"Yes. I would like to get back to writing one day but running a band and an editing/assessment service is really all I can manage. Cloning might be good."

"There's a lotta books out there, Tod. Are you limiting it to kidslit & YA? If so, this lot, being UK, might give you a few different recs. http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/ Alternately you can work your way through the kidslit awards…"

"As all fiction is concerned with both plot and character, this doesn't seem an effective delineation. I have always assumed literary fiction to be more concerned with themes, and particularly ideas, than popular fiction ie. in some way…"

"Amber, fiction is not a genre, it's a discipline. Fiction genres are Crime, Fantasy, Thriller, Romance, etc. The best way to learn is to read and write a lot. Read novels, novellas, short stories by writers whose style you like, but read them…"

"Yes, occasionally from one agency, and the communication works both ways. As there are only about 6 agencies in Oz worth anything, we don't expect much from that area."

"Of course. Anything can appear boring at any given time for myriad reasons, usually lack of motivation. Work is work. Money is money. We do the job as well as we can."

"The only one I pay for is Australian Writers Marketplace, our equiv of US Writers Market. Approx $50 a year= approx US $15yr when applied in the market (monetary parity means nothing). The rest = free net advertising, occasional fest flyers,…"

"Of course."

"There were some interesting stats floating around a week or so ago (maybe the Huff Post?) on the penetration of e-readers to different age groups and those groups responses. Surprisingly teens were the least appreciative and middle school and…"

"Forget about after you're dead. If your one book is remembered, and widely available, in ten years time, you are in the very limited company of the semi-immortals. If the same in 5 years time, you are in the company of Titans. If you keep…"

"No, just one of the next great Australian novels. Done it once. Will do it again."

"They don't care. Animals are people to them."

"I've run a solo assessment, editing and mentoring business (hate that US term 'book doctor') since 2005 and was involved with a few assessment services freelance before that. You are right, Jeff, the competition has grown…"

"Not very. With 23 years since my last book and 7 years since my last publication, even my Miles Franklin Award (Aussie equiv. of the Pulitzer) may not amount to much cred on the ground. Not too worried as I'm having too much fun in music and…"

"Most children have their first sexual experiences around 11-12 yrs, girls often sooner than boys.From there it can be next week, 6 or 7 years, or never, to 'going all the way' with another being. Obviously interaction, socialisation,…"

"Lovely story, Jeff. Sendak took no prisoners. That last interview on The Colbert Report is one of the funniest things I've seen lately. Interestingly, it appears to have been removed from the net. Looks like the Republicans weren't…"