FIONA LLOYD is a Sydney-based writer who has also worked as a television colourist on Home & Away, This is Greece and Secrets of Britain’s Great Cathedrals. She loves storytelling in all forms, especially theatre, television and books. Being Jimmy Baxter is her debut middle-grade novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A gently funny yet powerful coming-of-age middle grade novel about surviving the odds, unlikely friendships and the magical music of Elvis.
It’s not eggsactly easy being Jimmy Baxter ’cause:
· The real Jimmy’s hiding inside
· Ned Kelly’s giving him the evil eye
· Mum’s stopped going to work and stays in bed
· There’s no eggs in the fridge – or anything else.
AND there’s new jobs, bad-at-school brains and a whole lot of trouble called Duke.
But then . . . there’s Mac.
MEET FIONA LLOYD
Where did you get the idea for your novel Being Jimmy Baxter?
It was a culmination of visual inspiration from the landscapes we drove through on holiday, my daughter asking me who Elvis Presley was, (really?!) and my love of Morris Gleitzman’s ‘Once’ series. His MC Felix is so endearing and brave. In the process of me wondering what happened to him next, Jimmy and his story began to emerge.
What can you tell us about Jimmy and the challenges he faces in your novel?
Jimmy is endearingly naïve. He always wants to see the best in people. He knows he’s not very good at schoolwork but prides himself on his ‘everyday brains’ which help him navigate life in a practical manner. Jimmy faces a huge challenge when his mum becomes ill. They are alone in a new town and it’s up to him to keep money coming in and figure out how to help Mum get better. Jimmy rises to the challenge each time (with a few slips back again!) helped by old friends, new friends and friends he doesn’t know he has yet.
Did you draw on any people in your own life to help craft any of the characters in your book?
I drew mostly from my own experience in regard to the mental health issues raised here, and for the feelings resulting from Jimmy’s arch enemy Duke when he’s bullied at school. Other than that, I think most of the characters have been influenced by film or TV characters. For instance, I always imagined Penelope Cruz when writing Jimmy’s teacher. Having worked on Home & Away for five years, I’m pretty sure Ray Meagher’s one-liners for Alf Stewart were an influence for Debby!
What was the most rewarding or challenging thing about writing your first middle-grade novel?
Compared to other books I’ve attempted, this one was purely rewarding. I loved every minute of being in their world and solving problems along the way. In the edit process I was asked to expand on a particular scene (which I can’t give away!) as my editor felt I hadn’t explored the emotion properly, so I ended up adding seven short chapters. The deadline was tight, so the adrenalin ran high. I loved it!
What do you hope readers will take away from your novel overall?
I’d love readers of any age to come away with a feeling of hope, and the understanding that it’s okay to ask for help when life gets overwhelming. It happens to us all and it’s a conversation that needs to keep being had. I also hope that young readers might think about how everyone has a story, no matter where they come from or where they’ve ended up.
Which authors or books do you greatly admire?
I grew up in England on the Narnia books and Enid Blyton stories. Since moving to Australia and starting the writing journey, Zana Fraillon’s The Bone Sparrow was one of the first books I read and it made me want to be that good. I love Katrina Nannestad’s historical middle-grade fiction, anything by Karen Foxlee, Nadia Wheatley’s classic The House That Was Eureka and in the adult arena, anything by Sarah Winman. I also admire my two fantasy author and artist friends, Selina Fenech and Serene Conneeley who inspired me to have a go at writing myself. They work so hard and have a beautiful fan base as a result.
Find out more about Fiona Lloyd HERE.
