About me
I would like a pet fish
I love listening to The Lucksmiths, The Lemonheads, Zoe Keating, Radiolab and This American Life
I sleep walk sometimes
Three of my favourite artists are Mark Rothko, Sam Leach and Ghostpatrol
I find it hard to make a decision
I like reading on trains
I really like coffee
I write best at four in the morning
One of my favourite films is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
My favourite storytellers are Charlie Kaufman, Ira Glass, Helen Garner, Daniel Kitson, Karen Russell and John Green
Ask a question
Do you have a question for Cath? You can browse the questions that have already been asked by other readers below, or jump straight to the ‘Ask a question’ form.

Rudresh Kumar
Hi Cath,
Immensely enjoyed reading your text “Grafitti Moon” from cover to cover in quick time.Need to re-read with emphasis on the climax.The opening is brilliant and the use of Intertextextuality enhances the overall value of the book being an apt text to teach in plus Ten classes in Arts,English,Social and cultural studies in particular and about the pangs of growing up in a especial geographical area with regard to its context.
I have already embraced your text as my choice of Study Text in my next 10 week teaching programme,however I hope my teaching plan will be approved.
Good luck and do keep writing.
Rudresh
cath
Thank you. Are you studying education? Would love to see that plan, if at possible. Good luck. I hope they approve it! Cath
Rudresh
Thanks for your response Cath.I have a M.Teach from UNDA, Fremantle and I will certainly send you the programme.I will have to design with your authorship as one key factor because the difficult and more interpretive responses can be had by the author herself;One key to encourage students;Ask the author.
I should describe myself as a starting teacher in Australia. I love Literature and Arts.Your text, Graffiti Moon is a good induction for our students to enter into discourse of what Art is to any Artist.
Rudresh
Murphy
Hi Cath Crowley,
You came to my school awhile ago, actually, last year. I go to Mentone Girls Secondary College… We were studying Gracie Faltrain. You did a writing workshop afterwards, and I participated in that, it was GREAT, by the way. Really ^_^
I was just wondering if you have plans for a new book, it’s just I’ve read Graffiti Moon so many times my little sister told me off
I loved Graffiti Moon, especially how you described Ed and Lucy’s feelings about art, and Leo’s about writing. You really got it, and that’s pretty rare in books written by adults, so I’d like to say thanks for that.
Anyway, thanks.
cath
Thank you! I remember the workshops at Mentone – you were all so talented. I’m glad you liked Graffiti Moon. That’s a huge compliment.
I’m going to email you with some reading suggestions
Cath
mija
hi cath crowley remember me i am mija weightman from st marys altona u came here once with alana as her craze prodject i want to know more about you and i also remember when you told us about when u hit your brother with a hammer and he had to get stichers did u get to finish your cubby house type back to me at st mays altona mweightman and type your answers on my mail
cath
Hi there – that story about the hammer sticks in the head. Good thing my brother was okay.
We didn’t get to finish that cubby house – but my brother did build loads of cubby houses, if my memory is correct.
Thanks for checking out my blog. It was great to meet you all at Altona.
mija
how many books are you going to write next year and can i be in one of them
xxx mija
cath
Well, I’ll try. You sound like an interesting character. I think I remember you from the talk. Any character in my books is mostly my imagination though…
Danielle
Hi Cath!
I really loved “Grafitti Moon”. I’m just curious what resources you used in researching street-art. I found MelbourneGraffiti.com, and they’re wonderful for cataloging artwork and assigning ownership to artists.
Are there any other resources you can recommend?
cath
Thank you! I honestly didn’t look at too many resources for the graffiti – because I wanted to make up Ed’s work and I was worried that I would have other people’s work in my head. I talked to people – so went straight to the source but then I went off and took a risk and did my own thing. I wanted Ed to be outside any culture, sub or other.
The Banksy film has been mentioned to me a few times – and there is a great book out by Ghostpatrol (I think) with lots of Melbourne artwork in it.
Cath
Jill
Hi! I have an odd question for you. I am from Boston, MA and recently discovered your book, A Little Wanting Song, in my school’s library. What quickly drew me in was the image of the girl on the cover; she is the twin of my best friend! Now, all of my friends are in the process of reading it, and we love it. Now my question is this: Do you happen to know the name of the model on the book’s cover? Thank you!
cath
That’s a great question. What a spin out. I’ll try to find out for you. So glad you love Charlie.
Kate
Hi Cath,
It’s me Kate (again)! I don’t think you remember me
but I e-mailed you around October. Anyways, I am writing
a book and I was wondering if you have any advice for me.
Thank you for reading and I still really love A Little
Wanting Song! Thank you.
From,
Kate
cath
Kate, I’m so sorry. I’m a little vague once I start writing my novel. But that’s not my advice to you. I’m going to email you and see what specific questions you have, so I can be of help.
