or your

ck Ri orda n sp ec ia l w ith you asking the auth

s! It’s a Ri les –
Good god and goddesse fu n w ith hi erog ly ph ics and some tricky puzz
have
­questions, the chance to ys . H av e a great weekend . . .
ts fro m yo u gu
plus the best bi

Rick to be powerful, but not

too powerful. If his dad
ADHD and dyslexia?
When you were a

Riordan was Zeus, that would

make his life too easy.
teacher did you ever
share any of your
books with your
Q: If you could be a students before
cy Jackson,
First he created Per Greek god, which they were pub-
then the Ka ne Ch ronicles.
one would you be lished? Hanna
ior da n, below , may be a
Rick ­R and why? Anna A: I made Percy
’s sold 20m
god in our eyes (he A: I’d love to be Jackson ADHD/
glish!) bu t he still
books in En Apollo and drive dyslexic because
tim e to com e dow n to earth
found around in a fiery my son is ADHD/
q
­ ues tions. Here
and answer your sports car, but with dyslexic. Percy
e of the bes t, wit h, of
are som my luck, I’d end up Jackson began as
sw ers !
course, Rick’s an being Dionysus. My a bedtime story for
magic power: I can him. Yes, I had
summon Diet Coke. several of my students
Woohoo. read the manuscript of
The Lightning Thief before it was
Q: Why did you choose to write published. They helped me with
about ancient gods that have many things, such as the title, and
adapted to the modern world, how Percy’s pen worked.
and do you like the Egyptian or
the Greek gods better? Penguin Q: Who is your favourite
A: Having the gods in the mod- ­character from the Percy
ern world made it much more Jackson series? Eaven
interesting! One of the main A: Probably Tyson or Grover,
ideas about the books is that because they are so funny.
Greek and Roman culture never I chuckle every time I write
Q: What is it like being a famous job, and I feel very lucky to be really went away. I like both a scene with them.
author? Groovy Druv able to do it. Greek and Egyptian. More Greek
A: I don’t think about being stories have survived, so we Q: What inspired you to come up
famous, ­really. Being an author, Q: Why did you choose know more about them. with the idea of Jason Grace being
I don’t generally get stopped as I Poseidon to be Percy They’ve always been my Thalia’s brother? Evie
walk down the street. It’s not like Jackson’s father? Jess ­favourite. On the other A: I liked the idea of connecting
being a movie star. Besides, my A: I’ve always liked hand, I like the Egyptian the old characters with the new
two sons keep me from ­getting Poseidon because I love stories ­because they have characters, and it helped me give
a big head! If I ever start act- the sea – how it can be an exotic flavour. Thalia a new dimension to her
ing too proud they tell me I’m calm and gentle story. The idea of Greek and
“egotastic” and quickly cut me one day, angry Q: Why did Roman siblings being raised
down to size. Still, it’s wonderful and violent you choose apart was fascinating to me.
being an author and having so the next. I to make
many kids enjoying my books. also wanted Percy Jack-
Read the interview in full at
That’s always been my dream Percy’s dad son have guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site

14 The Guardian