the dressing table by clare press

A great writer leaves a mark. No matter what the topic. I can still remember one of Clare Press's articles from several years ago when she was working as features director at Vogue Australia. "No one ever says I love you in that dress anymore," she wrote. The implication being that rampant consumerism meant people no longer made careful and considered choices when it came to their clothes - instead they just bought more - and in every colour. Clare has a witty and wicked streak too. She has put this to good use not only in her writing but her sartorial choices and fashion label Mrs Press. The two passions merged when she published her book The Dressing Table (Penguin/Lantern) last year. Here she shares more about that process.

You can read her Daily Imprint interview here.

How did you arrive at the concept for the book? I originally pitched a book called Style Wisdom, which was basically me hanging out with amazing stylish women of a certain age. I spent a year researching - meeting fabulous characters around Sydney and getting them to spill their style beans on the way things used to be for ultra-chic ladies about town.

I was lucky enough to get interest from the brilliant Julie Gibbs at Penguin/Lantern. Together we decided to expand the idea broadening the remit to make it ageless. So The Dressing Table was born - it's a compendium of fashion magic, ideas and inspirations for a life lived glamorously.

I made sure I snuck my old ladies in though. See, for example, the inimitable Phyllis Spooner, who I interviewed about chic travel. Phyllis was in her 90s. And glamazon Constance Farquharson, who gives her tips on entertaining. I'm glad I did - because we are finally recognising the value of fashion's most fabulous elder stateswomen, thanks in part to Advanced Style, the cult of Iris Apfel and even the new Lanvin ad. I knew I was onto something!

What was involved with the creation process? Mostly for me it was sitting down to write, which I found both a joy and an escape. I wrote the book while running my fashion business, Mrs. Press, which is all about teamwork and customer service and meetings and cash management. Writing is like a holiday for me. It's what I do to be purely creative, and what I do - and adore to do - on my own. Of course there is the research, interviews and the preparation, but essentially writing is not collaborative. It comes from within. They say your first book takes a lifetime to write, and in a way that's true. You're pouring all your experiences onto the page.

How long did it take to come together - from concept to first copy? I spent a year writing. I always think I'm superwoman and remember insisting to Julie that I could do it in six months. She said great, but she'd give me a year; if I finished sooner I could send it in. She knew I wouldn't. It takes time to percolate a book. It's more than just word length - you need to sit with it awhile and allow it to brew.

How did you envisage the look of the book? Lantern publish the best lifestyle books in Australia - they are known for all those incredible food titles and their designers are the bee's knees. They win awards before breakfast. Daniel New and Arielle Gamble designed my book - they understood me from the get-go. Arielle is a wonderful artist; she created the illustratrions you see on the chapter openers and on 'Mrs. Press's A-Z of Fabulousness'. Isn't she fab?

What was unexpected about the whole process? The photographs were an enormous, all-consuming part of the process that I hadn't even considered when I wrote the words. I handed over my manuscript and through that was the end of it, but of course the way a book like this looks is just as important as how it reads.

I spent weeks working on the pictures, with photographers Cara Stricker and Anson Smart. I styled every shot myself and singlehandedly sourced all the props, many from my own house. Others I hired, made or bought especially. I built the wardrobe set that opens Chapter 2 in Anson's studio from scratch - it takes hours to make a scene like this look like it's really in a house. I made my friends, husband, and staff model for the lifestyle scenes, and we worked with four wonderful models from Priscilla's. I love how Alice Burdeu looks in the travel chapter - isn't she the most elegant thing? And one of my favourite pictures is the one of Amanda Ware in the ballgown surrounded by Mrs. Press bags. We shot that in a dear friend's house, she let me take it over for a day because I was obsessed with her piano. When I look at the book now, I am super-proud of the pictures.

images courtesy of daily imprint - featuring the dressing room by clare press

writer alice rawsthorn

As a writer and critic for the global edition of the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, Alice Rawsthorn analyses design, and how it affects our lives. Her column is published weekly - every Monday - and is syndicated to magazines and newspapers around the world. Alice is a well-known public speaker and broadcaster as well as a trustee of Arts Council England and of the Whitechapel Gallery in London. For five years, from 2001, Alice was also a director of London's Design Museum. She has also sat on the jury of the Turner Prize for contemporary art, the Stirling Prize for architecture, the British Council’s selection panel for the Venice Architecture Biennale, the PEN History Book Prize, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the BAFTA film and television awards. Not surprisingly, she has written many books on design too. (The images above are titles she is the author of, or has contributed towards.)