Cath
joe
hi cath
i just sent you a message.
but.
in case you’ll check your blog before … i wanted to ask you what your next book is about and if you can give as a description or a few words, anything, really. i’m just hungry for breadcrumb to fill my crowley-belly!
merry x-mas in case this message gets to you only after the 25th
- joe
cath
What a great message! So the next book out will be The Howling Boy – it won’t be out for a little while, though. I don’t think I’m quite ready to blog – but will send you an email with something to keep you going.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas too
Cath
Celine
Hi Cath!
I sent you a message via the contact form in your website. I hope you can check it soon!
Thank you so much. I hope you’ve had a wonderful year!
- Celine
cath
I hope you had a wonderful year, too. I’m back from holidays, so if you send an email that I haven’t replied to yet – I will today!
Zoe
Hi Cath
I just wanted to say how much I love your books. So many so-called YA books are contrived – full of conveniently absent parents and bland female protagonists and love triangles and boys with impossibly perfect good looks and and people who fall in love not because they’ve actually got to know each other but because it is ‘fated’. But not your books. They were funny, witty and effortlessly cool; your characters so delightful and real that if I visited Melbourne I would half expect to bump into them on the tram. Thank you. Whatever you write, I’ll read.
Zoe
cath
that is just such a lovely comment to read on a Friday afternoon when I’ve gone swimming because writing is. going. so. so. slowly. Thank you.
Zoe
Hey Cath,
I read Chasing Charlie Duskin in year seven and it became my library go to. (I eventually bought it) and I came across Graffiti moon accidently and didn’t read it for ages and then I realised ‘HOLY MOLY CATH CROWLEY WROTE THAT I NEED TO READ IT RIGHT NOW!’ So I took it on an excursion. An excursion to Melbourne to look at street art. Little did I know how relevant it would be! ANYWAY, I think that made me love it all the more. This is my long way of saying that I love your style and the pleasure and grief I get when I finish on of your novels. Official thank you forever.
-Zo
cath
Just sent you a reply, Zoe. Thank you. How amazing that the reading collided with actual art!
Nadia
Hi Cath,
I just wanted to tell you that your writing is really good and that I loved Graffiti Moon. If you want to, you can read my review here: http://inabookshelf.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/review-graffiti-moon-by-cath-crowley/
Have a nice day!
-Nadia
Jake
Hi cath it’s jake from your show you did at beaconhills. I’d love to read some of your books because they look so interesting.
cath
Thanks Jake. I sent you an email – and I wanted to say good luck with your artwork.
Cath
Indi
Hi Cath,
You came to my school last week (Beaconhills College) and I loved your talk. Telling us about how you make characters out of strangers really inspired me and I have actually started writing a new book called Muted Love, which is about a boy who cannot talk, but shows his feeling through drawing. He draws a girl and goes on a journey to find her in the real world. I have also just finished my first full length book called New Leaf. Thank you for inspiring me and I hope I get a chance to talk to you in the future.
Indi xx Year 7
cath
Hi Indi,
Thanks so much for this lovely email. You were all such fun. Your story sounds amazing – heaps of scope for beautiful images.
Cath
Paul
Hi Cath,
I enjoyed reading your book ‘Chasing Charlie Duskin’. My avourite bit was on page 4 where Charlie looses her bikini (probably because i’m a boy). I was a great read and I would definately recommend the book to other people. Thank you for your talk at Brentwood SC the other week-I enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks, Paul
cath
I’m glad you liked it, Paul. I had such fun talking at Brentwood. You are all such smart, engaged, funny students.
Cath
Giorgi Shanae
hi cath, im doing a project, and i need some info on you.. i know it sounds stalkerish but thats school for you
so, if you could give me some info, that would be awesome ^_^ thanks,
giorgi -xo-
cath
Hi Giorgi – I’m very happy to give you some info. I’ll send you an email, to see what things you need to know. Cath
Eleanor
Cath, I heard you are currently writing a new book. My name is Eleanor and im from beaconhills college and I wondered if you might put me in as a character. I talked to you when you came to my school and I told you I could talk to my cat and I loved to sing. Today, my cat walked up to me while I was eating a mars bar, stared for about 5 seconds then polished my ankles. I bent down to pat him and he crawled onto my lap, lay down and started purring and head butting my head to say ” I love you and will you give me that yummy looking thing you have in your hand?” I hope I can be in your book and you find my tale funny.
Ele xx year 7
cath
Hi Eleanor,
I remember you well from the talk. Your cat story is a hard one to forget because you describe it so beautifully. I think YOU should put it in a book. I will file it in my book of beautiful things to use, though, and put it in one of my books or stories.
