Brenton's KIDLIT & WRITING Blog
Writing updates, book reviews, writing tips I find and share, and a smattering of things in between.
Rebecca Fraser writes fiction for children and adults. Her work has won, been shortlisted for, and honourably mentioned for numerous awards including the Aurealis, Australian Shadows, Ditmars, and Mornington Peninsula Shire Mayor’s Writing Award. Her publications include three middle grade novels, a collection of short fiction, and over sixty short stories, poems, and articles in various anthologies, journals, and magazines.
Visit Rebecca online at rebeccafraser.com 1. Your latest book is the wonderful, magical fantasy middle-grade novel 'Jonty's Unicorn'. Can you please share how this story originated and what was your process of writing it from manuscript to published book? Thanks, Brenton. I’m so pleased you enjoyed Jonty’s Unicorn! The idea of a unicorn entering a horse race galloped into my mind while taking a shower one day (the birthplace of many a plot and character!) and simply refused to leave. When I’d worked out what the internal and external conflicts were for protagonist, Jonty, and her accidental unicorn steed, Rose, the rest of the story took shape around them…I just never realised how high their stakes would be. Jonty’s Unicorn actually started out as a 10,000 word rhyming verse novel. After feedback from publishers, who loved the concept but felt it wasn’t commercial enough in its current format, I rewrote it as a prose novel, and it was picked up by IFWG Publishing, who specialise in speculative, young adult and middle grade fiction, and have been supporters of my work in the past. (IFWG Publishing released my middle grade urban fantasy adventure Curtis Creed and the Lore of the Ocean in 2018, and a collection of short fiction Coralesque and Other Tales to Disturb and Distract in 2021). I’m a massive fan of speculative fiction, and Jonty’s Unicorn is the type of story I loved to read as a child (and still do). It was a genuine pleasure to write. 2. What is your general writing process, and rewriting process, like when creating your terrific stories? You write nonfiction as well. Does the process differ depending on which book you are working on? As far as a daily writing routine, work and family commitments don’t always see me sit at the keyboard every day, but I still try to do something 'writerly' every day, even if it’s not all about the word count. This can involve anything from thinking about my characters, or working through plot devices (I find the shower and daily walks the best time for this), reading the works of others, or checking in with my writing community. When I have a writing day, I find I’m most productive in the morning, so I might start at 8:00am and go through until 2:00pm. Writing at night time doesn’t seem to work for me – my brain turns to marshmallow around 7:00pm! I’m a plotter, who allows myself to ‘pants it’ when the plotting doesn’t go to plan. I do like to have a framework to write to though, even if it’s just knowing the beginning and ending, and letting the middle resolve itself between the two. I give myself a self-determined deadline with longer works, and aim to work towards that…but it often makes a whooshing sound as it goes sailing past! I’ve learned to be more forgiving of myself when this happens. I really love the rewriting process. I write relatively clean drafts (or so I’m told), but there’s nothing quite like going over your work with a reader’s eye after the manuscript has had time to rest for several weeks. I pick up so many things that lack either continuity, sense, or reality! In my previous life I was a freelance content and copy writer (I’m a Library Officer now). I do still write non fiction articles though, although they’re more niche-based, rather than the diversity of industries I worked with as a copy writer. I tend to treat my words and paragraphs as building blocks when it comes to non-fiction articles. I keep my angle, research, audience, and word count in sharp focus, and begin scaffolding the piece around those parameters. 3. Is there one thing, or a few things, you know now about the writing & publishing world that you wished you knew when you began? I truly wish I had started taking my writing seriously earlier. I always knew I wanted to write, and dabbled with poetry, song lyrics, and short stories all throughout my junior years, through my teens, and then into early adulthood. It wasn’t really until I was in my late twenties though that I felt my life was settled enough to believe I could make my dream a reality. I sold my first story in 2007, and the feeling of validation that came with that was galvanising. Now I write novels, and I know how long the process can be from writing, polishing, submitting, waiting…waiting…waiting! I have so many ideas, and it feels like so little time. I would encourage anyone who harbours a dream to write to seize it with both hands now. Learn your craft, experiment with your messy first drafts, connect with your community...you’ll never regret the time you invest in your career, even if it feels like life is a bit of a mess at the time. (Spoiler: life is pretty much always messy)! 😊 4. Your touching, warm, heart-filled middle-grade novel 'Sea Glass' was very popular last year. It even was shortlisted for the Readings Children's Prize! What was the experience writing Sea Glass like and what was the embracing positive response once published like for you? Thank you, Brenton! Sea Glass means a lot to me. It’s the little book that defied traditional word counts for commercial middle grade fiction yet went on to enjoy a place on numerous school and library book clubs, a longlisting for Adaptable: Turning page to Screen, and selection for the QLD and SA Premier’s Reading Lists, as well as the amazing Reading’s Children’s Prize recognition. Can you believe the first official positive response I received actually came from you via your thoughtful and uplifting review in Books+Publishing! I remember being too scared to open the link when my publisher first sent it to me, and then nearly sobbing with relief when I read your generous praise. Sea Glass started as a procrastination project during lockdown. (I’m from Melbourne, so our lockdown was five times the fun – ha ha)! As well as home schooling and working from home, I was supposed to be working on a young adult manuscript – a big sprawling genre-blending space western epic, but with each passing day my creativity seemed to dimmish further and no words were coming. I’m so grateful my 5km ‘lockdown zone’ included the beach, and there’d be many days when my son and I would head down to the beach for our one hour of exercise, and I’d always be beachcombing for sea glass. Those daily beach walks revived me. Characters began to leave their footprints in the sand beside me—a city-dwelling girl, and her estranged grandfather who lived on a remote east Gippsland coastline. Their characters and plotlines grew with each ebb and flow of the tide, and when their voices grew from a whisper to a roar in my head, I knew it was time to commit their story to paper. I’m very grateful to Wombat Books for their enthusiasm and vision for this book. And I’m so appreciative of the lovely emails I receive from readers, both young and old, who have been moved by Cailin and Grandpa’s story. As a writer, it means so very much. 5. Can you share if there's anything in the pipeline? What is next for you? I have a junior fiction novel Skippy Blackfeet being released with Wombat Books next year which is super exciting, and I’m currently working on a YA novel for a 2025 release, which was contracted on a pitch. I’m itching to start work on a new contemporary middle grade novel which has been bubbling away in my brain for the past few months, and I’m also very keen to write a verse novel for the same readership. I’m attending a workshop through Writers Victoria with none other than Karen Comer in the coming weeks, and I’m very excited to learn some tips and strategies about the verse form from someone whose work I have such admiration for. I’m shopping around another middle grade manuscript at the moment – an adventure eco survival thriller – and my wish for 2024 is that it finds a respectable home.
