BOOM! Deeeelightful Nadia Shireen in the Quick Fire Cannon

As a lovely bonus Friday treat for you sniffers we have managed to track down Nadia Shireen (author and Illustrator of Hey Presto AND Good Little Wolf) AND she has agreed to let us fire her out of the Book Sniffer Quick Fire Cannon!

Get your helmet on Nadia, Here goes! .....

3....2.....1......BOOM!

1- Who would you most like to saw in half?
A worm, because they can survive that sort of thing, can't they?

2- What would you most like to pull out of a hat right this minute?
A comfortable work chair. A bowl of melon and grapes. And David Bowie, just to check he's alright.

3- Fancy dress of choice?
Prince, during his Purple Rain era – it's worryingly easy for me to put together.

4- Tell us your best joke....
Why does Edward Woodward have so many d's in his name? Else he'd be called Ee-war Woo-war... (this only works if you are of a certain age and know who Edward Woodward is.)

5- Fave biscuit in the biscuit tin?
Plain chocolate digestives. Now I'm going to have to visit the corner shop and get myself a packet!

6- Secret of your trade?
When it doesn't feel like work, it's working.

7- Last picture book you read?
"The Frank Show" by David Mackintosh. It's great.

8- Who should we follow on Twitter?
Hmm. That's tricky. No one person can improve your twitter experience. It's all about getting the right mix of people. Books and drawing-wise, @davidmaybury and @jabberworks always seem to know what's going on.

9- Top tip for an illustrative talent to look out for in the future?
My old college, Cambridge School of Art, does an MA show every year which is always full of exciting new people. I try not to look too hard in case I get scared and give up.

10- What did you want to be hen you grew up wen you were a child?
I wanted to be a cartoonist, a vet and join the Pet Shop Boys. I'm still working on the last two.

11- Best present you ever received?
My husband took me to Africa to see the lions.

12- Choose three toppings for your ice cream OR pizza?
Chocolate flakes, chocolate buttons and chocolate sauce (for the pizza, obviously...)

13- What's in your packed lunch today?
A fish finger sandwich and an apple.

14- Which three illustrators would you most like to have a tea party with?
Assuming living or dead, I'd say Dr Seuss, Ronald Searle and Brian Wildsmith (he's still alive, of course!) Ronald Searle only liked to drink Champagne, so I'd let everyone get tipsy and wait for them to divulge their secrets.

15- Best piece of advice you ever received?
"Don't worry so much," which everyone seems to tell me at some time or another.

16- Which animal would you most like to kidnap from the zoo?
A cantankerous bear. For the challenge of it.

17- Best thing you've ever found...?
I found a little white kitten limping by the road when I was younger. I took him home and he used to suckle on my earlobe and fall asleep on my shoulder.

 

THANK YOU NADIA - you are a sooooper star.

 

Visit her website here AND follow her on Twitter@NadiaShireen

check out out Hey Presto Book Sniffer competition here