Alice is talking today at designEX 2012 on 7 Kinds of Happiness.

Which five words best describe you? I have absolutely no idea.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? When I was at university I wanted to be an experimental film maker and was offered a place at the Royal College of Art to study film. But I had such a large overdraft that I had to get a job to pay it off. The only job that appealed to me most was journalism, for the foolish reason that it seemed reassuringly like continuing my studies. For all the wrong reasons, I found a career that suits my temperament perfectly. I spent the first twenty years of my career as a "proper" journalist, covering economics and business, and working as a foreign correspondent in Paris, then decided to focus on something that I really loved - design.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? The best advice I have been given, which applies to life as much as to work, was: "do what you think is right, and treat everything as a learning experience."

What’s your proudest career achievement? Looking forward to starting work when I wake up each day.

What’s been your best decision? To focus on design. I had a fantastic career as a "proper" journalist, which gave me rigorous training and extraordinary experiences. I travelled all over the world, met extraordinary people and constantly felt challenged and intrigued. But it has been even more interesting and enjoyable to write about a subject I love, to learn about it more deeply and to celebrate the work of designers and design movements that I believe in.

Who inspires you? The memory of my grandmother who was tremendously intelligent, knowledgeable and intellectually inquisitive with highly sophisticated literary taste, despite a very basic education. She worked as a cleaner to pay for her four children to go to university. I am very aware, that had I been born half a century earlier, my life would have been very similar to her's, and that it is partly thanks to her that I was given the opportunity to lead a more rewarding life.

What are you passionate about? Design. I consider myself very lucky to have found a subject that is so eclectic and dynamic: deeply contextual and constantly changing to reflect broader changes in the world around us, whether they are social, political, economic or cultural. It is impossible to ever learn enough about design.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? One of my design heroines is Muriel Cooper, who gave up a career as a gifted graphic designer in the early 1970s to experiment with digital technology, and to try to ensure that the imagery we see on computer screens had the clarity and beauty of the best printed design. I always admire people who have the intellectual dexterity to set themselves new challenges by working in different spheres. She was also, by all accounts, a very charismatic woman, spirited, courageous and greatly loved by her students and colleagues.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would love to learn to fly, both jets and helicopters. Though a diplomat friend recently completed an evasive driving course, which sounded fantastic.

What are you reading? I have just finished Peter Carey's new novel The chemistry of tears, which is wonderful, and have started Beware of pity, a 1939 novel by one of my favourite 20th century authors, the Austrian writer, Stefan Zweig. I love literary fiction, but am also a history nut, and a couple of excellent books on the early development of computing have been published recently. I especially enjoyed James Gleick's The information and George Dyson's Turing's cathedral.

images courtesy of alice rawsthorn

a space of my own by caroline clifton-mogg

Who doesn't want a space of their own? (Even if you don't have much to spare.) That's the premise behind the latest book by UK journalist and author Caroline Clifton-Mogg. She provides ideas and inspiration, as well as plenty of case studies, on how to create a space where you can be creative. The title is distributed in Australia through Hardie Grant.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken
 since? I worked in magazines both at Conde Nast and Hearst for many years, always on the design side, and after some time decided that it would be much more fun, and more stimulating to go freelance and try and write books about the subjects that interested me.


What's the best lesson you've learnt along the way? Professionally? Always deliver on time – if not before! And that self-deprecation is better than hubris. Personally – a variation of the above – if you say you’re going to do something for someone, do it. If you don’t think you can or will, don’t say it.


What's your proudest career achievement? Actually getting a book or two published and occasionally seeing them on a table in a book shop.

What's been your best decision? To strike out on my own.

Who inspires you? Anyone who has managed to rise above the idea that they can’t do it, and then goes out and actually does do it.