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Amy Dunjey is a children’s author who writes picture books, short stories and poetry. Also working as a speech pathologist, Amy is a massive hot-chip enthusiast and avid rare book collector. Her two picture books are Dancing with Dragons from Larrikin and The Billabong Bush Dance from Five Mile. More picture books from Amy's pen are set to be published into 2025! Visit Amy online at Instagram www.instagram.com/amydunjeywrites and her website at amydunjey.com 1. Amy, I'm so pleased to chat with you. I absolutely love your latest picture book, a beautifully gentle and sensitive and soulful story called The Billabong Bush Dance, illustrated by Tyrown Waigana and published by Five Mile in late 2023. Can you please share your process in bringing the book to fruition from original idea to publication? How did the process differ, as this is now your second book, your first being Dancing with Dragons? Thanks so much Brenton! I wrote this story years ago and I recall tossing around a few different Australiana concepts before settling on this idea. I chose a platypus as the protagonist as I felt there were less stories out there about this particular Aussie animal. I tend to be a 'pantser' when I write - where I don't have the whole story planned out before starting and I work it out as I go, which was the case for this tale. Once I had finished this story, I got feedback from my lovely critique group and refined it some more. I started submitting it to publishers and was lucky enough to be offered a contract with Five Mile. Five Mile then found the wonderful Tyrown Waigana to illustrate, who is also from Western Australia! From contract to publication, I think the timing was around 18 months, which is relatively quick for a picture book! The process wasn't too dissimilar from my first book, in terms of the overall process. 2. You work as a Speech Pathologist. And you collect old books! How does being a speech pathologist help and inform your writing? And, any favourite old books you'd like to share with us? I think my speech pathology background sometimes influences my writing in terms of the words or concepts I use. I love to try and incorporate elements of early literacy skills. I also love writing in rhyme! I feel particularly passionate about promoting early literacy skills and families reading together, because we know how important this is for influencing later literacy skills. In terms of old books, my most interesting one recently was gifted to me by my Nan. It is called The Jackdaw Rheims, by Thomas Ingoldsby, illustrated by EM Jessop. It is an illustrated version of a ballad by Ingoldsby and was published in 1883! 3. Is there any one thing, or multiple things, you know now about writing and publishing that you wish you knew when you began? I wish I knew about rhyming metre when I first started! I had no idea about the concept of metre and that rhyming was about more than just rhyming words. I spent a long time learning about this concept and I think it will be a lifelong learning journey! I spent hours on the internet reading about metre. I did a course. I met like-minded rhyming writer friends! 4. Your first picture book is the lively sweet story about adventure and dancing (in rhyme, too!), called Dancing with Dragons from Larrikin House. What was the process of publishing this book like for you? How did your writing and publishing journey first begin? The beginning of my writing journey is a common one, in that I had dreamed of writing my whole life, but didn't start until I had my children. I spent the time that I was up at night with my babies, tapping away in the Notes section of my phone. Over time, I learned more about the publishing industry and attended my first conference, which was the CYA Conference (online). I was fortunate enough to place second with my 'Dancing with Dragons' manuscript in the aspiring authors competition. I later submitted this story to Larrikin House and was thrilled when they offered me a contract. Jesus Lopez, a talented illustrator from Spain, was the illustrator. From contract to publication was around two years. 5. Can you share anything in the pipeline? What is next for you? I have two picture books coming out soon with Five Mile. I also have a picture book being published in early 2025 with Affirm Press, which I'm very excited about. 6. You are a self-proclaimed hot chips enthusiast! So which is your go-to hot chip condiment? Which of the three would you choose... -Chicken salt -Tomato sauce -Barbecue sauce? What an excellent question! I am a huge fan of the hot chip. From this list, I would choose the classic: tomato sauce, but my favourite go-to would have to be plain salt and vinegar! 7. And a bit of a fun but tricky question for last, to make you really think! If you could put 3 other Australian picture books in a time capsule, to give future generations the best understanding of great Aussie kids books, which 3 titles would you choose and why? Oo this is a tricky question, but here are my three:
Kristin Martin is a South Australian picture book author, short story writer, poet, teacher and nature photographer! Her debut picture book Banjo Frog's Concert Spectacular (the first in the new Easter Bilby's Friends series) was published February 2024 by Wakefield Press. Kristin's children's poetry collection To Rhyme Or Not To Rhyme? was published by Glimmer Press. Visit Kristin's website at kristinmartin.net/ to find out more about her work and to find where to buy copies of her books! 1. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Kristin! Your new, debut picture book is 'Banjo Frog's Spectacular Easter', illustrated by Bianca Richardson and published by Wakefield Press. Can you please share how this story originated and what was your process of writing it from manuscript to published book? ‘Banjo Frog’s Concert Spectacular’ is the first in the Easter Bilby’s Friends series, which aims to educate children and their families about the damage introduced wild rabbits cause to the native animals and plants, and what they can do to help. The Foundation for Rabbit-Free Australia commissioned me to write it. They told me the message they wanted to get across in the book as well as the characters and the setting. It was up to me to find the story that would include all of these. Once I wrote it, and edited it, I sent it to the Foundation to fact check. Then Bianca Richardson illustrated the story. It was wonderful working with her, as she brought such life to the characters and added things that made the book so much better than I’d imagined. We communicated regularly throughout the process so it was quite collaborative. 2. You are also a poet with a passion for writing and teaching poetry and rhyme, like in your collection 'To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme?'. Where does your appreciation of poetry come from? And what qualities do you think, as a writer and a reader, make for a great poem? My appreciation of poetry came from my childhood. I loved reading AA Milne’s poetry books, and my year 5 teacher introduced a different poem to our class each week. My dad also challenged my siblings and I to learn a poem off by heart. I learnt ‘Mulga Bill’s Bicycle’ by Banjo Patterson. I like poems that rhyme and have a good rhythm, and also have clever similes and/or metaphors, or personification. And I am rather fond of alliteration. And last of all, I think a good poem has something unexpected in it. 3. You are a nature photographer and I have seen your love of green frogs ! You're also a teacher. I'm curious how your work with nature and your work with children informs, or even helps, your writing, in any way? We are told to write what we know, so I couldn’t write without spending time in nature. Pretty much all of my children’s poems are about nature, including about my pets, or things I’ve seen in my garden or while on walks. Though I’ve yet to write a poem about my pet green tree frogs. I should do that soon! Working with children gives me endless inspiration as well. 4. It seems there will be more stories in the Easter Bilby's Friends series after Banjo Frog's Concert Spectacular. Can you share anything about what will come next for you? I have finished writing the next book in the Easter Bilby’s Friends series and Bianca has started the illustrations. It will be out in time for Easter 2025. I also have two picture books with MidnightSun Publishing. The first will be out in June 2025. I’m not happy unless I have something to write, so I have just started working on a middle grade novel. I am having fun writing it but I’ve no idea if it will ever get published. Sometimes that isn’t important. 5. And a fun question for last, to make you really think! If you could put any 3 Aussie picture books in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years, to give future generations the best understanding of Australia's incredible children's literature, which 3 books would you choose and why? This is such a difficult question! How could I possibly choose only 3 books? There are so many wonderful Australian children’s books. One would have to be ‘Are We There Yet?’ by Alison Lester, because it shows so much of Australia. I would like to include ‘The Lost Thing’ by Shaun Tan, because I adore that book, but I’m not sure if that would give future generations a good understanding of children’s literature as it is so strange. But that’s what makes it great. Pamela Allen is one of my favourite early childhood authors. Maybe her book ‘The Pear in the Pear Tree,’ because it has great rhyme and onomatopoeia. Jackie French and Bruce Whatley’s ‘Diary of a Wombat’ is another great picture book with gorgeous humour and illustrations.
