Please explain yourself.

I'm Louise Arnold, I'm a children's author, and I live in Canterbury. I came here for University, and you know how it goes - you meet a man, you grow roots, and the next thing you know you've got a mortgage and three cats and you're not going anywhere.

Describe yourself in three words beginning with the letter 'm'.

Mercurial, mischievous, miniature (stature, not width...)

So you write for a living? I'm jealous.

It's not like in the film though. I don't sit around, looking ravishing, drinking red wine, or occasionally solving murders, Miss Marple style. It's a lot of isolation, and deadlines, pyjamas, and borderline madness when the caffeine ratio isn't carefully maintained.

What is your inspiration?

Every now and then I get letters through from children that have read my books, and they explain what it meant to them. That's pretty inspirational. Certainly makes you appreciate what you do.

How did you get into writing and was it a long hard struggle?

I was very lucky - I won a BBC competition, and got spotted by an agent. I managed to bypass the soul chewing rejection process.

Any advice for aspiring writers out there?

Clichés ahoy... Don't give up. Keep going over your material, seeking other people's opinions, improving it. You don't write for yourself, you write for an audience, so always bear that in mind.

Most writers (or would-be writers) that I know, myself included, seem to spend most of their time living in a dreamworld of some kind. Do you think that's a requirement of the job or is the 'real' world just a bit rubbish sometimes?

I do think daydreaming is a bit of a pre-requisite if you're a writer. My friends are used to the whole "Drifting away, mid-conversation, with a blank expression on my face" thing that I do. The real world is marvellous, and horrible at the same time, so I drift when it's bleak, and pay attention when its not.

Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings?

Lord of the Rings. Why... Swords, elves, filthy hobbitses...

Do you have a favourite author and / or book?

Blood and Honour, by Simon Green. Love, love, love this book.

What are your plans for 2009?

Write, ponder, write, daydream, write...

Which musicians / pop stars should be locked in a dungeon and why?

I'm not really an advocate of imprisoning people for their musical tastes. That said, whoever invented the Crazy Frog song may well deserve a stretch away in isolation to ponder what they've done.

Batman or Superman?

Batman. Superman is too clean cut for my tastes.

What is your favourite record at the moment?

Float - Flogging Molly

What was the last thing that made you (really) angry?

My partner contacted me to ask if I knew anyone that wanted a kitten, because a work colleague had seen someone throw one of out a moving car onto the road at the weekend. Humans can be truly repulsive.

Favourite kids TV show?

It used to be Dungeons and Dragons, and then I bought the DVD in a fit of nostalgia, and discovered it was awful.

Crisps or chocolate?

Why would you make me choose? Why? That's like asking, food or water? Both are essential requirements for life.

Which one superpower would you like to have?

Telekinesis.

Do you have a favourite place in Canterbury?

The Hobgoblin.

Who would win in a fight between astronauts and cavemen and why?

Cavemen. The astronauts would be running away in very slow motion, and the cavemen would throw stones at them until they fell down.

Favourite saying?

It's like herding cats.

When was the last time you embarrassed yourself?

It's a constant state of existence. I'm the single most cringe worthy person you'll ever meet. I will fall down the open drain, say the wrong thing, or tuck my skirt into my knickers on a daily basis. The other month I went into Staples, and could feel my tail swishing behind me. It occurred to me that I shouldn't have a tail, and I discovered an entire leg from a discarded pair of tights jutting out from the top of my skirt.

What was the last dream you remember having?

I dream every night. Last one was my Great Aunt Nancy was held hostage by zombie Islamic militants in a bank, and I had to rescue her armed only with a pencil, and my wits. Yeah, I know... don't watch Spooks and play Left 4 Dead before going to bed.

What is Canterbury missing?

A decent sized music venue.

What is your favourite film?

Probably The Princess Bride.

Tell us a joke.

What is ET short for? He only has little legs!

Is the truth really out there?

Probably down the back of someone's settee.

Is there anything you'd like to shamelessly promote while you're here?

My books! Buy them! Buy them all! Multiple copies. Use them to create little towers of books, and pretend you're Godzilla. They are: The Invisible Friend, The Ghost School, and A Good Day for Haunting.

What is the meaning of life?

To leave behind nice fingerprints on other people's lives.

Thank you for your time.

Not at all :) Thank you for distracting me from my epic list of things to do.

The Invisible Friend, The Ghost School, and A Good Day for Haunting are all available to but from Amazon, Waterstones and other friendly booksellers.

www.theinvisiblefriend.com

www.myspace.com/louise_arnold