He lives with his wife, Marion, a well-known potter, in Millers Flat.
Q What does your job/craft involve?
A Writing for children is a bit like being an alchemist. There's no secret recipe or formula. It's all very intuitive.
Often, it's about provoking my inner child to reveal something extraordinary. Because I am not a child, I can never be truly confident that what I'm writing will appeal to my reader.
Over time I might improve my chances by figuring out what works and what doesn't, but there's always an element of hit-and-miss.
Technically, my job involves a lot of rewriting and editing. Oh, and waiting. Lots and lots of waiting.
Q How many hours a week do you spend working (writing, researching or planning your books)?
A I write most days I'm at home. I've never managed to write on the road.
If I have a deadline, I often write all day. Otherwise I write until I start losing the plot.
Q What other children's authors do you admire and why?
A I love Maurice Gee simply because he's a damn fine writer in any genre. And Margaret Mahy's wackiness and verbal gymnastics are always inspiring.
Q Why do you do what you do?
A There's no better reward than an email from a mother (it's always the mother) to say my books are responsible for sparking their child's passion for reading.
But that's not why I write for kids. It's the pure joy of the chase. Ideas are cagey, elusive creatures. Tracking them to their lair is enormously challenging and intensely rewarding.
Anyone passionate about their job will understand right away. And there's no way of explaining it to those who aren't.
Q Who would play you in the film of your life?
A I'm afraid I can't think of any actor who is younger than me. My wife suggests Benedict Cumberbatch, but I suspect that's more for her own enjoyment.
Q What is your earliest memory?
A Being left alone in the bath when I was about 3. At the time, we lived with my father's grandmother in a weathered old Queenslander in suburban Brisbane.
The bathroom was under the house with the laundry. I don't recall if the room had a door - it certainly was never closed in any case.
The light in the room was so stark it made the darkness outside seem almost solid.
It also acted as a beacon to every moth around. Not the best place for a 3-year-old with an overactive imagination to be left alone.
Q What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A I always loved writing - so long as I was free to write what I wanted. Any form of prescription was a sure-fire way to kill my enthusiasm.
But I never imagined ‘‘being a writer''. The best I hoped for was a job with some creative writing involved. In the end I studied journalism and advertising.
Neither profession appealed because I quickly realised I don't enjoy reality or selling things I don't believe in.
Q Property aside, what's the most extravagant thing you've bought?
A Undoubtedly, my Commes de Garcon jacket. Since becoming president of the NZSA [NZ Society of Authors] I get invited to many black-tie functions.
I don't do ties, so I decided a super-cool, ‘‘Doctor Who'' jacket would do the job. Easier said than done. Most men's jackets are variations on a theme, about as inspiring as choosing bricks.
I finally found a jacket that fit the bill in New York. It's still the coolest thing I own. And if I live long enough I might just manage to reduce the cost-per-wear to a mentionable figure.
Q What would be your dream job?
A Writing for kids is my dream job. You simply can't make a career out of writing unless you're completely inspired by it to an almost fanatical degree. Though I think writing screenplays might be equally satisfying.
Q What is your guiltiest pleasure?
A Watching Arsenal play - though I'm not sure why I should feel guilty about it.
Q What is your most embarrassing moment?
A I've always been cautious to avoid embarrassment. So my high school prizegiving was a real wake-up call.
As soon as I saw my classmates in their finery, I realised I'd somehow misunderstood the formal nature of the evening.
The stage felt a very long way away as I shuffled forward to collect my medals for academic excellence and basketball.
I tried to convince myself my ripped jeans, T-shirt and dirty sneakers were a political statement. A rebellion. But I knew what everyone was really thinking.
Q Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?
A Singers/composers I admire like Leonard Cohen, Greg Brown, Eartha Kitt and Cole Porter.
Inspiring writers like Theodore Sturgeon, Maurice Gee, Margaret Atwood and Ursula Le Guin.
The conversations would be far-reaching, entertaining and inspiring. The jam session afterwards would be phenomenal.
Q What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A A government that values creativity and culture would improve the life of all artists.
It would also contribute enormously to everyone's welfare. It's certainly achievable if voters prioritise well-being over money, society over economy.
Q What keeps you awake at night?
A Ideas, mostly. A glimmer of a story that sneaks into my subconscious when I least expect it. I don't have a notebook beside my bed, so I often lie awake grappling with it until it reveals itself.
Or at least a vague outline. Then I can sleep with a smile on my face.
Q What song would you like played at your funeral?
A It would have to be Leonard Cohen. Possibly Bird on a wire - ‘‘I have tried, in my way, to be free.''
Or maybe Hey, that's no way to say goodbye, as funerals are more about comforting those left behind. My wife might prefer Greg Brown's You drive me crazy though, because it's sort of our theme song.
● More info about Kyle Mewburn and his work can be found on his website (www.kylemewburn.com), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Kyle-Mewburn-childrens-writer-200483076651685/) or email him (kyle@kylemewburn.com).