Kerri Day is a Sunshine Coast, Queensland based writer. Her debut picture book Beside the Sea, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft and published by Windy Hollow Books (2022) was named as a CBCA Notable 2023 - Book of the Year Early Childhood. Her second Picture Book with Windy Hollow, Run Pups Run, published in October 2023 was also a CBCA Notable Book. Twice winner of CYA Conference Category 2 Picture Book competition (2015, 2021), Kerri was runner up in the Writers Unleashed N.S.W Picture Book competition 2021, Shortlisted Scribbles Creative Writing Awards 2020 and longlisted for the First 5 Forever Stories, Songs and Rhymes Project curated by the Qld State Library 2020. At the heart of her stories are themes of individuality, persistence and the simple joy of being a child at play. She aspires for her stories to be shared at home and in the classroom, sparking curiosity, freeing readers and listeners to explore words, sound and creative thinking. Kerri wants children to find joy and wonder in her books and to have illustrators enjoy playing with her stories. When not writing she loves family time, reading, bushwalking and being in her garden which has a great view of the Glass House Mountains. 1. Welcome, Kerri! Your latest picture book Run Pups Run, illustrated by Nicky Johnston and published by Windy Hollow has been a smash hit, is reprinting, and was even a CBCA Notable! Can you please share how this story originated and what was your process of writing it from manuscript to published book? Thank you, Brenton, for your kind words and for asking me to participate in your Q&A. Run Pups Run was one of those stories that popped into my head. It started with the phrase – run pups run, wild beach fun – and once I had that rhythm in my head the structure of the text was set. I often think a day out with kids at the beach is like letting the dogs out of the yard, so I suppose that was in the back of my mind too. In one afternoon, I wrote the text and then went back and read it out loud over and over again to get the rhythm and rhyme the best it could be. I also wanted the text to mimic the pace of the day and to follow a very simple narrative arc from sun up to sun down. The first writing of Run Pups Run was in one of my many manuscript notebooks, then I made a Picture Book dummy to make sure the page turns and spreads felt right before I typed it up. I submitted the manuscript to CYA competition and it won back in 2021, that led to an editor assessment and ultimately a two-book contract with Windy Hollow Books. Working with a publisher that focuses on making beautiful Picture Books was so great for my first two books. 2. The text of Run Pups Run is lyrical and sunny-warm and though spare, it is incredibly evocative. Was it submitted to the publisher with illustration notes on how you saw the story, visually? Or was the text originally longer and later trimmed down once an illustrator was found? The text was always very minimal to mimic the way children and dogs would go about their day on the run at the beach and also to suit the early and pre reading stage. I provided minimal illustration notes, only really about the kite being stuck in the tree and also saying that the “pups” were actually dogs and children. I did not storyboard it for the publisher but I did write the manuscript in spreads to show page turns. The only change the publisher made was to take out one spread, which did not change the story at all. I adored the illustrations Nicky Johnston created right from the start and I knew they would connect with people in a warm and nostalgic way. I saw the initial rough drawings of the storyboard and then nothing more until Nicky had completed the final colour illustrations. I love that picture books are such a creative collaboration between words and the visual arts. I want illustrators to have fun playing with my words. 3. You have published two really gorgeous picture books about animals, creatures, family relationships, with dashings of heart and love and soul. Your work is so evocative and both your texts pair really well with your illustrators. What is your writing process, and rewriting process, like when creating your terrific stories? I keep notebooks for each Picture Book MS and I handwrite the first drafts and most of the edits too. I also keep a notebook to jot down interesting things I see or hear, funny signs or names of characters that pop into my head. I love to play with words and hope my books will have children feeling the emotion, energy and musicality of language, as this really helps with learning to read. I keep in mind why I want to write and that is - I want children to remember reading a book with their family as loving, fun and nurturing. Sometimes I refer to my books as – cuddle, snuggle, snooze – books, that they really are bedtime stories. From time to time, I walk and talk my books around my garden to really get the feel and fit of the words. I can visualise my characters going through the action of my story, so that helps with finding the right descriptive word or phrase. I make up dummy books so I can get the page turns right. Run Pups Run had minimal re-writes. But after editor feedback, Beside the Sea was rewritten to take out dialogue, change the point of view and reduce the word count. I didn’t mind re-writing it as it did not change the arc of the story or the message. Authors should not be afraid of re-writes, it is all good skill building and it made me a better picture book writer. 3. Is there one thing, or a few things, you know now about the writing world that you wished you knew when you began? I wish I had known how many supportive people were out there in the writing world, so willing to share their knowledge, to encourage and to let me see there is no one way or one reason to be a writer. I wouldn’t have waited so long to dive into that world and try my luck if I had realised this. On a more practical level, knowing about MS word lengths and formatting would have been handy, but CYA Conference set me up well for all that once I got started attending. Also knowing the path to publication is a marathon not a sprint is something to keep in mind. If you love to write or illustrate keep being creative and keep looking for the best home for your work. And I do love this quote, which I have on the wall of my study: “Talent is way down on the list of things you need to write; it comes in a distant fourth, after motivation, discipline, and persistence. And the reason, is that “talent” is as common as mud; what’s rare is the motivation to sit down and actually do something with it, the discipline to do it regularly, and the persistence to stick with it until it’s finished.” ---- Patricia C Wrede (American Writer) 4. For you, as a writer and even as a reader, what constitutes a great picture book? Warm and generous illustrations, which add to the story, reflecting inciteful interpretation of the text. Familiarity with the characters or the situation, an emotional connection, a flowing rhythm and lyrical language. And finally, a picture book for me should have joy, love and kindness. 5. Can you share anything in the pipeline? What is next for you? I continue to write and submit Picture Book manuscripts and enter competitions. The feedback from competitions is always valuable. I have something on the horizon in the coming months, a MS which means a lot to me, but at the moment I can’t officially say anything. I would like to try my hand at Middle Grade Fiction down the track but for now my heart is with Picture Books. I have loads of Picture Book manuscripts on my computer, some more well formed than others of course and some from the early days, where I shake my head at how naive they were. 6. And a two-part question to end with, to reflect on exciting moments: a) How did you find out you were first going to be a published picture book writer? and b) How did making the CBCA Notable List (twice!) make you feel? Finding out I had been offered a contract for two of my manuscripts came via email one afternoon while I was staying with my daughter. It was lovely to share that jump up and down moment with her and to then share it with my husband when I got home, as he had been such a wonderful support. I’ve been so pleased with how both my books have been received out in the world. To have them named as Notables was more than I ever dreamed. Full credit to my two illustrators, Jess Rackyleft and Nicky Johnston for building such beautiful worlds around my words and for Cristina Pase from Windy Hollow for matching my MS with these great artists and taking a chance on a completely unknown author. For Beside the Sea, the Notable email came at night, and because I didn’t know my publisher had entered the book, it was a totally and completely surreal moment. I didn’t tell anyone until the next day I don’t think. For Run Pups Run, I knew it had been entered but tried not to think about it too much and again I was happily surprised and pleased. I rang my children and my big sister straight away to share the joy and I might have cried a bit. To be recognised by the CBCA alongside Australian authors I respect and admire was strange and amazing all at once. It gave my writing validation and gave me confidence to keep doing this writing thing I love.  
