Of all your dog characters in Reality Barks: Mutt to Mega-Star, which one do you have a real attachment to?

I think it would have to be Charlie, who was in the pen next to Elliott’s at the Dog Pound. Although he’s unseen in a lot of the story, Charlie has a continuous influence on Elliott and his doggie conscience. And, he gets to have the last laugh!

If Reality Barks: Mutt to Mega-Star was a movie, who would voice Elliott, the lead dog character?

I’d love to say Chris Hemsworth (wouldn’t everybody), but probably another Australian actor, Richard Roxburgh, because he’s got a wicked sense of humour, just like Elliott.

What is your favourite target across all your books?

Corporate greed. Perfect for dark humour satire. It really is the theme across everything I write, including as my alter ego pen name, Jinx James.

What authors have influenced you?

Because everything I write has humour, satire and a bit of the dark side to it, that’s where I normally go. Thinking of dogs, I always chuckle at Chet, Spencer Quinn’s really cool dog character. I love the Chet & Bernie series.

Then, everything from Carl Hiaasen; Jennifer Egan’s Goon Squad; Chuck Palahniuk’s Survivor, and John Lanchester’s arch and ultra-wicked The Debt to Pleasure.

I couldn’t leave out Look Who’s Back from Timur Vermes; the very dark David Grossman’s A Horse Walks Into A Bar, and anything from Janet Evanovitch.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

No. Any place any time is fine for me. Gimme a snoring dog and a blank wall, and I’m happy.