Author Spotlight: George Ivanoff
We’re kicking off 2026 with a roar!
Our first Lit Club 4 Kids read of the year (January–March) is the action-packed You Choose MEGA: Prehistoric Peril by the brilliant George Ivanoff, a master of interactive storytelling. Packed with dinosaurs, danger, and decisions that put readers in control, You Choose MEGA is the perfect way to launch a brand-new Lit Club year.
We caught up with George to chat about his love of making things up, his very Doctor Who–approved writing setup, and why dinosaurs will always have a special place in his stories.
1. What made you want to become a writer?
I love making stuff up! And you know… if you make stuff up and you don’t write it down, people call you a liar; but if you make stuff up and write it down, they call you an author. I know which one I’d rather be.
2. Do you have any weird or funny writing habits (like needing a certain snack or only writing in your socks)?
Well… my favourite place to write is the desk in my study, surrounded by Doctor Who toys. There’s a Dalek right under my screen, staring up at me, making sure I keep writing. Is that weird? I dunno? And whenever I get writer’s block, I eat chocolate to help me break through it. But that’s definitely NOT weird!
3. What’s one fun fact about you that most people don’t know?
Everyone knows that I’m a HUGE fan of the television series Doctor Who. And most people know that I have a TARDIS jacket that I like wearing. But, not a lot of people know that I’m REALLY into cosplay… dressing up in costumes. I’ve got a Star Trek uniform, Jedi robes from the Star Wars films, a Mr Collins outfit from Pride and Prejudice, and heaps of other costumes. I wear them to parties and pop culture conventions. I even wore a historic Regency outfit when I got married. (Here are some pics in case you don’t believe me below — TARDIS jacket, Mr Collins, and the Star Trek pic is from 1984 when I was 16.)
4. If you could hang out with any author (alive or from the past), who would it be, and what would you do together?
Terrance Dicks. He wrote lots of books and television shows back in the 1960s and 1970s, including lots and lots of Doctor Who. In fact, he wrote my all-time favourite Doctor Who book — Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth. I would love to hang out with him and argue about Doctor Who continuity.
5. What’s one thing you hope readers remember about You Choose Mega: Prehistoric Peril?
The dinosaurs, of course! I love dinosaurs so much. And I included as many real dinosaurs in the book as possible. (There’s even a list of them at the back of the book.)
Thanks, George!
A huge thank you to George Ivanoff for sharing his time, imagination, and dinosaur-sized enthusiasm with us. We can’t wait for Lit Club 4 Kids members to dive into You Choose MEGA: Prehistoric Peril — an interactive adventure that puts readers in the driver’s seat and proves that reading can be thrilling, surprising, and wildly fun.
Here’s to starting 2026 with bold choices, big adventures, and a whole lot of dinosaurs!