Pamela Rushby is a writer and a producer of educational television, audio and multimedia. She has written over 250 fiction and non-fiction books for educational and trade publishers. Her historical novel, When the Hipchicks Went to War, won the Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premier's Literature Awards 2010. The Horses Didn't Come Home was a CBCA Notable Book, and short-listed in the Queensland Literary Awards 2012. Flora's War was a CBCA Notable Book 2014, and The Ratcatcher’s Daughter short-listed in the Queensland Literary Awards 2015 and a CBCA Notable Book in 2015. Her latest historical novels are The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle, The Secret Battle, Interned, The Mud Puddlers and her most recent release is Those Girls, published in April 2024 by Walker Books, a YA historical novel about the Queensland Land Army Girls during World War 2. Visit Pam and find out more about her books at www.pamelarushby.com 1. Congratulations on your wonderful new book, just released by Walker Books. 'Those Girls' is a historical YA novel inspired by the Land Army Girls in Queensland during World War II. Can you please share your process in writing this book from getting the initial idea? Why was it important to tell this story about QLD's Land Army Girls in a novel for young adults? This book was quite a few years in the making. I first became aware of the AWLA when I saw a photograph of Land Army girls at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach. I’m always looking for ideas for little-known stories involving women and girls – and these girls truly appeared to be unsung heroes. I bought a couple of books about them, found more publications, delved in the Australian War Memorial and John Oxley libraries and Queensland Newspapers. I was lucky enough to be able to talk with a real Land Girl (very few left now) and get permission to use her stories. I worked on it in the time gaps between other books. I think it’s important to tell women’s stories, especially to girls today. 2. Do you have a typical process when you write and rewrite a manuscript? Also, what is your approach to gathering and carrying out and organising research? I do a lot of research – it’s like a treasure hunt. I read and read and read, and follow up comments and clues, and search out publications mentioned in books and articles. I have a folder stuffed full of notes, print-outs, photo copies – which you couldn’t call Organised at all. But because I’m (usually) writing about an actual historical event, I do have a framework to follow. I always have a long, extended outline of the story (almost a chapter outline) before I start the actual writing process. I’m a plotter, not a pantser! 3. Is there one thing you know now about the publishing world you wish you knew when you began? Absolutely everything! My best advice is, get an agent. I was royally ripped off on one of the first books I had accepted, because I knew nothing about contracts. Agentsknow all! 4. What are the most important things to consider, for you, when researching and writing a story about true events from the past? What appeals to you about writing stories from history, particularly the ones you write set in Queensland? Accuracy. I studied history at uni, and I do realise that history is written by the winners, so you can’t get all the facts (whatever they are …) But I do want to get as much detail as I can, and get it as correct as I can. I believe the strangest, most riveting, heart-breaking, laugh-out-loud stories aren’t fiction. They come from history. And I love tripping over unusual, forgotten incidents from history – and then writing about them. 5. Do you have anything in the pipeline you can tell us about? I’ve just finished a middle-grade historical novel about the Save Our Sons movement during the Vietnam War. My agent is sending it around now. 6. Tell us about (or share a pic of) your writing space? Mmm, writing space. For very shame, no picture. But I do have a room with a computer, a very cluttered desk (I know where absolutely everything is!), 3 filing cabinets, 2 bookcases, pinboard. And lots of dust … Having said that, I can write anywhere. I used to do a lot while waiting for my kids to have ice skating lessons. 7. And a bit of a fun but tricky question for last, to make you really think! If you could put any 3 Pamela Rushby books in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years, to give future generations the best understanding of who Pamela Rushby is as a writer, then which 3 books would you choose and why? Interesting question! It wouldn’t just be books. I’d have to put in (oooh, this is like Desert Island Discs) a television documentary I worked on called Bilby Brothers: the men who exterminated the Easter bunny, because I am very proud of that. Also a multimedia production, Queensland Heritage Trails that I worked on when I was a producer/scriptwriter for the Queensland Department of Education. And probably the latest book, Those Girls.
 Annaleise Byrd grew up on a farm in Queensland, ignoring most farm-related pursuits in favour of reading books. She then spent nine years in England and Canada, neglecting a variety of jobs in favour of reading books. Eventually, she realised the best way to get away with this was to become an author. Annaleise now writes funny books for kids and lives in Brisbane with her husband, two young sons and rescue greyhound. She is particularly fond of lamingtons. Annaleise’s debut middle grade novel, Losing the Plot, was published by Walker Books Australia in March 2024. Find Annaleise online at: Website: annaleisebyrd.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/annaleisebyrdauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/annaleisebyrd/ Thank you to Annaleise for stopping by my blog to discuss her fabulously magical and fairytale-tastic debut children's book 'Losing the Plot!' If you have not already snagged a copy of this terrifically funny fantasy novel, here is a little blurb to entice you further. A tremendous whooshing noise started up. It sounded like a million pages being riffled at once. I caught a strong whiff of gingerbread. Then The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm flew open and a human-shaped blur came shooting out … Basil Beedon and Terry Clegg are neighbours, and that's all they have in common. Terry loves sport and Basil loves books – but to Basil’s absolute dismay, he’s been roped into helping Terry with his reading. Every. Single. Saturday. However, that's the least of his worries when Gretel comes shooting out of The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. The boys are plunged into a dangerous world run by the Fairytale Alliance Network of Character Yunions (FANCY), where not everyone is what they seem, Hansel has been kidnapped and a plot hole threatens to destroy everything. Witty, clever, with adventure at every turn, this is a fractured fairytale in a very surprising, Grimm world. 1. Thank you, Annaleise for agreeing to this Q&A! Congratulations on your debut children's novel 'Losing the Plot' just being published! How did the idea originate in the first place and become published? Can you share with us the moment you found out you were going to be a published novelist? Thanks, Brenton! The idea came about when I started pondering what would happen if modern-day kids ended up in the world of Grimms’ original fairytales. Given that the original versions of those stories can be quite dark and scary, I wondered what skills modern-day kids would need to survive in that world. Then I started wondering how that world would be organised and policed, which led me to the various Yunions. I met my publisher during a paid 15-minute manuscript assessment at the CYA Conference in 2021. It was another 7 months before I received the official publication offer via email. That moment definitely involved some screeching, leaping around the house, and calling my nearest and dearest! 2. Do you have a typical process when you write? What does the rewriting process look like for you? I’m the kind of writer who likes to know where the story is going before I can get started. I don’t have to know everything – in fact, the best ideas usually arrive once I’m actually writing – but I need to understand the ‘big picture’ pieces of my story, like who the villain is or which fairytales my characters are going to travel into. So I spend a lot of time thinking, researching, stream-of-consciousness writing, and sometimes discussing my ideas with someone before I feel ready to start (or, sometimes, before I can continue). As for rewriting, I do that constantly while writing – I’m terrible at following the ‘don’t edit as you go’ advice! I type rather than handwrite, usually at a desktop in our office or on a laptop in my favourite living room chair (see photo). These days I try to write while my family members are at work and school, but back when I was writing Losing the Plot my kids weren’t in school yet, so it was mostly written in the middle of the night! As you can probably tell, my writing routine is neither consistent nor particularly efficient, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to emulate it – haha! 3. Having just gone through your first process of having a book accepted and edited and marketed, what have you been surprised and excited to learn about the debut publishing experience? I love how enthusiastic and supportive people have been – both within the industry and outside of it. I don’t know that I was necessarily surprised by this, since I’ve seen it happen to others, but