Paula Hunt

Paula Hunt broke her father's Swan heart when she announced, at the age of four, she was a Blue. It was the start of a lifelong passion for the game of Australian Rules. At the end of the last millennium Paula finished a lengthy stint as a manager in corporate Australia when she decided there just wasn't enough football in her career. Now, as Jezza Bella, she writes a weekly column about the Blues in The Melbourne Times. She works on Health and Safety at the Mecca of football, the MCG, and waits expectantly for next season.

Frequently asked questions

How many books have you written?
Two, both published.

What was your first book?
Shirtfront: a short and amazing history of Aussie Rules.

When did you start writing?
I was a late starter. I only really started writing seriously in my mid 30s, about 6 years ago.

Why do you like to write books for children?
Shirtfront is essentially a history book — it just happens to be the history of footy. I like the idea that kids that might not otherwise be interested in history read Shirtfront because they love footy.

Where do you get your ideas from?
My next book is a dictionary of footy slang. It was an interesting project. To get all the words for the dictionary I had to read a lot of footy books. But that wasn't enough so I hung out at the footy listening to the fans and writing down what they said. I wrote the book with ex-Carlton player, Glenn Manton, and he added heaps more. In the end we had nearly 1,200 footy words or terms.

Who are your favourite writers/illustrators? And favourite books?
My favourite children's book author at the moment is Michael Wagner — I really loved Dog Wars.

Which character from a book would you most like to meet?
Who else — Willy Wonka!

What do you use to write your books?
I'm a computer girl. I like to write fast — as things come into my head — and then go back and fix it up later.

What were you like at school?
Goody-two-shoes. Never once had detention — how boring!

What is your favourite food?
I should say meat pies, but at the footy I'm more likely to go for the dim sims.

What are your hobbies?
When I'm not going to the footy I'm heading off to the race track. And when I'm not at the race track I like to draw and paint.

Do you have any pets?
Two very nasty, unfriendly, grumpy old cats. I love them to death — even if they are cranky.

What is your most treasured possession?
I'd say my cats but I think they possess me — not the other way around. My grandmother was a potter; I have a couple of her handmade pots. They are lovely to hold and they remind me of her.

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
I've tried a few things in my life. I qualified as an engineer and then worked at a manufacturing company (one that made chocolate bar wrappers — but unfortunately not the chocolate bars) for many years. I've sold clothes and worked as a barmaid. These days, when I'm not writing, I work at the MCG — which is great for a footy head like me. But if I wasn't a writer I'd most like to be a sculptor.