Felicity Pulman

My latest book is Rue for Repentance, Book 2 of a medieval crime series for teenagers titled The Janna Mysteries

The series is about a young woman who is forced to flee her home after her mother dies and her home is burnt down.  Janna’s quest is to find her unknown father and, with his help, bring her mother’s murderer to justice.  Along her journey she solves many crimes and mysteries, including the mystery of her own birth. In Rue for Repentance, someone is trying to sabotage the manor farm where Janna has taken refuge.  A child goes missing, and Janna needs all her courage and wisdom to solve the mysteries and to find Hamo, but time is running out - for both of them.

The best thing about being a writer is being able to live in an imaginary world and have imaginary friends

If I wasn’t a writer I’d be miserable

My first published work was Three’s a Crowd, a teen romance published by Dolly Fiction.  By then I had 3 (unpublished) crime novels for adults languishing in a bottom drawer, and this kindled my interest in writing for children and teenagers.

Morning person or night-owl? I love to sit up late reading, writing or watching television.  My eyes might be open in the morning but the brain doesn’t necessarily engage until much, much later.

My first job was as a waitress in a bistro in London. I was hopeless at remembering who ordered what and even more hopeless dealing with money and calculating change.  I only lasted one night, and have had the greatest respect for waitpersons ever since!

On a quiz show, my special subject would be music. Or the legend of King Arthur.

My last holiday was in India. It was confronting and challenging, but the markets and farms we visited gave me a great insight into medieval farming practice.

My perfect Saturday is hanging out with my family or friends, reading, shopping, surfing, bushwalking, dining out or going to the movies.

The last CD I bought was The Black Madonna. This is nothing to do with ‘the material girl’; these are pilgrim songs from the monastery of Montserrat which I hope will inform Book 4 of The Janna Mysteries.

I’m currently reading medieval texts and reference books and The Domesday crime series by A.E. Marston

Big Brother or Australian Idol?   Neither!

Favourite film/tv show is anything with crime in it

My favourite book is The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis – I love her sense of humour, how she plays with time and recreates history.  I also love my copy of the ‘real’ Domesday Book, for its insight into England at the time of William the Conqueror.

The book character I would most like to meet is King Arthur. Or maybe Mordred.

The book character I would least like to meet is the ticking crocodile in Peter Pan

The worst thing I’ve ever written is my cat poem:  My cat, sat on a mat, eating a rat, my cat. I was about 8 at the time.

When I was growing up I wanted to be famous

My heroes are anyone who faces adversity with courage and a smile.