A difference in self loathing? Please. The only difference between a gun and a rope is the time it takes to tie the knot. Justine Larbalestier More Quotes by Justine Larbalestier More Quotes From Justine Larbalestier Sure, Malcolm Turnbull is less anti-science and anti-culture than [Tony] Abbott, but low bar, and there's not a lot to show for it beyond rhetoric. Justine Larbalestier bars lows culture The acclaim for Razorhurst means even more to me than usual because, let's be honest, Razorhurst is weird. Justine Larbalestier honest usual mean Some worked in collaboration with each other to produce comics as well as short stories.I was partnered with Anita Roy. We critiqued each other's stories. Hers is a corker: future Masterchef. I chortled. There's not a single dud in Eat the Sky. Justine Larbalestier collaboration stories sky I've never read a book [ Nnedi Okorafor's Lagoon] like it before. Big and sprawling with a million points of view, including sea creatures. It's about an alien invasion that starts in Lagos, Nigeria but, really, that's just the starting point. Justine Larbalestier views sea book I discovered the writing of Kirsty Eagar and was blown away. Everyone needs to read her now. Justine Larbalestier blown-away writing needs Iloved Ashley Hope Perez's heartbreaking Out of Darkness set in late the 1930s in a small town Texas. It should win all the YA awards. Justine Larbalestier awards texas winning I was wowed by Margo Jefferson's memoir, Negroland, which is about growing up black and privileged in Chicago in the fifties and sixties. It was a window into an alien world. Obviously, I'm not black, but what was really alien to me was her family's focus on respectability. I was never taught when to wear white gloves, what length skirt is appropriate. Justine Larbalestier growing-up focus white The only reason I've ever had to wear a hat is to avoid skin cancer. Justine Larbalestier hats cancer skins I've known white Australian girls from wealthy families who were sent to posh private schools, who knew all of that stuff, and I think would recognise much in Jefferson's book. What I related to most strongly was the sexism and misogyny Margo Jefferson had to battle. Justine Larbalestier girl book school One of my fave TV shows is Into the Badlands because martial arts staged well and magically and saturated colours and eye candy and coherent plot and world building. It has a strong diverse cast. Justine Larbalestier eye strong art I enjoyed Ready For This, which was created by the people behind Dance Academy and Redfern Now, and really it's what you'd get if you crossed Redfern Now with Dance Academy Justine Larbalestier ready behinds people The new prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, while a vast improvement on his predecessor is not doing much, if anything, to slow that process done. Justine Larbalestier prime improvement done In Australia we have a government actively undoing what little progress had been made on climate change and stripping money from all the important institutions such as the ABC, CSIRO and SBS. Justine Larbalestier progress australia government I spent the year behind on deadlines and everything else. It's only now in December that I feel even slightly caught up. 2016 has to be better. Justine Larbalestier december caught years If you're ever invited, fellow YA authors, go. It's the first YA con I've been to that was overwhelming populated by teens. Wonderful! Justine Larbalestier teens wonderful firsts I'm almost back to being able to write as much as six hours a day . Justine Larbalestier six able writing I think I've finally learned to stop worrying about how big the gaps are between my novels' publication. Justine Larbalestier gaps worry thinking My experience with My Sister Rosa showed me, once again, that I have a much easier time of it if I sell my novels after I finish them, not before. I'm lucky that I'm in a position where I'm able to do that. Justine Larbalestier able lucky my-sister I am not Nostradamus.Nor would I want to be. I'm convinced being able to tell the future is the worst superpower. I'd rather be invisible and being invisible never ends well. Just read H. G. Wells! Justine Larbalestier invisible able want I travel way too much to have any pets. But if I could have one, I'd want a quokka. They're basically small kangaroos native to Western Australia. Justine Larbalestier small want way travel