it’s certainly exciting when it’s MY book it’s happening to! 4. Fairytales and humour and fantasy are huge parts of your novel. What is your key to writing great humour? And do you have a favourite fairytale? I think the key to writing great humour is for the story to be told in a humorous voice or to involve humorous situations and characters. Then the humour comes naturally rather than having to be forced in. Before I started writing Losing the Plot, I was writing historical time slip stories. I think I was drawn to the idea of transporting my characters to a different place and time while still having some pre-existing characters and constraints to work with. Then, once I started reading the original Grimms’ fairytales, I realised just how much fun they would be to play with. I don’t have a favourite fairytale, though I tend to become quite fond of whichever one I’m currently re-reading endlessly in order to write about it! Hansel and Gretel will always be special to me because of its role in Losing the Plot. But I also love some of the really weird ones that no one has ever heard of! I’ve enjoyed incorporating a few of those into Losing the Plot and the upcoming sequel, Down the Plot Hole. 5. There is a sequel to your book coming in 2025, called 'Down the Plot Hole'. You also have a picture book coming out. Can you please share a bit more about these two books and their creation process, plus what readers can expect? In Down the Plot Hole, readers can expect to return to the fairytale world with Basil and Terry as they attempt to solve a new mystery. They’ll encounter familiar favourites like Hansel, Gretel and Herr Korbes, plus meet some entertaining new characters from the Grimm canon. I started working on Down the Plot Hole as soon as I got the contract for Losing the Plot, and it took a similar amount of time to write – almost two years. It was a bit of a rollercoaster at times, but I’m really happy with how it’s turned out! My picture book is with Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing. It involves lots of silliness and humour so is pretty on-brand for me! I’ll be able to share more about it once I get the go- ahead to do so. At this stage there’s nothing else in the pipeline for me, but I have plenty more manuscripts and ideas, so fingers crossed!  Magical lamingtons! 6. And for a bit of fun! Here are some fairytale-themed lightning round questions... Favourite fairytale story world to spend a day inside of? Hansel and Gretel, so I could eat part of the witch’s cottage! Would you rather vacation in a gingerbread house or a tower in the forest? A tower in the forest sounds like a great place to get some writing done… Magical cupcakes that let you cast spells or magical lamingtons that let you jump inside books? Lamingtons! As in your novel, out of the groups that are subsets of FANCY (Fairytale Alliance Network of Character Yunions), which group would you be a part of? I’d probably be in VAGUELY FANCY (Various Assorted Generic Unnamed Extras of Limited Yuse) with aspirations of being in MOST FANCY (Morally Outstanding Stars of the Tale)… You are trapped on a island with food, water, shelter but ONLY 3 children's books to read! Which 3 books and why? I’d cheat a little by choosing a collection of Grimms’ Fairytales so I could have 200+ stories in one book. And then… hmm… Holes by Louis Sachar so I could analyse the awesome writing. Thirdly, John of the Sirius by Doris Chadwick because I adored that book as a child!  Author Annaleise Byrd hard at work in her favourite writing chair! Thank you Annaleise for stopping by and sharing your journey! Do yourself a favour and grab a copy of 'Losing the Plot' today! Losing the Plot by Annaleise Byrd is published by Walker Books. Available now at all good bookstores! Find Annaleise online at: Website: annaleisebyrd.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/annaleisebyrdauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/annaleisebyrd/ 
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 Willow's Gumboots by Beverley McWilliams - coming in October 2024 from MidnightSun Publishing! |  Beverley's debut picture book, 'Born to Fly' about Captain Harry Butler. |
 |  illustrator, Max Hamilton |  author, Catherine Meatheringham |
Please welcome Catherine Meatheringham and Max Hamilton, here to chat about their stunning soon-to-be-released picture book 'Our Home' (published 1 May 2024 by prestigious Windy Hollow Books) and their picture book careers at large!
1. Hi, Catherine and Max! Your upcoming picture book 'Our Home' (which is so gorgeous!) is published next month by Windy Hollow. Can you both share a little about how this story originated and your process of bringing the book to fruition?
MAX: Thanks so much Brenton. OUR HOME was a labour of love so I really appreciate your kind words.
OUR HOME came about because Catherine, the author, fell in love with an illustration spread in the book I illustrated “When the Waterhole Dries Up” (written by Kaye Baillie). The illustration is of an outback landscape including a weatherboard home and the little boy from the story. Catherine decided she wanted to write a story that included lots of beautiful Australian landscape illustrations and therefore came up with the concept for her story OUR HOME which celebrates different families, homes and landscapes across Australia. Because Windy Hollow had worked with Catherine and I on our debut title and I've illustrated several other books with Windy Hollow Cristina Pase was more than happy to pair us up again for OUR HOME as per Catherine's suggestion.
CATHERINE: Thanks Brenton, that’s very kind! The idea for Our Home came after reading When the Waterhole Dries Up by Kaye Baillie and Max Hamilton. I loved Max’s illustration of the outback home and immediately knew that I wanted to write a book that showcased children’s homes around Australia.
I feel very strongly that children should be able to see themselves reflected in picture books. I wanted Our Home to be a way for children to see part of their life in the book - whether it’s their family, community, housing type or a landscape they recognise.
I spent ages researching the diversity of landscapes and housing in Australia before picking the homes and onomatopoeia. I wrote the manuscript with Windy Hollow Books, Cristina Pase (editor) and Max Hamilton in mind, and I am thrilled that we have created this book together.
2. Max, what are the joys, and even the challenges, of your illustrating process?
MAX: I have a lifelong love of picture books and illustration so it’s a joy and a privilege to do this as my job every day.
It’s also a joy to be a part of introducing young children to stories, books and reading through my work.
I hope too that children pour over all the details in my work while they are snuggled up next to a loved one while sharing a bedtime story.
The main challenge for me as an illustrator is the very low income illustrators receive which does not correlate to the hours spent on the work. Other challenges that occasionally cause me grief are tight time frames to work within. My work is quite detailed so it takes a bit of time to create my illustrations.
The last major challenge is not having enough hours in the day to get through the all the book projects I have committed to already before I can focus on my own stories as Author / Illustrator - many of which are constantly brewing in my head.
3. Is there anything you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you began?
MAX: I wish I knew that most publishers can only publish a few picture books titles per year because this would have helped me understand when I was starting out why it was so hard to crack into the industry. I also wish that I'd started in the industry sooner so I'd be at a different stage of my career now than I am currently at.
CATHERINE: To write what is true to you. Early on I tried to write stories that I thought publishers would want, not the ones that I wanted to write. Needless to say, the former never went anywhere, but the ones that I felt passionate about writing have been published!
4. Catherine, your other picture books are the wonderful Knock Knock and the popular All Dogs Bark. Why have these stories resonated so well with readers young and old?
CATHERINE: I love onomatopoeia, including cross linguistic onomatopoeia and how everyday sounds, like a dog barking or knocking on a door, are so different around the world. I think most people find that part interesting too, and children love to say the sounds with me when I read the book. Both books are illustrated by Deb Hudson and her illustration are so detailed and vibrant that children pour over the details.
5. For you both, as creators and as readers, what qualities make a perfect picture book?
MAX: For me a perfect picture book is beautifully illustrated, professionally designed, includes an eye catching cover and stunning end papers, and the story is well written and is full of heart and humour. It’s a bonus if the cover has lovely printing finishes such as a de-bossed title, or a spot gloss UV varnish or even a cloth spine!!! Don't get me started!
CATHERINE: My mum was a preschool teacher, so growing up I was surrounded by picture books that were wonderful to read out loud - like Pamela Allen’s books. This has influenced what I love in picture books. They must be a joy to read out loud with the words and rhythm sounding and feeling great. And of course, the illustration and design must be beautiful too. As a writer I always imagine how my stories will sound if they’re read to a classroom of children.