What are you passionate about? The usual – being with people I like, preferably eating and drinking with them. Reading books, cooking, and going to the cinema and opera.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Charles Dickens, although I think he would probably be too busy talking about himself to take much notice of me!


What are you reading?
 Life and fate by Vasily Grossman.

...

How did you arrive at the concept for the book? I had just re-arranged my own apartment to create a small room in which I could write and keep all my reference and work-related books around me. It was a revelation! It would not be an exaggeration to say that my whole work life changed the minute I plugged in my laptop onto the work counter and put the last book in its place in the new shelves.

What was involved with the creation process? Working with Ryland Peters and Small is a pretty seamless process. We had creative meetings to discuss what a reader might want from such a book; picture meetings to try and find images that would be useful and helpful, on every level; and editorial meetings to discuss what help one could actually give, beyond the bland and obvious, in terms of inspiring, practical and above all, personal advice.

How long did it take to come together - from concept to first copy? About six months.

How did you envisage the look of the book? I knew that it should look clean and contemporary with ideas on many different levels.

What was unexpected about the whole process? Generally, the enthusiasm that greeted every stage of the book – both at the work place and amongst my friends - which made me realise that having a space of your own is actually a deep-felt need in many people – particularly women who work from home.

images courtesy of caroline clifton-mogg and via hardie grant

Kelly Wearstler for Harper's BAZAAR

One of the highlights of this past year has been the opportunity to not only visit the Beverly Hills home of Kelly Wearstler, but also to meet a living icon of interior design. Walking around the 3650-square-metre estate was a slightly surreal experience - like being on a film set or, quite literally, within the pages of her books Domicilium Decoratus, Modern Glamour or Hue. But, as I wrote in the feature for Australia's Harper's BAZAAR, it still felt like a family home because of how relaxed her boys were playing there. The furniture was not too precious for them to curl up into. The grounds were ripe for playing. They were having a lot of fun... especially when the portraits had been taken and they couldn't wait to jump into the pool. Photographer Kata Varga captured so well their spirit of adventure. (We also managed to sneak in a few photo shoots for Frontliners while in LA, which we'll share in the New Year.)

The feature is in the Jan/Feb 12 issue of Harper's BAZAAR. Here is the Daily Imprint interview with Kelly that ran last year.

Which five words best describe you? [I chose 6!] Creative. Family-oriented. Risk-taker. Ambitious. Free-thinker. Organised!
What was your first job and what path have you taken since then? I worked as a waitress for years. That job taught me how to multi-task and deal with people.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Opening my design firm over a decade ago. It was always a dream of mine, and I was fortunate enough to make it a reality.
What’s been your best decision? Having a family.
Who inspires you? William de Kooning, Sonia Rykiel, Ettore Sottsass... Each brings something unique to the table in their respective fields, which I respect and admire.
What are you passionate about? Fashion, travel, design, my family...
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt? Always learn from your mistakes.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I would love to have an opportunity to meet my children’s children and my great, great grandparents. It would be so intriguing to see my family’s past and future.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Opening my own lifestyle boutique.

What are you reading? My new book, HUE!

images courtesy of harper's bazaar (photography kata varga; styling natalie walton)

country style cover

It all started with a friend's holiday shack. I was staying there over the summer holidays. Resting. Reviving. Renewing myself ahead of the new year. Every day, sometimes many times over, I walked along a bush track to an isolated beach. On this journey I passed a little white cottage and every time I had to slow down to admire its charm and poise. I could see the outlines of a towering bookcase beyond the front door, and I was intrigued as to what else lay inside, and who owned such a place.

I wrote a note, folded it in half and left it under a gumnut on the cottage's front terrace. Days later, when I was back in Bondi, I received a call from the owner. When we met months later she told me that she called because I had chosen a gumnut as a paper weight. It was a fortuitous decision. I was to learn that the owner, Cherie-Christine Curchod, painted them as part of her art practice. In fact, she often has the florist Grandiflora in Potts Point source particular varieties from Western Australia for her botanical paintings.

