Q&A: Linda Jane Keegan

Linda Jane Keegan latest charming picture book is Kororā and the Sushi Shop, illustrated by Jenny Cooper, and based on a true story. Linda Jane answers our quick Q&A below.

1. How are you and what have you been up to lately?

In all honesty I have a lot of conflicting feelings at the moment. Joy in seeing Matariki recognised and celebrated, horror and despair at Roe vs Wade being overturned, excitement about my book coming out, and my mental health on a rickety rollercoaster.

I'm finding life a lot right now but I've been exploring the bush and beach with my partner and six-year-old, reading my way through the ever-growing To Be Read pile, and occasionally plunging into the wintry ocean.

2. If you were working in a bookshop, how would you hand-sell your book to customers? What would you say to convince them to buy and read it?

It's a fun rhyming story about a little blue penguin trying to nest under a sushi shop. It has very cute pictures (thank you Jenny Cooper!) and isn't repetitive so you could probably cope with reading this approximately 378 times over one week / bedtime.

3. What books (or other art/media) influenced you while working on this book, or generally in your life?

The news/real life events. There's something very New Zealand about human interest news articles featuring wild animals in people places. I'd like to think I'm creative enough to come up with my own ideas but most of what I write comes from real life - either my personal experiences or things that I'm interested in. (Yes, I do squeal sometimes when things in the sea are touching me.)

4. What good books have you read lately?

So many! I'll try to stick to one from each category from not too many categories!

Picture book: Matariki Around the World, by Rangi Matamua & Miriama Kamo, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Poetry (Children's): Skinny Dip, edited by Kate De Goldi and Susan Paris

Graphic novel (Children's/YA): Measuring Up, by Lily LaMotte & Ann Xu

Non-fiction (Adult): 12 Bytes, by Jeanette Winterson; Gathering Moss, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Poetry/Essays/Fiction (Adult): Vā, edited by Sisilia Etuati & Lani Young.

Buy Kororā and the Sushi Shop (Scholastic), $20