Matthew Reilly

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Matthew Reilly

Matthew Reilly was born in Sydney in 1974. He is the author of over a dozen novels and novellas. Following rejections from all the major publishers. Matthew self-published Contest in 1996, printing 1000 copies. It was spotted by a commissioning editor for Pan Macmillan, who tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book – and signed him for a two-book deal. Those original self-published editions have become collectors’ items –one recently sold on eBay for $1200!

Matthew's books are published in 20 twenty languages and have sold nearly seven-and-a-half million copies worldwide. In addition, Walt Disney Pictures have optioned the movie rights to his children's book, Hover Car Racer, and the Jack West Jr series was recently optioned by Fox.

When not writing or working on a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course. He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Interviewed 04 March 2017

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

I still can’t believe I get paid to do this.

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

I’m in my office so: three movie posters (Die Hard, RoboCop, Jurassic Park), two Back to the Future items, three spaceship toys and one Star Wars helmet.

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

Peanut butter on toast.

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Michael Crichton (if he was still alive), Michael Lewis, Barack Obama, Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth.

Six things you can't live without ...

Only one thing: my free time to write.

Five favourite words ...

Never, ever, ever give up.

Four places you'd run away to ...

Tasmania, Queenstown NZ, Scottsdale AZ, St Andrews, Scotland.

Three books you've bought recently ...

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman.

Two things that make you rant ...

The wealth gap in the western world today.
Spoilt rich kids.

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

The best thing you’ll learn at high school is to ignore the naysayers and “cool kids” and keep doing what you’re doing.