Full name – Martin John Brown
Date of birth 1st November 1959
Birthplace Melbourne
Present place of residence Near Blandford Forum, Dorset
Colour of hair Brown (grey)
Colour of eyes Blue (grey)
Height 187cm (6’ 1½”)
Size of shoe 11
Special virtue Not sure if I have one – perhaps, I try to see the good in people
Special vice I sometimes fail to see the good in people
Special phobia Not sure if I have one
Favourite food Steak and chips with a rocket salad or penne carbonara or toast and vegemite or steak and ale pie or over-baked potato with tuna and mayonnaise or… stop it! I’m getting hungry.
Favourite colour Sort of a dusty mid blue
Favourite smell Freshly cut timber (or a campfire)
Favourite sound Australian birdsong
Favourite poem To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell (not that I can recite it or anything)
Favourite song old one – Far by the Longpigs, newish one – Do Nothing Day by The Go! Team.
Personal motto If you don’t think you can do it, do it anyway. (I just made that up)
Where were you born and have you got an accent? Australia – but I’ve been in the UK a long time now so my accent isn’t that strong any more.
What is your earliest childhood memory? Looking over the front seat of our car at my new baby brother.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? An archaeologist
Favourite book character (not one of your own!) Calvin (or Hobbs) from the Calvin and Hobbs cartoons (which were made into books)
What is the first book you read and loved? The Flying Steamroller by Jon Chalon
What is the last book you read and loved? Dirt Music by Tim Winton
What are your five favourite words? Verisimilitude, crepuscular, onomatopoeia, boing! and whump!
What makes you happy? Saying those words
What is your biggest fear? Something bad happening to my kids
What is most precious to you? My kids
What is your greatest extravagance? Nice bread
What is your worst habit? I’m not telling you
Who is your best friend? I don’t want to say – but I’m a lucky guy
What is your favourite joke? What’s a pirate’s favourite letter? AHRRRRRR