The Bathkidslitfest kicks off this weekend - wohhhoo - and in our celebration of fabulous author-girls who will be appearing at the event, we’ve hooked up with the totes fabulous, goddess girl - Amanda Lees.
Her book, Kumari - Goddess of Gotham, combines two of my favourite things - Goddess Girls and New York - totes fabulous-o! Kumari is a total Pink Lady - feisty, fun, fearless and fabulous - and the author? Well, find out for yourself, chica, coz we’ve only gone and got an exclusive pre-festival interview with her…
Describe author-girl Amanda in five words…
Working on the goddess thing…
Have you always wanted to be an author-girl and how did you make it happen?
No – I wanted to be an actress. My mum and my English teacher thought I should be a writer so, naturally, I became an actress instead. Actressing, however, does not always pay the rent so one day I was sitting in the hairdresser’s when I read this article about girl authors making good. The very next day, I gave up the temp job, maxed out my credit cards and sat down to write. One agent and one auction later I had a publishing deal! NB: This method is not necessarily recommended – it’s always better to stay within your credit limits.
Is Kumari your first book? What’s it about exactly?
It’s my first book for teens/tweens and it’s about a trainee goddess from a secret kingdom hidden deep within a distant mountain range. Life in paradise, however, is not as fabulous as we all imagine. Kumari longs to break free of the stuffy Palace where her only real friend is her baby vulture, Badmash, a greedy little fluffball with a whole lot of attitude. There’s also the mystery of her Mamma’s mysterious death to solve and one night Kumari steals away to the Holy Mountain determined to summon her Mamma up. Next thing she knows, she’s in New York, running for her life through the Macy’s Parade…
Have you always been interested in all things goddess - how did you discover a love for them and what made you want to write books about one?
I have always thought there’s a goddess in every girl just busting to break out and my childhood in the Far East only reinforced this belief. Out there, things mystical are far more accepted and I love all the incense and smells and bells that come with the goddess package. I also love the fact that goddesses are super-feisty and divinely gorgeous. Kumari is exactly the sort of character I loved to read about when I was growing up (and still do).
Which goddess would you be and why?
Kurukulla aka Red Tara – a Tibetan Buddhist goddess and magnetic enchantress. Apart from anything else, she’s my fave ever colour (red is a shade of pink right?!)
What do you love most about being an author girl?
The joy of doing what I love every single day of my life.
Are you a full-time writer girl Amanda? Tell us about a typical writing day…
I am a full-time writer girl and, like most, authors I stagger to the computer in my PJ’s each morning and sit there glugging coffee until inspiration strikes and/or I wake up. I then bash away until lunchtime, only stopping to scare the postman or check the odd email/Facebook/eBay/anything else I can think of to distract me. Then there’s a pit stop for lunch before I carry on until 3.28pm when I race up the road to collect my 5yo daughter from school.
What was your favourite book as a teen girl?
There were so many – basically I gobbled up every book within reach (which is exactly what Badmash does when it comes to doughnuts).
What’s your fave book for teens now?
Again, there are heaps I like but I would single out Cinnamon Girl by Cathy Hopkins, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff and Things I Know About Love by Kate Le Vann.
Who and what makes you jump-in-the-air happy?
My fab, funny daughter, Delilah. A sunny day on a deserted beach. Galloping a horse along the sand. Grabbing the very best bargain in the sale.
What would a Amanda/Kumari soundtrack sound like?
Bollywood meets Cuban jazz with a few chill World tunes mixed in…
Quick fire…
Fave film: Mnemonic
Fave food: Anything Thai/Szechuan/Vietnamese
Fave book: It changes from day to day…I can’t help it – my moon is in Gemini!
Fave place: Hong Kong (where I was born), the Maldives (where I thought I’d died and gone to heaven), France (where I eat and drink), New York (where I become a shopaholic)
Fave hangout: My tumbledown cottage in Bulgaria
What’s next in the world of Amanda?
More KUMARI! I’m in the middle of editing the second book in the series, Goddess of Secrets, and then it will be straight on to Book 3 which is, as yet, untitled (suggestions on a pink postcard please!)
What can we expect when we come to see you at Bath?
A whole load of fun and laughter that will yield divine results.
The colour pink. Discuss.
Hot, hot, hot…
For more fab facts about Amanda (and Kumari) go to www.amandalees.com
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