The result of our meeting is in the latest issue of Country Style. It was one of the first batch of homes Chris Warnes and I shot for Warnes & Walton, and I was thrilled to discover yesterday that it had made the cover of the latest November issue.

image courtesy of country style and chris warnes/warnesandwalton.com

writer miranda darling

A highlight of this past year has been producing some features for Harper's Bazaar, and its "A Fashionable Life" series. One of the first shoots I did was with writer Miranda Darling and her husband, architect Nick Tobias.

Miranda is one of those wonderful people who is full of surprises. She began her adult life working as a fashion model in London, Milan and Tokyo while living in Paris. She then moved to New York and worked in film before studying English and Modern Languages at Oxford University. During this time she wrote her first novel, B Model, which is being turned into a film by actress Rachel Griffiths. After travelling to far-flung places such as Namibia and Azerbaijan she returned to Australia and completed a Masters in Strategic Studies and Defence, publishing in industry papers. Subsequently she wrote a book, The Troika Dolls, which was published last year, and its sequel The Siren's Sting has just been released.

The feature is in the October 2011 issue of Harper's Bazaar. And you can follow Miranda's blog here.

Which five words best describe you? Imaginative, warm, reserved, loyal, unlikely.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I think it was more a case of me forging my own path - it has been circuitous, very varied, and definitely with an eye on the journey rather than the goal.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That things won't always happen when you want them to; they will take their own time, and find you when the moment is right.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Probably publishing my books.

What’s been your best decision? To create a family.

Who inspires you? Intrepid female travellers from the past century.

What are you passionate about? People taking personal responsibility for their actions, and recalibrating their moral compasses. We can all contribute to making the world a better place, and it begins with compassion for the people that cross your path every day.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? It would depend on my mood... right now, the Maharishi, or Ian Fleming.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? I would like to make a film.

What are you reading? Deadly waters: inside the hidden world of Somalia's pirates by Jay Bahadur; and An uncertain place by Fred Vargas (my favourite crime writer).

images courtesy of harper's bazaar and prue ruscoe (styling natalie walton)

shop owner & former editor ingrid corbett

Ingrid Corbett is one of those creatives who has worked across so many fields, and continues to do so, that it's really hard to define "what she does". So let's start from the beginning. She was born in Chile, and has lived in Colombia, Venezuela, Germany, Portugal and Thailand, but now calls South Africa home. She has worked on magazines such as Elle Decoration South Africa, and was editor of that country's Real Simple. Now she runs a design business, Quirky.Me, whereby she thinks up great ideas, and works with local designers and craftspeople to bring them to life. But she continues to work in magazine publishing and help people decorate their homes.