I do find your story funny. And beautifully told.
catk
Eleanor
You spelt your name wrong
cath
No, sometimes I like to spell it like that to mix it up a bit, Eleanor
Eleanor
What is the name of the book you r currently writing?
cath
I’m writing a book called The Howling Boy…But I’m in the stage of writing where I can’t say what it’s about, Eleanor. The more I talk about it the less I write.
It’s quite similar to Graffiti Moon in style, though.
Holly
Hi Cath,
You came to my school beaconhills last week and I just wanted to say I loved your workshop. It really helped me in my search for characters. Your talk was also really good and I enjoyed it heaps. I really hope to see you in the future!!!!!
Holly xx Year 7
cath
I’m so glad it helped, Holly. You guys helped me A LOT with my characters – so thank you very much. Good luck with your writing – I had such a great time in that workshop.
Eleanor
Hi Cath, It’s me! (again)
If its ok with u, I just wanted to ask a few questions.
They r:
Do u watch or have u seen dr. Who?
Do u know what manga is?
Do u mind if u give me Ur e-mail so I can send u a pic of my cat? (this won’t let me)
When’s ur birthday?
What’s ur favorite animal?
If u don’t mind I would love to hear your answers!
P.S. holly is one of my besties
cath
Hi Eleanor,
I love getting questions on my website! It’s not annoying at all. I’ll have a think about these and post the answers tomorrow.
Cath
cath
And now, the answers to your questions. Sorry it has taken me so long
I love Dr Who. I’m a bit behind, need to go back and watch the whole thing through again to catch up.
I know what manga is – although I must admit, I don’t know a whole lot about it.
My birthday is on December 23rd.
I think my favourite animal would be a cat I had once called Sebastian. He was white and lovely.
Cath
Eleanor
Ok
Eleanor
Hello
)
I shall read your book, Graffiti Moon for I have just finished a series called Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan. I’m jut borrowing it now and I can’t wait till it comes in! ( I’m not borrowing from school cause they all left when you left
cath
Thanks Eleanor!
Eleanor
Greetings Cath,
What’s your fav food?
cath
At the moment figs are my favourite fruit. But pizza could be my favourite food
Eleanor
Hi cath
Do u like birds?
cath
I do! I’ve written some answers to your questions. Hope you’re well, Eleanor.
Eleanor
Thanx for the answers
I LOVE DOCTOR WHO TOO!!!!!!
It’s soooo cool u do cause almost all my teacher don’t know what it is!
Manga is my favorite style of drawing (I love to draw a lot)
Your birthday is 2 day before Christmas! How awesome!
I love cats too!
It turns out we have a lot in common, which helps you to become my fav author!
I READ YOUR BOOK AND IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY I HAVE EVER READ!! (I don’t read a lot of romance but this is an exemption)
I love to the way you write, I love the way you make ed and lucy fall in love.
I made a poem if you would like to hear. It’s called “this is love”
love is not perfect or easy to get,
but is something you should treasure forever,
And hold dear,
Next to your heart,
To hear another’s beating in time with yours,
Or to feel another’s breath collide with yours,
Is like athousand tiny explosions going of all over,
So you cant stand,
Just to stare into someone’s eye,
And know they’re staring back,
This is love
Eleanor
Hope you like it
cath
It’s gorgeous, Eleanor!
Eleanor
Your book is sooooo cool i read it twice on the same day
It makes me reflect your story on my life and realize how boring it is compared (actual, my life is quite interesting but not as much as your story)
I want to be Lucy.
I want to find my Shadow
I want to be in your next book
You are officially my favourite author and your book is my favourite. I loved every section of it. I am inspired by u.
You no, I love art as well. I do a lot of crafty and imaginative things. I think this is what helped me love it so.
I also love music, animals and would love to fly.
Eleanor
cath
Thanks, Eleanor. I’m so glad you liked the book. And even more glad that what you loved about it was the art. That’s my favourite part too.
aura
I just finished reading your book Graffiti Moon and wanted to take the time to tell you that it was beautiful-both in its content and writing. This book has its own beating heart.
cath
Thank you. What a beautiful comment.
I’m going to keep it and think about it while I’m writing the next one.
Indi
Hi Cath,
I’ve written a few short novels in first person, and it comes very easy to me. But now I have just started to write a new novel in third person but I am having trouble. Any tips?
cath
I wish I had some tips. I always write in first person and it’s because I find third really difficult. But when I’m trying I go back to YA/Kids writers who use third person – Ursula Dubosarsky, Gabrielle Wang, Nick Hornby (not ya but High Fidelity) and I look at how they do it.
Michelle
Cath,
While I may be an “adult” now, I find that I often turn to YA fiction for the creativity and imagination, not to mention the existence of actual plot and character development, that I crave. In “Graffiti Moon” you have appeased that craving…although I now find myself on the lookout for more.
