David Metzenthen

My latest book is Boys of Blood and Bone

It’s about young Australian guys, and their involvement in the First World War –with a contemporary story as well, set in Melbourne and at the beach. The First World War was so shocking, huge, and relentless I wanted to tell a story that would show this involved Australians beyond fighting on a beach called Gallipoli.

The best thing about being a writer is you need to think hard and be receptive to the world around you.

If I wasn’t a writer I’d be a fisherman or a horse trainer or just hopeless.

My first published work was a short story in The Australian newspaper, of which I’ve forgotten the title.

Morning person or night-owl? I work in the morning, as I feel more positive then. And the coffee tastes better. And the only person in the house, apart from me, is a parrot called Skippy.

My first job was to collect beer bottles on my bike and sell them back to the brewery.

On a quiz show, my special subject would be getting things wrong.

My last holiday was far too short at the beach where I at last caught a wave on a surf board.

My perfect Saturday is based having around coffee, winning a million bucks with a scratch Tatts ticket, giving half to the Wilderness Society, hearing that I’ve won the Nobel Prize, and that the Western Bulldogs have won the 2006 Premiership. Oh, and getting a kiss from Claudia Schiffer who just happened to be passing by on her way home from Safeway. 

The last CD I bought was rubbished by my children.

I’m currently reading a well-written novel that is totally unbelievable about spirits and excorcism and little, dampish, English towns.

My favourite film/tv show at the moment is Little Britain, first series.

My favourite book is probably On The Road by Jack Kerouac.

The book character I would most like to meet is Souki, a girl from my new book who, although invented by me, I love.

The book character I would least like to meet is anyone that is generally created by English writers whose descriptions always seems to consist of what this hopeless person smells like, which is usually unwashed socks.

The worst thing I’ve ever written is a letter to an ex-girlfriend who didn’t remember me, which resulted in me having a very high self esteem, NOT!

When I was growing up I wanted to be a cowboy who’d ride the range, but go nowhere near Brokeback Mountain.

My heroes are anyone who has courage, is honest,  who looks after people and the planet, makes great coffee or knows where to get it, and tries to be cheerful even though the world sometimes makes that very difficult. Oh, and I admire people who makes jokes in public.