6. Max, your picture book 'Where the Lyrebird Lives' with Vikki Conley won a CBCA Book of Year last year!
What does an award like this mean to you as an artist?
MAX: Winning the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award (Early Childhood) in 2023, along with the Author Vikki Conley, was a life affirming moment for me. I have wanted to illustrate children’s books since I was little and I think this is partly due to the CBCA Awards and my love of Library lessons at school so it meant the world to achieve my goal of winning this prestigious Award.
I also hope that winning a CBCA Award will result in more opportunities to illustrate my own titles in the future.
7. Catherine, 'Our Home' is not the first time Max's illustrations have been paired with your words.
You collaborated on 'My Possum Plays the Drums'. Talk a little about how your stories and Max's art work so well together?
CATHERINE: Both Our Home and My Possum Plays the Drums are both very simple stories from a text perspective, which I think left lots of room for Max’s beautiful and detailed watercolour illustrations to shine. They are also ones that explore life in Australia and Max is incredibly talented at illustrating Australian landscapes, flora, fauna and homes.
8. Max, if you had to choose just 3 of your books to be put in a time capsule, to give future generations an understanding of who you are as a creator, which 3 books would you choose?
MAX: Oh man, this is a hard one Brenton! This is like choosing a favourite child but to answer the question at this very point in time I would have to choose “Where the Lyrebird Lives’ and then the latest two books I've illustrated “The Beehive” by Megan Daley and “Our Home” by Catherine Meatheringham because they are both fresh in my mind and both involved a huge amount of time and care to illustrate. These three choices would also showcase my more naive, early childhood style verses my Nature Storybook, more detailed illustrative style.
9. Thank you both, Catherine and Max, for joining me today.
Before we go, can you both share what is coming up next for you? Anything in the pipeline?
MAX: I am currently illustrating a chapter book trilogy for Harper Collins, written by Tina Strachan, and am also working on my very first Author / Illustrator picture book, published by Allen and Unwin which I am so excited to get stuck into soon!!! I am also working on a historical, non fiction picture book that I hope to get published in the near future.
CATHERINE: I have another book coming out next year with Deb Hudson and Windy Hollow Books which I’m very excited about. I’m also making a video of children from around Australia describing their own home to accompany the release of Our Home.
THANK YOU Catherine and Max!
Congratulations on 'Our Home', published by Windy Hollow Books!
Remember to buy a copy from your local bookstore, or online, from 1 May 2024.
'Our Home' is a sure-fire hit, a beautiful story about community, family, love and where we belong.
See the May issue of literary magazine 'Magpies: Talking About Children's Books' for my full review of 'Our Home'.
See Windy Hollow's website for more information about 'Our Home' at: https://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/our-home
Visit Catherine online at www.catherinemeatheringham.com
Visit Max online at www.maxhamiltonillustration.com.au
1. Hi, Catherine and Max! Your upcoming picture book 'Our Home' (which is so gorgeous!) is published next month by Windy Hollow. Can you both share a little about how this story originated and your process of bringing the book to fruition?
MAX: Thanks so much Brenton. OUR HOME was a labour of love so I really appreciate your kind words.
OUR HOME came about because Catherine, the author, fell in love with an illustration spread in the book I illustrated “When the Waterhole Dries Up” (written by Kaye Baillie). The illustration is of an outback landscape including a weatherboard home and the little boy from the story. Catherine decided she wanted to write a story that included lots of beautiful Australian landscape illustrations and therefore came up with the concept for her story OUR HOME which celebrates different families, homes and landscapes across Australia. Because Windy Hollow had worked with Catherine and I on our debut title and I've illustrated several other books with Windy Hollow Cristina Pase was more than happy to pair us up again for OUR HOME as per Catherine's suggestion.
CATHERINE: Thanks Brenton, that’s very kind! The idea for Our Home came after reading When the Waterhole Dries Up by Kaye Baillie and Max Hamilton. I loved Max’s illustration of the outback home and immediately knew that I wanted to write a book that showcased children’s homes around Australia.
I feel very strongly that children should be able to see themselves reflected in picture books. I wanted Our Home to be a way for children to see part of their life in the book - whether it’s their family, community, housing type or a landscape they recognise.
I spent ages researching the diversity of landscapes and housing in Australia before picking the homes and onomatopoeia. I wrote the manuscript with Windy Hollow Books, Cristina Pase (editor) and Max Hamilton in mind, and I am thrilled that we have created this book together.
2. Max, what are the joys, and even the challenges, of your illustrating process?
MAX: I have a lifelong love of picture books and illustration so it’s a joy and a privilege to do this as my job every day.
It’s also a joy to be a part of introducing young children to stories, books and reading through my work.
I hope too that children pour over all the details in my work while they are snuggled up next to a loved one while sharing a bedtime story.
The main challenge for me as an illustrator is the very low income illustrators receive which does not correlate to the hours spent on the work. Other challenges that occasionally cause me grief are tight time frames to work within. My work is quite detailed so it takes a bit of time to create my illustrations.
The last major challenge is not having enough hours in the day to get through the all the book projects I have committed to already before I can focus on my own stories as Author / Illustrator - many of which are constantly brewing in my head.
3. Is there anything you know now about the publishing world that you wish you knew when you began?
MAX: I wish I knew that most publishers can only publish a few picture books titles per year because this would have helped me understand when I was starting out why it was so hard to crack into the industry. I also wish that I'd started in the industry sooner so I'd be at a different stage of my career now than I am currently at.
CATHERINE: To write what is true to you. Early on I tried to write stories that I thought publishers would want, not the ones that I wanted to write. Needless to say, the former never went anywhere, but the ones that I felt passionate about writing have been published!
4. Catherine, your other picture books are the wonderful Knock Knock and the popular All Dogs Bark. Why have these stories resonated so well with readers young and old?
CATHERINE: I love onomatopoeia, including cross linguistic onomatopoeia and how everyday sounds, like a dog barking or knocking on a door, are so different around the world. I think most people find that part interesting too, and children love to say the sounds with me when I read the book. Both books are illustrated by Deb Hudson and her illustration are so detailed and vibrant that children pour over the details.
5. For you both, as creators and as readers, what qualities make a perfect picture book?
MAX: For me a perfect picture book is beautifully illustrated, professionally designed, includes an eye catching cover and stunning end papers, and the story is well written and is full of heart and humour. It’s a bonus if the cover has lovely printing finishes such as a de-bossed title, or a spot gloss UV varnish or even a cloth spine!!! Don't get me started!
CATHERINE: My mum was a preschool teacher, so growing up I was surrounded by picture books that were wonderful to read out loud - like Pamela Allen’s books. This has influenced what I love in picture books. They must be a joy to read out loud with the words and rhythm sounding and feeling great. And of course, the illustration and design must be beautiful too. As a writer I always imagine how my stories will sound if they’re read to a classroom of children.
6. Max, your picture book 'Where the Lyrebird Lives' with Vikki Conley won a CBCA Book of Year last year!
What does an award like this mean to you as an artist?
MAX: Winning the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award (Early Childhood) in 2023, along with the Author Vikki Conley, was a life affirming moment for me. I have wanted to illustrate children’s books since I was little and I think this is partly due to the CBCA Awards and my love of Library lessons at school so it meant the world to achieve my goal of winning this prestigious Award.
I also hope that winning a CBCA Award will result in more opportunities to illustrate my own titles in the future.
