Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain

Appointing Tracy Lacy Classy Captain in Kids Book Number Two

Tania Lacy, Australia's original funny girl prepares to return to Australia with the launch of her second children's book -Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain', the follow up to the international best-selling first release -Tracy Lacy is Completely Coo-Coo Bananas'. Published and distributed by Scholastic and illustrated by Danielle McDonald the book will be available from November this year just in time for the festive season. Now based in Berlin, Tania and her husband are proud parents to their now 11 year old son. It should come as no surprise, that after 30 years in the business, Tania has been able to convert her ample writing skill into an exciting series of funny books for tween girls.

'I just felt it was time to corrupt a new generation" jokes Tania. Of the lead character, Tania says, 'Tracy is very close to my heart. She's a modern girl who is outspoken, boisterous and sporty. I was very mindful to keep labels like -bossy' and -tomboy' well away. Those kinds of stereotypes are not helpful to young women and are rather outdated. Tracy, is quite simply, a great chick".

Though Tania is best known for her comedy work, she actually began her career as a dancer, studying at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, now Melbourne University. She went on to choreograph clips for the likes of Kylie Minogue, but it was while dancing on the ABC's iconic program Countdown that she was spotted by Molly Meldrum who, on a whim, had her open the show. From that chance encounter, Tania earned a place on another ABC program The Factory. It was here Tania honed her comic ability, writing her own sketches, creating a number of comic characters and generally wreaking havoc upon anyone of authority. Over the next ten years, Tania's career continued to evolve.

She wrote and starred in the hugely successful short film Titsiana Booberini as well as Pussy Got Your Tongue, which won her the Nicole Kidman Best Actress Award at Tropfest in 1997. She starred opposite Ben Mendolsohn in Tangerine Dream, a role for which she was awarded Best Actress at the Watch My Shorts Film Festival. Audiences flocked to see Tania live in her one woman shows All Of Me and Tania Lacy is Coo‐Coo Bananas, both of which premiered at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. It was a heady time for Lacy.

The quirky graphic novel, Tracy Lacy is Completely Coo-Coo Bananas and the hilarious follow up, Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain, have been described as Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Dork Diaries – only funnier!

The series follows the adventures of Tracy and her two best friends, Ag and Ponky, as they navigate their way through tween‐dom. The only problem is, more often than not, it's Tracy who is so off course she's practically navigated her way to Greenland! In this new installment of Tracy's adventures, she is now in high school and things are looking great, even better than great, fantastic! Then… disaster. Her life is over kind of disaster. The question is; will her friends stand by her this time?

Tania has channeled her experiences, the successes and the failures to create this hilarious but relatable children's book series. As Tania prepares to take centre stage, this time as a successful author, we can't help but feel this is another great leaping off point for the classy lady we have come to love.

Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain
Scholastic Australia
Author: Tania Lacy
ISBN: 978 1 76027 2969
RRP: $14.99

Interview with Tania Lacy

Question: How would you describe Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain?

Tania Lacy: Tracy Lacy For Classy Captain is a funny, laugh out loud, sometimes you might even find yourself snorting, kind of book. It is also poignant and insightful but definitely not preachy.

Question: What inspired you to write Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain?

Tania Lacy: I was very fortunate in that Scholastic asked if I would be interested in writing a book. I very nearly said no. 'There's no way I could write a book' I thought. Fortunately, I chose not to listen to those thoughts. My biggest inspiration was that I really wanted to write a funny book because I don't think there are enough funny books, specifically for girls, out there. Further inspiration came from wanting to share some of the mortifying experiences I lived through during High School, shedding light on the events I thought I would never survive. From here, the inspiration for the character came. It was important I wrote a character who was strong and open-minded, flexible enough to demonstrate the qualities of what is essentially a young, modern, out-spoken, completely lovable, young girl.


Question: What was the best thing about creating the character of Tracy?

Tania Lacy: Without a doubt, the best thing about creating a character like Tracy, who is a rather outspoken girl, is putting the words in her mouth. You know those moments in life where you look back and think, 'Gosh, I wish I would have said.... but you didn't. When you write a book, you can. You can say the things you wished you'd said.


Question: How was a tween Tania similar to Tracy?

Tania Lacy: There are too many similarities to list.
Really, there are.
Really.
I promise.


Question: How has your life changed since moving to Germany?

Tania Lacy: I think the biggest change has been the amount of travel we are able to do. We can jump on a plane and within a couple of hours be in another part of Europe where a completely different language is spoken, the landscape is vastly different, food, culture, history, all of it is new to us. It makes for some very exciting weekends.

Question: What have you missed about Australia?

Tania Lacy: I miss the weather; the mild winters, so mild one does not need to wear a gazillion layers of clothing to stay warm. The scorching summers. Oh how I miss the summers, the hot nights, swimming until midnight in an effort to stay cool or lying under the air conditioner on a mattress because it's too hot to sleep. I really miss the smell of a hot Melbourne day.

Tracy Lacy for Classy Captain
Scholastic Australia
Author: Tania Lacy
ISBN: 978 1 76027 2969
RRP: $14.99

Interview by Brooke Hunter