolphin, for instance)
If you could use one word to describe yourself, what would it be? (I’m distracted.)
And one other thing; I think it’s wonderful you don’t drive. But don’t you have trouble getting around at times? And do people think you’re crazy?
Thanks. I very much enjoyed the Magic or Madness trilogy.
December 10th, 2008 at 4:03 am
2. Justine Says:
Steph: I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Though being a dolphin would also be cool.
A one-word description of myself? Hmmm . . . Contrary.
I’ve always lived in the inner-city so am able to walk or take public transport wherever I like. Only crazy car lovers think I’m crazy. I avoid them.
December 12th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
-C Says:
Hi! When is your birthday? Sorry I come off as stalker-ish, but I just came up with this fantastic idea and I’d really like to know. Thankss!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:00 pm
4. Justine Says:
-C: It’s the same date as John Coltrane’s.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:20 am