Throughout the book your use of vibrant imagery creates this flowing landscape of shapes, colors, ideas, and emotions that shift and swirl around to create a beautiful story. And you’ve created a reality that is not my own but was wonderful to be a participant in while I read. Thank you.
cath
Thanks for stopping by and thank you for this lovely comment.
I’m glad you liked Graffiti Moon. I’m in the middle of writing another two books at the moment – and you’ve reminded me how characters appear on the page with this comment. you keep layering till their full.
Kreonin
Dear Cath,
When I picked up your book Graffiti Moon I myself was writing a paper about graffiti and I thought that it would be an appropriate fictional read opposed to what I was finding in the library that was all substance and no imagination. What I didn’t expect was to find a story so raw but also so well written, especially not a story that hit so close to home. Lucy and Ed were interesting, relatable characters. Lucy was spunky and Ed was sweet, and even though she pictured him as this god-like Shadow I think she got something better. Something more real. Poet was my favorite character in the whole book. He reminded me of my best friend. He was a guy that would do anything for the girl he liked, and when she took off and left him, I took him to a movie and he managed to go 1/2 way through it before we got up, left, and went out to get some more paint. It’s 2:22 AM right now, and I’ve just finished memorizing you’re poem, Poet’s poem, about where he lived before for a school assignment. Writers get a bad rep in the general social scheme of things because of stereotypes, but in this book you get to see who many of these taggers tend to be. They are normal kids who are struggling to get by, who have maybe come from the rougher sides of town, taking the minimum wage jobs at McDonald’s and just trying to get through the school year. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Kreonin
cath
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment. Half the time I don’t know whether I’m getting things right or not – and this comment makes me feel like I was headed in the right direction. Poet was my favourite character too – I met loads of students who had a bad rep but those were the smartest, funniest ones. Those were the ones who hung around in my head. So writing an essay about graffiti? That would be an interesting read. I think your take would be full of insight.
Mari
I read Graffiti Moon recently, and I wanted to tell you that I absolutely loved it. I’m a high-school student, and(unrelatedly) I leave stuff lying around, so once I finished it and left it somewhere in my house, my mom found it and glomped onto it and devoured it in two days. She really liked it too. I thought you ought to know, and thank you for writing.
cath
Thanks for leaving such a gorgeous message – and with the world glomped in it. Such a great word.
So glad you liked Graff Moon – makes me feel like I’m doing something right.
Mai
I just realized that this is where I have to ask questions, duh. Fool of me.
So:
Favorite poems, poets and books?
How you started writting and what is the first thing you wrote (at what age, all the story)?
cath
At the moment I’m reading my way through the captains verses – Pablo Neruda. I love the way he uses language.
I wish I had been like that.
I didn’t start writing till I was about thirty – some articles in the paper and then the Gracie books.
I wasn’t like you, texting poetry and having the guts to get into art
Mai
Hahaha, well *blush* …In fact, I have been writting for 2 years. So is not…you know.
About the art itself, it is my mom´s fault. She signed up me for piano lessons when I had 4 years old. Then it was painting, dancing, choir, guitar, etc. I think that art has been part of my entire life.
Anyway, I love Pablo Neruda too. Poetry, for me, is hard to read but the way he uses words – like you – it feels smooth.
I think that I have to live more to understand some things…
I know is going to be difficult and I keep hearing people saying : “You are going to die of hunger”. That´s why I have to be strong. Here in Mexico, they don´t give writers many opportunities. And, yes, If you say that you want to be a writer, they look at you like “Are you nuts?”. Now you see why I cried with Graffiti Moon. My life hasn´t been so good just like Poet or Shadow. But I guess, that´s why I write (Sorry for opening my heart).
Next question: What inspired you to write Graffiti Moon?
cath
you should never be sorry for telling the truth.
but I am sorry that you haven’t had an easy life so far.
your mum sounds amazing.
and Neruda’s poetry does sound smooth, you’re right.
I wanted to write about art – and characters like you, who love it, but haven’t had the easiest time. I think that was the biggest inspiration.
Mai
Yeah, I get that.
No, I never hide the truth about who I am (cause it´s part of me)
Don´t be – sorry – cause that´s who made me the girl I am today and even I am not perfect I have learnt a lot.
My mom is amazing XD She is always there to listen my crazy stories or stuff even if she doesn´t understand. I know she´ll give me her support in everything.
Yes! Well, that´s the second reason why I write. There are stories that need to be tell. There are people that are worth writting them a story. And sometimes I get crazy cause I have many stories to tell but writting a book is not so easy. I have to wait to tell some stories. That´s why now I´m trying to write poems. They´re faster but you can put the same intensity.
What do you remember from your childhood?
Is there somebody that has marked your life?
cath
I have loads of people that have marked my life. My mum and dad encouraged me to read loads, so maybe they’ve marked me the most.
yes, there are stories that have to be told, Mai.
I feel very sure you’ll tell loads of them in your life. you’re a born storyteller