Steve Tasane

As a child

I was born in Leeds and grew up in Northallerton, with my Mum and three brothers, and a dog called Koko and cat called Jasper. We were poor and scruffy and noisy and boisterous.

As an adult

I’ve lived most of my life in London – I dropped out of college there because I wanted to experience life rather than read about it. I became a political activist and a vegan, and took on jobs that would pay the bills but leave me free to organise protest marches and write. I’ve been a petrol pump attendant, a cycle courier, a cleaner in a sweet factory, and a carer for people with disabilities. Then I got a job for Apples & Snakes poetry group, organising performance poetry shows. I put together a poetry pop group and we played at music venues and open-air festivals. Then I started running poetry workshops in schools for The Poetry Society and doing readings at Literature Festivals. Eventually I wrote more and more for kids in schools, and now I’m a writer for young adults. Everything I’ve learnt in life – about People and Animals and Love and Hate goes into what I write.

As a writer

I write mainly at my computer, but I do a lot of planning while I’m sleeping – so I often wake up and leap straight to my Mac. I write my poetry while I’m walking. I think we write with our ears and our mouths – pens and keyboards are just tools to help us save what we’ve written.

Things you didn’t know about Steve Tasane

1. I’m left-handed, and learnt to juggle as an adult because as a kid I was always dropping things. I wanted to prove to myself that it was possible. We can do anything if we try.
2. A long time ago I was a busker in London’s Leicester Square. I used to sing Jake The Peg, and had an extra leg which I’d do funny dances with. I’d attract huge crowds.
3. Even though I’m a vegan and won’t eat animal products, I hate salads! My favourite food is chips.
4. I like to have at least one animal character in everything I write. Pets have as much personality as people. Try watching The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of Toto…it’s a completely different film.
5. I threw away my TV because we couldn’t work out how to adapt it to digital, but I always watch Coronation Street catch-up on I-Player. And zombie films. And I love YouTube.
6. I don’t have a mobile phone, which drives everyone I know insane. When I’m out and about, I like to pay attention to what’s going on around me.
7. I once performed my poetry on a double-decker bus, and got paid for it!
8. I can catch twenty 2p coins from my elbow.
9. I cook the best (animal free) Sunday roast in the world.
10. And I can rap from one to a million in just over 1 minute.