Which five words best describe you? Stubborn. Stubborn. Stubborn. Stubborn. Stubborn.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since?
I've had a few different careers. Don't they say in modern times we'll all have five? I started out as a journalist, working for an online news agency in my native Santiago, Chile. I'm talking 1995, before the internet really boomed globally. It's interesting to reflect on that because we were harping on then about a concept that is so everyday now, but no one was listening yet. I then spent a few years in PR before finding my niche in publishing, where I worked first as a book editor and then in magazines, through titles such as Femina, Cosmopolitan, and Elle Decoration, ending up as editor of the South African edition of best-selling US magazine, Real Simple. When the magazine was shut down as a result of the global recession I wasn't sure what I would do next. Magazines had been my life for so long, I couldn't really see myself in any other role. My husband, bless his generous heart, packed me off to London for 10 days to visit my brother and have time to reflect. I spent days trawling the streets, soaking up inspiration and just overloading my brain, in a good way. I'd had this idea niggling, to start up a decor business, and my trip to London gave me the nudge I needed to look into it more seriously. My brother and I came up with the name Quirky.Me while looking for a domain name on the train, on our way to a show in the West End. It seems funny now, because I didn't put that much thought into it at the time, but on reflection it does encompass so perfectly not only my personality but also what the shop has become known for, namely off-beat decor that's pretty unique.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That I couldn't do what I do now if I hadn't arrived here in such a roundabout fashion. I draw on everything I've learnt along the way. My time in PR taught me to value good communication and the importance of a strong corporate identity. Time spent in book publishing helped me develop the patience and determination to see a long-term project through. A solid grasp of what goes into putting a magazine together, including time spent concepting and writing decor features, brain storming with stylists and keeping a handle on budgets means I was perfectly placed to begin putting my own ideas into production. I think the best lesson I've learned is that it's important to work with people you trust, people you like and people who have the same work ethic as you. If your suppliers or the people who execute your ideas can't live up to your expectations it invariably leads to disappointment. I've got pretty high standards and expect a lot from myself and others, which means I've pissed a lot of people off along the way! But there are two things I won't compromise on: quality and attention to detail, and I'm lucky now to have found a group of people that share this approach and we work incredibly well together.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Being editor of Real Simple magazine felt like the culmination of my career at the time. I had worked hard to get there, and it felt like a solid acknowledgement. I think it was particularly important to me because I was so passionate about the content and the reader. But having put that chapter behind me now, I'd have to say that growing Quirky.Me from a speck of an idea to a viable business concern in less than a year, single-handedly, gives me a real sense of satisfaction.
What’s been your best decision? To take the plunge into retail with my partner, Michelle Petrie of Abode Design. We met by complete coincidence – she rang my doorbell one morning because she liked my house number, a customised light by local artist Brett Murray. We got chatting, turned out we were near neighbours, and I discovered she had a business designing cane lighting and furniture and was looking into a retail space but nervous to go it alone. My interest was piqued immediately – I had been so tempted to get into retail but was also nervous of overheads and being stuck with the rent if things moved slower than expected. Together, we found the confidence to take the next step and a few weeks later we were signing a contract for a 60m2 space at a small but trendy centre called The Old Biscuit Mill, in Salt River. We never really discussed how it would all hang together, we just dove straight in and were lucky that our products complemented each other, as well as our personalities. Michelle is super laid back and stresses about very little, she's also a great sounding board for new ideas and we share thoughts and contacts as well as the rent! It's been such a seamless progression, I pinch myself on a regular basis.
Who inspires you? I travelled to Tokyo two years ago and was awe-struck by the Japanese. It was so inspirational, they are really into detail and pattern and making even the simplest thing beautiful. Amongst many other things, I bought a box of paperclips that are shaped like ducks - they had others - pigs, cows, dogs - and I would happily have taken each one but my suitcase was already bursting at the seams. I find it amazing that this sort of thought can go into such an everyday item, transforming something as mundane as paperwork into something more enjoyable. Locally, I'm inspired by my neighbours at The Old Biscuit Mill: Eve Collett and Henry du Rand of Casamento, they make the most beautiful furniture pieces, with a noticeable emphasis on quality. Uhm... who else? Adriaan Huge of Dokter and Misses, Gregor Jenkin, Heather Moore of Skinnylaminx, lateral thinkers like Neville Tricket, my fabulously creative friends and stylists, Tara Sloggett and Mari Groenewald. My mother, Ana-Maria, and my friend Ilse, who have this amazing sense of inner peace... it's like an aura, you feel calm just being in their presence. Quite the opposite of me!
What are you passionate about? My business, my kids, sadly sometimes in that order! I've realised that as much as I love my three boys, I'm not cut out for full-time motherhood. Having a job makes me a better mother. I find a certain satisfaction and validation in my work that I don't get at home. I know, colour me weird... I'm one of those moms. Oh, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. I'm pretty passionate about those.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Brad Pitt. Okay, no, seriously? Not sure, there are so many people I think are interesting, but I kind of like just meeting regular folk, people on the street, and hearing their stories.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Hmm, there are a few: an overland trip across Africa, trekking the Annapurna Circuit, spending a few months on one of the Mercy Ships. But I think the most immediate is probably just finding the perfect balance between work and the needs of my family.
What are you reading? Gawd, I fall asleep with a different book on my face just about every night. What I miss the most about a life before kids is the time to read without being too tired to take it all in. I've currently got LOTS of different books on my bedside table, including The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, Saying No by Asha Philips, This if For You by Rob Ryan, Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson, Tripwire by Lee Child (I'm secretly in love with Jack Reacher), The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers.

