E.M. Cooper

Being in another world where at whim I can add or take away a tree, an angel, a word or mountain range. This world begins vague and dreamlike but slowly, lines and shapes emerge and tones and colours form. At times this world turns on me; it eludes, taunts and mocks. On those days I feel inadequate and start checking job ads. But on good days when words and ideas start to flow, I sit in my trackies sipping coffee in the sun while scribbling ideas on paper or tapping new sentences on the keyboard. These are the best of days and writing is the best occupation humans invented.

Where do I start? I love children's picture books - both the words and illustrations. Some of my favourites include: Where the Wild Things Are, Madeline, Milly Molly Mandy, Possum Magic, and John Brown and the Midnight Cat. I grew up with Enid Blyton's stories and as we had a large tree in the backyard I would climb as high as possible hoping it would morph into the Magic Faraway tree.

Some of my favourite fantasy authors include: Garth Nix, J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman,Terry Pratchett and Jonathan Stroud, At present, I'm enjoying Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.