MEET THE AUTHOR
Penny Tangey writes humorous books for young people. She has studied Chemistry and Indonesian, and is currently studying information management to become a librarian. Penny works as a researcher for television quiz shows, and has performed stand-up comedy. Her latest book is As Fast as I Can.
From the publisher:
Ten-year-old Vivian is determined to win a medal at the Olympic Games one day. Problem is, she hasn’t found a sport she’s any good at yet. But everyone says if you work hard enough you can achieve anything, right? So when Vivian discovers she has a talent for cross country running, finally, her Olympic dream might actually come true.
But then a family illness is uncovered and all of Vivian’s plans begin to unravel. Can she keep her dream alive? Or will she be stopped in her tracks?
As Fast as I Can is a humorous read, but involves a family learning about a serious medical condition. How much research did you need to do to write the book?
I already knew a little about the medical condition in the book because it’s an illness in my family. I needed a lot more detail to write As Fast as I Can. I read medical papers but also found first-hand stories from people with the condition. Both of these were really important.
After I wrote a draft a medical professional read it to check I had the details right. I also got feedback from my cousin who has the condition to make sure she thought the book was accurate and helpful.
Writing the book: a sprint or a marathon?
It was a marathon that I thought would be 5km. I kept telling myself the finish was just around the corner, gave up a few times, but then started again. It wasn’t a personal best time, but I’m glad I kept going.
In a parallel universe you can become an Olympic Athlete and choose your event — which event would you choose?
This question is so exciting and quite tricky. I would definitely choose athletics because competing in the big stadium is the ultimate goal. I think I would have to choose running because it’s the simplest and purest sport. Sprinting is over too quickly so I think 800m would be good.
Vivian (your main character) faces down several challenges. Are you a competitive person yourself?
I am, but I’m also not a perfectionist and very happy to settle for second or third.
Can you tell us something about your next project?
I’m writing a story for adults, mainly just for fun. It’s about a woman who starts investigating a crime while she’s on maternity leave.
Do you have a tip for young writers?
Keep a diary. It’s great practise for writing and lots of fun to read back later.
For example, in Grade 5 I wrote in my diary: “I have a dream to get to the Olympics not as a spectator but as a competitor. I am turning 11 next week, my days of being ten are numbered.”
I didn’t get to go to the Olympics as a competitor, but I’m really glad I have my diary to help me remember the dream.
As Fast as I Can is available from bookshops, libraries and the publisher’s website.
AWESOME EXTRAS:
Click here to download Teachers’ Notes
Click here to visit Penny Tangey’s website and find out more about her and her books.
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