images courtesy of ingrid corbett; photography warren heath

fashion designer clare press

The longer I work in the magazine industry, the more I am reminded of how small it is. Quite a few years ago I went on a media trip to Vanuatu with a small group of journalists. I was quite new to the whole scenario of a famil (as they're called) and so behaved as I do when in the company of strangers: I sat back and observed. I find it fascinating to watch how people behave in group situations and I confess that I like to listen and learn more than talk about myself. I remember being intrigued by the features director of Vogue. While she bore many of the hallmarks of what I imagine to be a Vogue fashionista, she was also incredibly well-read (I remember her talking passionately about Russian literature) and had studied politics. I have since discovered that Mrs Press from the not-so-long-ago-launched fashion label is that same person. The intrigue continues...

Which five words best describe you? In need of a holiday.

How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I studied politics and started out as a journalist. My first magazine job was at Oyster, then I freelanced as a fashion writer for Harper’s Bazaar, The Australian, The New York Times Magazine, and Nylon. I spent five years as features director at Vogue Australia before completely changing my career two years ago. Now I design the womenswear label and beauty brand, Mrs. Press.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Dream big - if you put something out there, it might just happen.

What’s your proudest career achievement? Getting a book deal with Penguin. I’m writing a style book that sums up all things Mrs. Press.

What’s been your best decision? Opening our new Sydney HQ on Oxford Street, Paddington. Six months ago we were working out of a tiny shopfront in Darlinghurst. I had one part-time staff member and we shared a computer. I packed my first delivery of candles for David Jones on my living room floor! Now I have my dream store, which I was able to design from scratch, and spacious, light-filled studios upstairs. It’s my second home.

Who inspires you? Strong women with strong brands: Jo Malone, Alice Temperley, Tory Burch, Fleur Wood.

What are you passionate about? Creating a happy working environment where people can use their talents and be allowed to shine. Running a label, everything from the challenges and problem solving to the bigger picture stuff: telling a style story.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Nijinsky. I’m obsessed with the Ballet Russes. I just finished Richard Buckle’s heartbreaking biography of the dancer. Nijinsky was the most famous artist of his generation, but when he lost his audience he crumbled completely. He spent 10 years as a sort of proto-rockstar, the boy who could leap the highest, then 30 years in and out of asylums. Anyway, I’d like to meet him in his dancing prime and see him dance at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, please.

What dream do you still want to fulfil? To write a good novel. I made my first attempt at 14 (v. embarrassing). I’ve started lots more but I always lose confidence around Chapter 5. And I’d like to learn to cook. I can’t cook for toffee. I burn toast.

What are you reading? Danielle Steel’s Jewels. I always read a trashy book after a finishing a heavy one.

images courtesy of mrs press

writer john boyne

Books are my first love, although they've been sorely neglected this year. At least the literary kind. But one title that did manage to sneak its way in was The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by Irish writer John Boyne. It looked small and so I thought it would be an easy read. In many ways it was. Yet it's a story that's incredibly powerful. It's a testament to a writer when they can make the complex seem simple. Kudos to John Boyne, who has gone from selling books behind the counter to making them fly off the shelf. The book was also turned into an equally moving film.

Which five words best describe you? Loyal; Reader; Focussed; In Love.

What was your first job and what path have you taken since? My first real job was with Waterstone’s booksellers in Ireland, where I worked for seven years before leaving to become a full-time writer.

What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? That a first draft is to a novel as a piece of stone is to a sculpture. You have to chip away at it for a long time to find something worthwhile inside.

What’s your proudest career achievement? My seventh novel The House of Special Purpose. I’d written several books from the perspective of a young character and wrote this one from the point of view of an 82 year-old man. In doing so, I tried to make the language of the book more elegant than before and I felt satisfied with the result.

What’s been your best decision? Leaving my job in 2003 to write full-time even though at the time I could neither afford to do so, nor did my career look particularly promising.

Who inspires you? A writer like Colm Toibin, who never repeats himself – The Master and Brooklyn, for example, are completely different types of stories – but manages to create lasting works of art with every novel.

What are you passionate about? Getting young people to read.

Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Kate Bush

What dream do you still want to fulfil? For a long time my dream has been to spend an extended period in Australia. However I’ll be doing that in 2011 as I’ll be living in Sydney through January and February.

What are you reading? The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy. I’m enjoying it very much – the characterisations are often very funny but also perceptive; the story itself is highly engaging.

images courtesy of john boyne, random house and mark condren (portrait)

writer ramona koval

It's confession time. There's nothing I love more than listening to The Book Show on the ABC's Radio National. I have it on while pottering away in the kitchen at night. I've always been a book lover and am ashamed to admit that my reading has been sporadic since becoming a full-time working mum. However, I still get my dose of literature thanks to the calming voice of Ramona Koval.

And it's not just about hearing about books. I love listening to the authors tell their stories - about the journeys they've taken. Ramona has made a pretty interesting journey too. She started out as a microbiologist and has gone on to not only host The Book Show but write several books herself. The latest is Speaking volumes: conversations with remarkable writers.

Which five words best describe you? Irreverent, studious, persistent, reckless, nurturing.
What was your first career and what path have you taken since?
I was a medical microbiologist analysing samples, until I realised
that playing with other people's body fluids wasn't my cup of tea. I
have taught university genetics and immunology, health policy and
technology, written science journalism, film reviews, worked in daily journalism on the ABC, moved to literary journalism and made
documentaries, and written books (fiction, cookbooks and
non-fiction) since those days in the lab.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Say yes to things that you've never done before but that sound interesting and possibly fun, and listen to that nagging little voice we all have, your instinct.
What’s your proudest career achievement? At the end of every program I do I feel that I'm further along the way to understanding the world. I hope my proudest career achievement is still ahead of me.
What’s been your best decision? To have my two fantastic daughters, Emma and Sara, whose love and opinions I value and who have given me my three granddaughters, Maya, Eden and Bella.
Who inspires you? Clever and active old ladies.
What are you passionate about? Journalism, writing, clarity, love and courage.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? My mother. She died when I was young and there are quite a few conversations I'd love to have with her now that I am grown up.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? To grow old gracefully.
What are you reading? Books about the history and politics of caviar production, a novel about grief and revenge and a memoir which retells the story of Spartacus.

images courtesy of ramona koval, scribe and peter giafis

writer & filmmaker kirsty de garis

Every now and then I meet someone who is living my dream life. And when I talk about dream life, I'm talking about living out the deep-seated desires I've had since I was a child. Kirsty de Garis is a writer who has worked at The Observer newspaper in the UK and Belle magazine in Australia. Currently she is a regular contributor for Vogue Living. But the killer punch is that in Kirsty's "spare" time she has created one of my favourite documentaries of recent times - Celebrity: Dominick Dunne (I've had a writerly crush on this Vanity Fair writer for I don't know how many years). Not only that, but when I met her recently she told me about the next doco she wants to film. And, yes, it's another one of my idols. I admire that she's taken the plunge and just jumped in with both feet.

Which five words best describe you? Tall, nerdy, that's about it really.
What was your first career/job and what path have you taken since? My first proper job was as an art buyer for a London advertising agency. I didn't last very long it before going to The Observer, where I started off opening post and researching and worked my way up to writing. I left newspapers a few years ago and directed my first film - a documentary.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? If the odds are not in your favour, do it anyway.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Completing my first film. I did it with a LOT of help (and it would never have happened otherwise), but to finally finish it was worth all the lost sleep and kilos from the stress.
What’s been your best decision? Leaving safe, full-time employment. Who inspires you? My husband Tim (who made the film with me), Julian Schnabel, Cameron Crowe.
What are you passionate about? Great ideas. Ethical eating, combating animal cruelty. And books and film.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I'd have liked to have asked Sir Edmund Hillary about that first ascent. I read his book about it but he wasn't a natural writer. I'd have loved to see the light in his eyes when he talked about it.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? Oh there are so many. I would need five lifetimes. I'd like to write some screenplays and have them made (by somebody else).
What are you reading? The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I'm only up to chapter five (and they're short ones) but I was lent it from a friend whose opinion I trust and she says it's wonderful.

images courtesy of kirsty de garis