7. Catherine, 'Our Home' is not the first time Max's illustrations have been paired with your words.
You collaborated on 'My Possum Plays the Drums'. Talk a little about how your stories and Max's art work so well together?
CATHERINE: Both Our Home and My Possum Plays the Drums are both very simple stories from a text perspective, which I think left lots of room for Max’s beautiful and detailed watercolour illustrations to shine. They are also ones that explore life in Australia and Max is incredibly talented at illustrating Australian landscapes, flora, fauna and homes.
8. Max, if you had to choose just 3 of your books to be put in a time capsule, to give future generations an understanding of who you are as a creator, which 3 books would you choose?
MAX: Oh man, this is a hard one Brenton! This is like choosing a favourite child but to answer the question at this very point in time I would have to choose “Where the Lyrebird Lives’ and then the latest two books I've illustrated “The Beehive” by Megan Daley and “Our Home” by Catherine Meatheringham because they are both fresh in my mind and both involved a huge amount of time and care to illustrate. These three choices would also showcase my more naive, early childhood style verses my Nature Storybook, more detailed illustrative style.
9. Thank you both, Catherine and Max, for joining me today.
Before we go, can you both share what is coming up next for you? Anything in the pipeline?
MAX: I am currently illustrating a chapter book trilogy for Harper Collins, written by Tina Strachan, and am also working on my very first Author / Illustrator picture book, published by Allen and Unwin which I am so excited to get stuck into soon!!! I am also working on a historical, non fiction picture book that I hope to get published in the near future.
CATHERINE: I have another book coming out next year with Deb Hudson and Windy Hollow Books which I’m very excited about. I’m also making a video of children from around Australia describing their own home to accompany the release of Our Home.
THANK YOU Catherine and Max!
Congratulations on 'Our Home', published by Windy Hollow Books!
Remember to buy a copy from your local bookstore, or online, from 1 May 2024.
'Our Home' is a sure-fire hit, a beautiful story about community, family, love and where we belong.
See the May issue of literary magazine 'Magpies: Talking About Children's Books' for my full review of 'Our Home'.
See Windy Hollow's website for more information about 'Our Home' at: https://www.windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/our-home
Visit Catherine online at www.catherinemeatheringham.com
Visit Max online at www.maxhamiltonillustration.com.au
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Tania Ingram is an internationally published, best-selling author of children’s picture books and novels including the rollicking Jinny and Cooper series and the hilarious Aggie Flea series. She has acted as a peer assessor on the literature panel for Arts South Australia’s grants program and is an active ambassador for the Premier’s Reading Challenge.
She was born in Whyalla, South Australia and moved to Adelaide as a teenager. She studied at the University of South Australia and graduated with a Masters Degree in clinical psychology. Prior to becoming a full time writer she was a child psychologist, specialising in brain injury, disability and adolescent mental health. Her work has received a CBCA Notable, a Speech Pathology Book of the Year shortlisting, and much praise from young and old fans alike.
Tania also has a mid-grade novel with Scholastic, The Other Shadow, coming out in July 2024 and a picture book, Walls, coming out with Wombat Books in mid 2024. In her spare time, Tania likes to read children’s fiction, crochet crooked rugs and sing to her chickens who pretend to be oblivious to her talent.
1. Your latest books are Aggie Flea Is Not A Liar! (which was a CBCA Notable - congratulations!) and the sequel, Aggie Flea Steals the Show!
Can you please share with us how the idea for Aggie originated and what was your process in bringing the stories to fruition through writing and publication?
Thank you for the congrats. Having Aggie Flea is NOT a Liar! recognised as a CBCA Notable book was an unexpected, happy surprise.
Aggie Flea is basically me as a child. I’ve always had a BIG imagination, and it often got me into trouble when I was younger. I’m not sure how my parents and teachers survived me with their sanity intact! For example, when I was six years old, I had a new neighbour move into the house next door. Through a misunderstood comment, I thought our new neighbour was an alien and somehow got it into my mind that he might be able to hook me up with my own R2-D2 (in my defence, Star Wars had just come out so ‘aliens’ had a whole different meaning to me!). I used this memory as the basis for the first Aggie Flea book, except Aggie thinks her neighbour might be a vampire.
In each of the Aggie Flea books there are three graphic novel sections of Aggie’s favourite book character, Princess Zombie. The Princess Zombie character was originally a few brief mentions throughout the Aggie Flea story. When Aggie found herself in trouble, she’d wonder how Princess Zombie would handle the situation. The publisher liked the character and asked me to add more. In order to explain how I viewed the Princess Zombie books; I wrote a short graphic novel one weekend and sent it to my editors. They loved it and suggested we add them into the story as a graphic novel. I thought it would make more sense if the themes of Princess Zombie somehow tied in with what was going on in Aggie Flea’s life. At the time, I thought it was different and clever – I had no idea how hard it was going to be to replicate until I started writing the second book! I’m still amazed that I managed to pull it off. Twice!
I originally wrote the first two Aggie Flea stories in 2019 and was editing the first book in 2020, when COVID shut the world down. Four years and five editors later – we finally made it! I was fortunate to have Anne Yi illustrate the books and between her gorgeous illustrations, Nicole Stofberg’s superb design and publisher, Rebecca Young’s guidance, the books look amazing!
2. Is there one thing, or multiple things, you know now about writing and publishing that you wish you knew when you began?
My whole journey has been (and still is a learning curve). Where do I begin?!
Beyond the usual practical information, which you can find online, I’d say that networking is crucial in this industry, as is getting comfortable with ‘putting yourself out there.’ For introverts and anxious people like myself, this can be challenging at first but it does get easier. The same goes for social media.
The other thing I would say is to find yourself a small group of trusted friends in the industry and catch up regularly. Publishing can be a tough industry and having people to share your highs and lows with, or bounce ideas off can be hugely valuable. I’ve learnt so much from the group of ladies I catch up with one a month.
3. You write really funny, bubbly-bright, vivacious stories. Two I really like are your first 'Dog on Log' and 'The Great Barbie Disaster'. What's your key to writing humour so well?
There are different types of humour. Some is pun-based or joke based and some is situational or character driven. I prefer to use situational and character-driven humour in my books as I personally find it funnier and more rewarding. I try not to overthink or force the humour. Instead, I create characters that are naturally zany and put them into situations where their responses drive the humour. Aggie Flea is the perfect example of this process and I think it’s why she’s resonated so well with kids and adults alike.
4. You have two buzz-worthy upcoming releases this year, a picture book called 'Walls' from Wombat Books and 'The Other Shadow', a middle-grade novel from Scholastic. Can you share anything about these two books with us? What is next in the pipeline for you?
In Walls, there’s a Knight who lives on one side of the book and a Viking who lives on the opposite side. When they disagree on which side of the book is better, they decide to both build walls to keep themselves ‘safe’ from the other side. They are so busy with their walls that neither of them sees the danger that threatens both sides of the book. I’m excited for this book to come out. It was quite a tricky concept to illustrate and I probably wrote way too many confusing illustration notes, but Ruth Mary-Smith has done an amazing job with illustrating this story.
I came up with the idea for Walls after reading an article warning of the long-term ecological damage as a result of the Mexico-United States border wall. I couldn’t believe how these countries would risk the ecology of several areas simply because they didn’t trust their neighbours. Then again, when we look at history, we can see several examples of this (the Berlin Wall, Hadrian’s Wall, the Great Wall of China). Sadly, it seems to be human nature.
