I loved action-adventure stories and humour, which is what I write now. For humour, I loved Roald Dahl, Paul Jennings and Judy Blume. I was also obsessed with Mad Magazine in late primary school. For adventure, I loved My Side of the Mountain, Huckleberry Finn and, at about age 13, Stephen King's novella The Body, which became the film Stand By Me.
Would you say your childhood reading has had a distinct influence on how you write fiction now, and why?
I think I write the kinds of things I would have loved to have read as a kid. I learnt to write by reading the authors above. I found my voice by living my life and reading their prose. The fusion of the two has become my fiction.
What did you do before you became a published children's author, and how did you come to write your first children's book and get it published?
I was an actor and TV presenter. I worked in film and TV production, too, writing, researching, directing. A lot of my work was for children and an opportunity came up to write some books for an educational series for Scholastic / McGraw Hill. I had tons of ideas stored away in files and on my hard-drive that I was keen to work on. I wrote those books and then some fiction for Macmillan Education Australia. I was able to try things out, find my voice as a kids' writer across 8 x 7000-word books. I then used those books to convince an agent and publisher to take on my first two books for the Trade (bookstore) market. They were the Mac Slater Coolhunter books, a mix of fast-paced adventure and humour, exploring ideas around consumerism, identity, peer pressure and the environment.
How would you describe your style of children's fiction or your approach to writing children's fiction?
I try to write books that move - page-turning reads but with characters and ideas that you care about. All of my books seem to be either 'Action-Adventure' or 'Weird-Kooky-Funny' or a mix of the two. I remember reading that the number one rule in children's writing is 'Never Be Boring'. I took that to heart. I try to explore ideas that are relevant and meaningful both to me and to children but I do it in a way that will hopefully be fun and pleasurable to read. 'Story first' is another motto. Then I work on teasing out and strengthening the ideas that are emerging from the story and characters.
Who is another author whose children's fiction you admire and why?
Louis Sachar, author of Holes. I like the simplicity of his prose, the unexpected nature of his narrative twists. He writes unusual yet believable characters in extraordinary situations. His stories traverse comedy, mystery, adventure and drama. He touches the reader on many levels. The structure is taut and leads the reader ever-forward. He is that rare author who writes strong characters, meaningful stories with an engaging plot.
How would you summarise one of your children's books in one paragraph?
Galactic Adventures: First Kids in Space is about a kid called Dash Campbell who has only ever had one dream. To go to space. But does he have what it takes to survive Space School? Gruelling physicals, fierce competition, media attention, medicals, the Vomit Comet, a skydive from 4000 metres and an instructor who despises him. Can he push through his deepest fears and make history? He and four others have been given the chance to become the first kids ever to leave our planet. From building rockets behind his family’s laundromat in Australia to attending a hardcore Space School in the US, Dash is a long way from home. And he still has an intense month of training ahead before he can even think about that glorious moment of blasting out of Earth’s atmosphere and living his dream.
How would you describe the appeal of this book to readers?
It is fast-paced middle-grade action-adventure. It is filled with facts about the real-life civilian space travel revolution that is happening right now. It is science faction rather than science fiction and it has a non-fiction section at the back. This kind of factual adventure has strong appeal, particularly to boys.
How would you summarise a chapter or section from this book in one paragraph?
Dash is forced to skydive from 4000 metres strapped to the front of an instructor who despises him – an enormous challenge for a 13-year-old boy. Falling is his greatest fear and throughout his time at space school he has been dreading this moment that his hopes and fears collide and he discovers whether he has the courage to live his dream.
How would you describe the contribution this chapter or section makes to the book?
This chapter is a major turning-point for Dash. He is forced to stare his greatest fear in the face and he survives the experience. After doing this he feels that he can tackle anything. Of course, there are greater challenges ahead but Dash faces those knowing that he has proven himself.
How would you describe the integration of writing and illustrations in one of your illustrated children's books? If none of your children's books have been illustrated, how would you describe the integration of writing and illustrations in one of your favourite illustrated children's books by another author?
My Life and Other Stuff I Made Up is a book of short stories and funny ideas about a kid called Tom Weekly. Tom, ostensibly, wrote the stories himself. The illustrations by Gus Gordon feel like the kind of sketchy drawings that Gus used to do in the margins of his school workbooks. So the illustrations and stories feel as though they are the work of the main character, Tom Weekly. Gus and I, essentially, became the two halves of Tom's brain. A frightening combination.
To what extent would you say fiction written primarily for child readers is different from fiction written primarily for teen readers?
Humour is more essential for child readers. Ideas are obviously not as dark as they are in teen fiction. The stories tend to not be as 'issues' based, reflecting the more playful, dream-like headspace of a child versus a teen. The language is obviously simpler and 'cleaner'. Children's fiction, perhaps, is more about possibility, with less angst than its teenage counterpart. I love the sense of 'anything's possible' that children ooze.
Author website: http://www.tristanbancks.com/
Enjoyed your interview at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne for the Children's Book Fest in March!
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