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Paul Bright

Paul Bright

Biography

Paul Bright is originally from Welwyn, Hertfordshire and studied engineering and materials science. He used to work as a plastics engineer for a large chemical company, and spent time living in Switzerland, Holland and, until very recently, Tarragona in North East Spain. Paul started writing stories for his own children when they were young and he kept on writing even when they left home! Now he lives back in England, he has a lot more time to devote to writing. He has had many poems published in various collections and has written several books for Little Tiger Press.

Questions & Answers

How do you feel about being shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award?
It's like how you feel when the sun comes out from behind a cloud on a cold, grey, rainy day AND you discover a £10 note in your jeans pocket you didn't know was there AND you're eating bread and butter pudding with cream and custard. So you could say I feel really, really happy.
How would you describe Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch! in five words?
Tyrannosaur loves pesky little sister
Which is your favourite type of dinosaur?
It would be great to have a pet-sized dinosaur, one you could take for a walk, so my favourite is probably Compsognathus, which was about the size of a turkey and lived 150 million years ago.
What's the best part about writing books for children?
Seeing reviews on the internet saying 'This is my son/daughter's favourite book, he's read it a hundred times and knows every page by heart'. That makes you feel really special.
What is your favourite children's book?
That's difficult - there are so many good books to choose from. I especially like the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel, they are so well written and very, very funny.
Where is your favourite place in the world?
A village called Altafulla, near to Tarragona in Spain, where I lived and worked for 4 years. It's got a long, sandy beach, two castles, and according to legend every girl born there becomes a witch!
What's your favourite joke?
Why are there no aspirins in the jungle?
Because the parrots ate 'em all! (Paracetamol.) Ho, ho!
If you could have any super power what would it be?
It would be wonderful if, when I screwed up a piece of paper and threw it at the waste bin, it went in, every time, dead centre. People would keep saying: "I bet you can't do that again!" And I would, over and over again. Wouldn't that be great?
What makes you laugh?
Funny, zany writers like Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams. They dream up more hilarious ideas and characters on one page than I could do in a lifetime.
Who is your hero?
I admire people who stand up for their beliefs despite painful consequences. Nelson Mandela is one example, but there are many more.
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