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Author Revealed

Paige Toon

Paige Toon

PAIGE TOON grew up in Australia, America and England - thanks to her much-travelled Le Mans winner dad, Vern Schuppan. For over seven years, Paige has worked at heat Magazine as Reviews Editor. Paige is married and has a son, born in September 2007.... Read full bio

Author Revealed:
Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A. James Bond. Sexy!
Learn more about Paige Toon
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Paige Toon: A Self Portrait
Paige Toon Revealed
About Paige Toon
  • What is your birthdate?:
    3/12
  • Previous occupations:
    Before I became a journalist and then an author, I had summer/temping jobs as a waitress, receptionist, in customer services and in telemarketing, so I know to always leave a tip and to be nice to people on the phone, no matter how annoying they may be!
  • Favorite job:
    Being an author, of course! And I love being a full-time mum – it's the only reason I could bring myself to leave heat magazine, because I loved that job!
  • High school and/or college:
    Mt Barker High School in Australia, then Altwood School in Maidenhead, Berkshire, followed by the University of Greenwich in London.
  • Name of your favorite composer or music artist?:
    U2, Blur, The Verve... Don't have a favourite.
  • Favorite movie:
    Strictly Ballroom, Dirty Dancing, The Notebook – can't choose!
  • Favorite television show:
    Kath & Kim – hilarious!
Revealing Questions
Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
A. Australia, England, heat magazine, author, wife and mummy
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Think the worst and you'll be pleasantly surprised
Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
A. Hearing my little son Indy laughing with his daddy. But I am also beyond happy when I'm writing – ideally with a cup of tea and a piece of cake at my side!
Q. What’s your greatest fear?
A. Anything bad happening to Indy – my overactive imagination has been known to keep me awake at night!
Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
A. In Australia seeing my oldest friends and my entire family – if only I could pop over there at a moment's notice, but it's so damn far away...
Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
A. I wouldn't have a clue! Why are these questions so hard?
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
A. Ditto to this one. It wouldn't be a celebrity – although I used to wish I was best friends with Kate Winslet... I think I'd have to say my dad: for his kindness, cleverness and sense of humour!
Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
A. Can Mummy have a kiss?
Q. What do you regret most?
A. I wish I hadn't invited the idiot around who let my pet budgie out of his cage
Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A. I wish I could play the piano and guitar really well, or be fluent in another – actually, make it several – languages.
Q. What is your greatest achievement?
A. Apart from being Indy's mum, it would have to be getting a book deal and writing my first book Lucy In The Sky in two and a half months with a full time job – and then seeing it published. Still can't believe my luck!
Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
A. Thinking I know best when (very, very rarely, ha ha) I don't.
Q. What’s your best quality?
A. Coming through for people when they need me
Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
A. It'd be fun to be a successful actress with a killer body to go with it. But only for a while – I like my life!
Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
A. People have said it's my smile. But plenty have taken the mickey out of my laugh!
Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A. James Bond. Sexy!
Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?
A. If I say Robbie Rotten from Lazytown am I going to get told off for letting Indy watch too much telly?
Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
A. Anne Boleyn. 'Don't marry him; he's going to lop off your head!'
Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
A. I'm pretty intolerant of incompetence. I also get annoyed with the daily calls from telemarketers asking to speak to Mrs Shambalah - who?
Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
A. I'm going to bore you with the 'being Indy's mummy' answers, aren't I?
Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
A. Secret agent
Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
A. Kindness, sense of humour, honesty
Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
A. Pasta with tomato, basil, mozzarella and parmesan.
Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
A. Radiohead's Talk Show Host, The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony, U2's With Or Without You, Kingmaker's You And I Will Never See Things Eye To Eye, and The Killers' When You Were Young (it was the soundtrack to my first book, Lucy In The Sky)
On Books and Writing
Q. Who are your favorite authors?
A. I love chick-lit so Marian Keyes is my all-time favourite – especially The Other Side Of The Story – and Lisa Jewell is great, too. I also love the teen/adult crossover series by Stephanie Meyer, JK Rowling and Philip Pullman.
Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
A. Everything by the authors mentioned above, but I also loved Arthur Golden's Memoirs Of A Geisha, Yann Martel's Life Of Pi, Carolyn Parkhurt's Lorelei's Secret, Dan Rhodes' The Little White Car, and Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones
Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
A. I would read Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series again, and I can't wait to read the Harry Potter books to my son when he's a bit older.
Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
A. If you're not enjoying writing it, chances are your readers won't enjoy reading it, so if you're stuck, start afresh or move onto another scene you want to write instead.
Q. What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
A. How could you do that to us, ending Johnny Be Good in that way! Please write a sequel!!!