Where were you born?
My birth certificate tells me I’m from Hamilton, Ontario, but many people tell me I’m from another planet. I’m so confused.
Where do you live now?
Toronto. Planet Earth. As far as I can tell.
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names?
I used to have snakes (that had babies), fish (that had babies), and guinea pigs (that had babies). These days, my apartment is occasionally overrun with insects like ants and cockroaches (that also have babies). There’s too many of them to name.
What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
I got an A+ in goofing off and making the teacher yell. I always got a C- in cursive handwriting. It’s a good thing I learned to type.
What were your favorite books when you were a child?
Jacob Two-Two Meets The Hooded Fang by Mordecai Richler and many of Roald Dahl’s works: The Witches‚ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I loved the Fighting Fantasy series of role-playing adventures, and collected books about reptiles. I was also addicted to the television series Doctor Who when I was younger. When I say younger, I mean last week.
What’s your favorite book now? Why?
Gross Universe. Everyone should own a copy. If not, buy Fear This Book or They Did What?!. I swear, that author is a genius! Someone should give him an award. And take him out to dinner. And buy him a new car.
What do you do for fun in your spare time?
Spare time? What’s that?
What do you like most about being an author?
When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I teach and write books. Then they get excited and ask what kind of books I write. I always enjoy watching the expressions on their faces when I explain that my first book was about vomit.
Why do you write children’s books?
Well, it worked for J.K. Rowling!
Where do you do your writing? Is there a special place where you like to work?
All of the typing and editing take place on my computer. Ideas can come from anywhere, and at any time: in the shower, while you’re working, even when you’re blowing your nose. You have to be prepared. Make sure you have a pad of paper and a pencil to jot your ideas down with. And keep some Kleenex handy.
Can you describe the types of research you do when you’re writing a book? How do you keep track of it all?
I try to use as many different sources as I can. If I’m writing a fact book, I like to make sure that my facts don’t just come from one place. I go to the library to look at books, university libraries to study journals, I search the Internet, I ask friends and people who are experts—it’s a very long process. When I get bored, I make up bad jokes to amuse myself. Many of them get put in the finished books.
Keeping track of all of the research means I do a lot of photocopying, and keep organized binders with all of the information, so I can double check my sources each time I edit a book. I’ll also do an Internet search to find university professors or experts on the subjects that I write about. I try to contact an expert for as many of the facts in the books as I can. Sometimes, tracking down experts can take months. I get very restless during these times. I try to remind myself that people are paying me, and that usually makes me feel better.
What’s the most interesting thing that’s ever happened to you?
Once I found some change on the street. Fifty cents! Do you know how many wine gums you can buy with that? At least ten. Amazing!
What’s your personal motto?
Always look both ways before you tie your shoelaces.
