Interview with Olly Hills

I think it is amazing what you have done.

Tell us about your latest novel or project:

A field guide to the cicadas of New Zealand

What got you started writing?

There were so many times when I wished I could figure out what type of cicada I had caught, and there just had to be a field guide written.

What challenges did you face when you first started writing?

Only being able to work on the book during school holidays, family road trips for fieldwork were hard to fit in, a lack of easy to understand information.

What people might not know is that Olly is still in school.

Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.

Yes, research was an important part of writing this book as I wanted to get photographs of as many different cicada species as possible.

Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?

My mum.

What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?

Thank goodness we only have 42 cicada species, in Australia there are over 200, which would make a much bigger book.

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?

It took a whole year to write. This book is something I plan to keep working on to make better too, with more photographs of different species to be included as I find them to go in later editions.

What is your best experience meeting a fan?

One of my readers, Rudi, really liked my book and invited me to speak at the entomological conference, which was great. He really looked after me while I was there and I got to meet lots of other bug scientists.

At such a young age I think it is wonderful that you have chosen a topic that requires a lot of research and insight. Good luck with your next project.