ABOUT DIANNE BATES

(also known as Di and Daisy and Aunty Di Di)

Born: Sydney, 20 March, 1948

Sister: Volda (she got the interesting name)

Brother: Larry

Husband: Bill Condon, also a children’s author!

Children: Claire (b.1969, married to Benoit, lives in Ottawa, Canada) Kathleen (b.1971 d 1973)
Ashley (b 1988) former foster daughter Paul (b 1991) former foster son

Schools attended (all in NSW):Carlton PS; Mortdale PS; Appin PS; Campbelltown HS; Wollongong Teachers’ College; Wollongong University

Schools where Di taught:Padstow Park PS; Canterbury PS: Belmore South PS; Our Lady of Lourdes, Earlwood; Holsworthy PS: Randwick PS; Prestons PS; Wollongong University

First book written: Terri

Hobbies: Reading, swimming, playing Scrabble (in tournaments), movies, making mosaics, watching TV, painting, visiting friends, cycling, exploring the internet

Likes: Children, opera, the ocean, being lazy, playing with my dog Sassy, freedom

Dislikes: Cruelty to children, drunkenness, cigarette smoke, loud discordant music, selfish people

Favourite places: Anywhere with Bill, home, near the sea, also Coogee Women’s Pool, the Isle of Capri, London

Favourite animal: goat

Favourite bird: toucan

Favourite flower: daffodil

Favourite foods: ice-cream, bananas, Swiss chocolates

Favourite colour: blood red

Favourite children’s book: Where the Lilies Bloom (Bill and Vera Cleaver)

For further information about the author and her works, please refer to the following publications:

Appleton, Jonathon (ed), Authorbook: Australian Author Profiles, Sydney CE Co-Educational Grammar School, Redlands, 1991

Dunkle, Margaret(ed), The Story Makers I, OUP, Melbourne, 1987

McVitty, Walter, Authors & Illustrators of Australian Children’s Books, Hodder & Stoughton, Sydney, 1989/p>

Saxby, Maurice, The Proof of the Puddin’: Australian Children’s Literature 1970-1990, Ashton Scholastic, Gosford, 1993

Spellbinders: A Guide to Children’s Authors & Illustrators of NSW, Library Association of Australia, 1988

Spindler, Graham, Behind the Lines: Views from ‘Behind the Scenes’ of Writing & Publishing for Young Readers, Australian Library & Information Association, 1991

The Authors & Illustrators Scrapbook II, Omnibus Books, Norwood, 1991