Melina Marchetta

My latest book is On the Jellicoe Road

It’s about Taylor Markham being the leader of her boarding school on the Jellicoe Road fighting the territory wars with the Townies and the Cadets from the city and trying to work out the connection between her mother dumping her there, a Hermit who whispered something in her ear and shot himself, a boy in a tree in her dreams and five kids who lived on the Jellicoe Road twenty-two years ago.

The best thing about being a writer is getting paid for actually telling big lies.

If I wasn’t a writer I’d be a teacher, which is what I am as well, so it’s a bit of a bonus to be doing two things that you love.

My first published work was Looking For Alibrandi

Morning person or night-owl? Hideously a morning person. Sleeping more than 6 hours is a coma for  me. Saturday and Sunday mornings are a nightmare because I have to wait hours for people to get up and I always get in trouble for sending text messages before 9am.

My first job Franklins as a check out chick.

On a quiz show, my special subject would be “Trashy Gossip”

My last holiday was China in June was a working holiday with Nikki Anderson from Asia Link and Geraldine Brooks and her son Nathaniel,  but I loved the company so it didn’t feel like I was working.

My perfect Saturday begins with a espresso and then anything that involves my sisters, my nephews, my dog, my friends, shopping, and a surprise win by the South Sydney in the football.

The last CD I bought was Johnny Cash’s Live at Folsom Prison and Bernard Fanning

I’m currently reading my Year Twelve students  essays and Unstolen by Hazel Jean.

Big Brother or Australian Idol? I watched Big Brother a few times this season and I wanted to commit a felony every single time and Australian Idol lost it’s appeal for me when Dicko left.

Favourite film/tv show is The West Wing.

My favourite books are Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, Persuasion by Jane Austen, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, The Prisoner of Azkaban (massive crush on Sirius Black)

The book character I would most like to meet is Huck Finn

The book character I would least like to meet is Mr Collins from Pride and Prejudice.

The worst thing I’ve ever written is an editorial for  my university newspaper.  It was very sanctimonious.

When I was growing up I wanted to be a bus conductor, because of the satchel they wore and the ticket folder with the hole puncher at the top

My heroes are people who have experienced tragedies but refuse to let them consume their lives. Jed Bartlet, who is the fictional leader of the Western World in West Wing, and his team, because they put education first on their agenda, rather than bombing a foreign country.