There's a Hippopotamus On Our Roof Eating Cake! Adapted from the book by Hazel Edwards. Canberra Theatre Centre and Garry Ginivan Attractions. Canberra Theatre, Saturday, June 11, at 10am. canberratheatrecentre.com.au.

It's not easy being a hippo – even one who lives on the roof of most kids born after 1980, eats cake and gets to do anything it wants all day long.

Before a new musical stage adaptation of Hazel Edwards' classic children's book, coming to Canberra on June 11, the author gives us a glimpse into what it's like being such a popular protagonist – via the medium of "literary speed-dating". The following is an extract from Edwards' memoir, Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author.

Viewpoint is an important technical decision. Should first person "I" be used which is more revealing than third person he or she, and if so, is it really me or an assumed character?

Improvising in a workshop, (to keep everybody awake after lunch), I suggest participant-historians became their most intriguing ancestor. They had to be interviewed, but stay in character, sustaining their ancestor role and answer honestly, even if a murderer, bigamist or ex-con. The aim was to find out what descendants didn't know about their ancestor, and then research the missing facts.

This also works for fictional characters. I've seen child readers dressed as their favourite fictional characters, interview the authors who had created them. Fascinating double viewpoints on creativity.

So here is speed-dating with the cake-eating hippo whom I created but on whose behalf I also reply. Questions are based on issues which intrigue readers but also retain the logic of fantasy. And all have been asked, and answered ambiguously by hippo, aka. Hazel, across the past few years.

Q&A with Hippo Character Interviewing Author.

I'm the cake-eating hippo who lives on Hazel's roof. Usually children read stories about me.

NOW I can ask my author WHY, HOW and WHEN I happened.

Q. How old am I?

Hazel: The same age as the reader.

Q How many candles will be on my next birthday cake?

Hazel: The right number to blow out.

Q. Where did you get the idea for me?

Hazel: Our new roof leaked. The workmen came to fix it. My then four-year-old son Trevelyan said the noise was "the hippo, eating cake on our roof".

On another wet Saturday, my children and a neighbour Lani wrote their own hippo story and drew pictures

Q Real hippos eat carrots. I eat cake. Why?

Hazel: It's SPECIAL cake. There's an imagination muscle between your two ears. Exercise it to think of a special cake for you.

Potato cake? Chocolate? Ice-cream? Cake of soap? Cup cake? Fish cake? You choose.

Q Why do authors scribble on books?

Hazel: It's called autographing. When an author signs your book, it is special.

Q What is the hippocampus? Is it where I live?

Hazel: Memories live in a special place in your brain. That's called the hippocampus. Authors often visit there.

Q Who owns the book?

Hazel: The reader who uses the clues in the words and pictures to make their story.

Q Each book has a different title. Was it hard to think of names for the books?

Hazel: As parents name children, authors have to name their books and their characters. Hippo is your name. Each hippo book title starts with a different word, so librarians can find it in the catalogue.

Q Hippopotamus is a hard word to spell. Hippo is shorter.

Hazel: Is that a question? Lots of children say Hittopotamus, and that's OK.

That's why you have an H on your library bag, to help.

Q Did you tell Deborah Niland how to draw me?

Hazel: No. But I did ask if the child could have jeans and a T-shirt and look like a boy or girl because it was an "I" story. But Deborah drew a little girl.

Q How did you know I was a "he"?

Hazel: Readers decided. And we even had a competition to name the baby. Amus was one suggestion (it means friend). And it's in the word HippopotAMUS.

Q What do you say when children knock at your door and ask, "Is this the house where the hippo lives?"

Hazel: Have a look.

Q Did I go to Cake-School?

Hazel: Yes. You are a Master Chef. You are good at stirring. You know the recipe for a book. Slurps of fun. Dashes of jokes. Litres of laughing. And a big friend with all the answers.

Q. What is my favourite dance?

Hazel: You can belly-dance really well. But cake-walking is your best dance. That's a joyful strut on the roof.

Q Do I still live in the same place?

Hazel; Yes. Except when you go on holiday. Or to hospital. Or to the playground. Or the other places in the books.

Q. When my picture books are drawn, which page is done first?

Hazel: The illustrator decides. Sometimes it's the cover.

Q. Which picture do you like best?

Hazel: Playing hide and seek on the roof, with just a little bit of you showing. Some think it's your elbow.

Q. Is it?

Hazel: Depends what the reader thinks.

Q If my story is in another language, can I read the translation?

Hazel: You might enjoy "feeling" the Braille copy. Or working out the words in Chinese, or signing in Auslan.

Q What else can I do on the roof?

Hazel: Anything. Children often send their pictures of you playing "sokker". Or riding a bike. Or playing hide and seek.

Q Are you good at spelling big words like Hittopotamus?

Hazel: I try.

Q Do you ever get things wrong?

Hazel: Yes. The best stories come from things going wrong. Or embarrassing moments like standing with you under the Over-Sized Baggage sign at the airport.

Q How many drafts do you write of my stories?

Hazel: At least 10.

Q. How long does it take to write a Hippo picture book?

Hazel: There is thinking time. Then there is writing time. And rewriting time. And then it takes about a year for the illustrations.

Q Why have I got three toes?

Hazel: Because you're special.

Q Can my toes fit on the keyboard?

Hazel: Sometimes. Other times, I write answers to fan mail for you.

Q If I'm the character and you're the author, who knows more about me?

Hazel: Who do you think?

Q. What are the best questions, children have asked you about me, the cake-eating hippo?

Hazel: I'll share some. I answer fan mail for you occasionally.

I explain that I am writing on behalf of Hippo, as his feet don't fit on the keyboard.

Q1. I haven't got a friend. Will you come and sit on my roof?

A1. Yes. If you invite me.

Q2. My Mum went to Weight Watchers to lose weight. Don't you think you should stop eating so much cake?

A2. I also eat fish cakes and rice cakes.

Q3. Do you talk?

A3. Only to those who listen.

Q4. Did your bum get sunburnt when you didn't fit under the umbrella?

A4. You can check the illustration in the book.

Q5. When they put on the seatbelts, there were three clicks and four people, why?

A5. Maybe two clicked at once? Three of anything always works better in a story.

Q6. What's the name of the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?

A6. What do you think? One reader thought it was called "Just Right".

Q7. I went to hospital in an ambulance. But there was no hippo on the roof of mine. Where were you?

A7. I was directing traffic. At the hospital, I was telling doctors what to do.

Q 8 Why aren't you in the holiday photos?

A8 I'm shy. I don't always fit in.

Q9. Do you play soccer on the roof? I like soccer best

A 9 I play football... It could be Aussie Rules, rugby union or league or gridiron. D'you think it looks like soccer? I play all positions. Even referee and umpire.

Q. Can you read in different languages when your book is translated? Is there a hippo-speak? Hippo language?

A. Yes. I understand everything. I belong to everybody.

Q. In the hospital, did they put a Band Aid on the sore bit?

Yes.

Q. My book is worn out. Can I get one the same?

Yes.

Q. Will I ever meet your other characters from other books?

Yes.

Hazel: I've answered your questions Hippo. May I ask you one?

What happens after the end of the book?

Hippo: We read it again, together.

Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author by Hazel Edwards, is published by Brolga.