Want to know whether your Queen of Teen prefers sweets to chocolates, shoes to handbags, and what makes her laugh or scream? How about her tips on writing books, or what she was like when she was your age? Click on each question to discover how the writers ‘fessed up in our exclusive Queen of Teen Q&As.
1. What makes you smile?
Acts of kindness. My family. Flowers. Others smiling at me – smiling is contagious, but too many people seem to have been vaccinated against it.
2. What makes you scream?
Frustration! Annoyance with myself. A good scream where no one can hear you can be very therapeutic.
3. Describe your favourite outfit.
A black and white top that actually makes me look like I’ve got a curvy figure (with the curves in the right places for once).
4. What's your favourite girlie movie?
It’d be a toss up between Grease and West Side Story. The independent film Catfish in Black Bean Sauce also makes me laugh and brings a tear to my eye.
5. What's your favourite saying?
Onwards and upwards. Or at least onwards.
6. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
About half an hour. What takes the most amount of time is moisturising my skin after my daily shower.
7. What's your star sign?
Aquarius. Original thinkers and free spirits (if you believe in that stuff).
8. Bags or shoes?
Neither. I’m not a fashion victim. As long as the shoes are comfy and the bag holds my stuff, who cares? Saying that, I do own one designer bag but no designer shoes so I guess if I had to pick one,
it’d have to be - bags.
9. Sweets or chocolate?
Sweets - Strawberry sherbets. My favourite!
10. What were you like as a teenager?
A moody, imaginative, shy daydreamer.
11. What inspired you to write the Noughts and Crosses series?
My own life, the Stephen Lawrence case, things going on in this country and around the world. I had some things to say and I was ready to say them.
12. You tackle controversial issues such as terrorism. Have you received any complaints as a result of this?
Two, both from adults. One from an adult who bought the book for her 10 year old and didn’t realise Noughts and Crosses is a book for young adults. And the other from a woman who didn’t think her
Year 7 daughter should be reading the book and wanted my opinion. Not one single complaint from the intended readership of young adults.
13. What do you think are the greatest issues that teenagers face today?
Surviving on the streets without getting knifed or beaten up. Living up to the so-called ‘perfect’ images presented in glossy magazines - images of male and female models who have been
air-brushed and digitally manipulated to look perfect. I worry that too many young adults will believe the hype and feel this is the way they should look instead of appreciating their own
uniqueness. My idea of hell is to look, sound and act like everyone else.
14. Are any of your characters based on you?
Callum’s character in Noughts and Crosses is probably closest to my own.
15. How did it feel to have Noughts and Crosses adapted for the stage?
Wonderful! But strange! It was very weird to see the characters I’d created and held in my head for years suddenly appear on stage and live and breathe and have lives of their own.
16. What has been your proudest moment as a writer?
Being nominated and then winning the FCBG Children’s Book Award in 2002. That was a good day!
Click here to read the best nominations for Malorie Blackman
