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?

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
mija
how many books are you going to write next year and can i be in one of them
xxx mija
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
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…
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.
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!