The Other Shadow is quite a different book for me. It follows the story of a young boy called Thomas who is struggling with both the death of his father, and his mother’s mental illness. Just as his father takes his last breath, a shadow appears to Thomas on the wall of the hospital room. A shadow that doesn’t belong to anyone and one which follows Thomas home.
This was quite a challenging book to write. I dug deep into both personal experience and also my previous experience as a child psychologist to write this story. I wanted to write a book about the realities of children who have a parent suffering a mental illness, especially for children who don’t get the spontaneous ‘happily ever after’ that is often represented in movies and children’s stories. I wanted to validate those children for whom happiness is a harder path to find due to circumstances beyond their control. I was really purposeful about the language I used in this book to describe the Other Shadow and I poured over what words to use for ages. At first Thomas’s descriptions are childlike and descriptive but as the story unfolds, the language becomes more emotional and visceral. It was by far the hardest book I’ve ever written and I am equally excited and scared to see how it will be received.
As for what comes next, I’ve recently received a contract for another picture book and I’m working on several stories at the moment (as well as having a few currently out on submission). So essentially lots of writing and crossing of fingers (which does make it hard to type!). 😊
5. And a fun question for last, to make you really think! If you put 3 Tania Ingram books in a time capsule to be opened in 1,000 years, so future generations have the best understanding of who Tania Ingram is as a writer, then which 3 books would you choose?
Of my current books, I would say, The Other Shadow if you want to know my heart, Aggie Flea if you want to know my humour, and Jinny and Cooper if you want to share my love of magic.
Tania's upcoming Walls published by Wombat Rhiza Press and The Other Shadow published by Scholastic AU are out soon. Keep an eye out for these!
In the meantime visit TANIA online to learn more about her wonderful BOOKS at www.taniaingram.com !
Tylissa Elisara is a children's social worker who lives and works in Meanjin (Brisbane) with her husband and children. She descends from the Narungga, Kaurna and Adnyamathanha people of South Australia and was born and raised on Mamu Country in Innisfail, Queensland - a heritage, alongside her Irish ancestry, that she proudly regards as a long legacy of storytelling. Tylissa is studying a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing at the University of Queensland. Wurrtoo is her first novel.
Tylissa Elisara is a children's social worker who lives and works in Meanjin (Brisbane) with her husband and children. She descends from the Narungga, Kaurna and Adnyamathanha people of South Australia and was born and raised on Mamu Country in Innisfail, Queensland - a heritage, alongside her Irish ancestry, that she proudly regards as a long legacy of storytelling. Tylissa is studying a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing at the University of Queensland. Wurrtoo is her first novel.
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1. Tylissa, your debut children's novel 'Wurrtoo: The Wombat Who Fell in Love with the Sky' has just been released and is making great buzz and having awesome responses already! It was written as part of the fabulous black&write! program too. Can you share how the story first originated for you and what was your process of writing it from manuscript to published book?
Thanks, Brenton! Leading up to the release, I was so nervous, practically making myself sick. However, the response from the public (especially the response from my home town of Innisfail) has been incredible.
Unfortunately, the whole idea behind Wurrtoo stemmed from a distressing incident of racism directed at my son when he was only two years old. Not long after this incident, I found myself juggling motherhood, university, and multiple part-time jobs, which meant our time together was limited, but we always had our bedtime stories at the end of the long days.
Yet, many of the classic tales we enjoyed reading were steeped in outdated views that didn't sit right with me, especially given my son's background. So, I took matters into my own hands and wrote our own story. I’d always wanted to be an author and thought that this particular story would stay between my son and me and double as a practice exercise to see if I could write a book that I might hope to have published. But my son's enthusiasm for the story pushed me to share it.
Entering it into a competition felt like a shot in the dark, but still, to my complete surprise, it won! The support I received afterwards, particularly from the black&write! fellowship was transformative. They helped refine the story into something tangible. Now, seeing it all come together with Dylan Finney's gorgeous illustrations and the teams’ hard work at black&write! and Hachette—it's truly a collaborative effort, a beautiful book we all had a hand in creating.
2. Do you have a favourite chapter or moment or scene from 'Wurrtoo'?
I have multiple scenes that are my favourites. I particularly love the teachable moments about racism, colourism and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being. So, I am incredibly excited that more children can read and learn about these critical topics in the safe environment that the story hopefully facilitates. I also love the scene where Wurrtoo describes why he loves the sky after being alone in his burrow for so long. This aspect is super personal to me because, as a teen mother, I would receive a lot of negative comments from people in public when I was just out and about enjoying my regular day.
I think the experience with my son was my final straw (we were only getting him a lolly at the servo), as afterwards, I developed social anxiety and feared going outside. There were many times when I would break into a sweat at the supermarket and was so anxious to get out of there that I left my groceries at the checkout multiple times! The nerves made me so clumsy that I even rolled my ankle one time not long after coming home when I realised, I'd left my phone at my son's hip hop dance practice as well as my shopping at the supermarket and frantically tried to race back to my car to retrieve them - I was a mess! I eventually stayed home as much as possible, but when I finally did go outside, I was always so blown away by how beautiful the sky was after looking at just my ceiling and four walls for days. So, yes, that scene is definitely one of my favourites!
3. Did you dream of being a writer since you were a child? What would your child-self say to you now?
Yes! I started reading chapter books after a very traumatic series of events when I was six/seven years old. The first book I read was The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton, and the contents completely transformed my imagination, which acted as a form of escapism for me. We were living at my grandmother's house at the time, and instead of worrying about what had happened or how much life had changed, I was too busy hunting for fairies in her backyard and having tea parties in the hope that one of them might one day join me. Luckily, the school I transferred to encouraged creative writing in our regular sessions. I received so much encouragement from my teachers through praise, awards and conversations with my mother, who had also encouraged me to become an author since. I think my childhood self would be so happy that her dreams came true and would thank me for not forgetting her.
4. Is there one thing, or a few things, you know now about the writing/publishing world that you didn't know at the beginning of the process?
I think that it's okay not to be the perfect writer or editor if you want to get a story out there (or else why would we have our wonderful editorial teams ). And we all have a story inside of us!
I had to do a bridging course to get into university because I was a high school dropout, and as I was disengaged from school for years before dropping out, I failed the first test to even get into the bridging course. I had to buy a book about literacy and used to go online to children's maths websites to relearn everything I had lost. I didn't even know the difference between the three theres/theirs/they'res at 18 years old (so for someone who is now a published author and almost finished a master's in writing, editing and publishing, there's hope for us all)!
5. Can you share if there's anything in the pipeline? What is next for you?
I currently work full-time in the head office of the Department of Child Safety. I absolutely love my career as I get to work on reframing the department's relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I am also still studying for my master's degree and have three children, so I unfortunately don't have much time set aside to write. However, I hope to write my daughters a book each and would love to one day commence a PhD in creative writing where I could hopefully work on another novel.
6. To reflect on an exciting moment, tell us about when you first found out your book was going to be published?
Oh my goodness, the first time I discovered that the book may get published was when I received the call from the lovely Grace Lucas-Pennington from black&write!! I was sitting in the food court in Cairns Central with my husband, my son, who was ten by then, and my oldest daughter, who was two. I wasn't expecting to win, so I was a bundle of nerves when I realised the context of the conversation unfolding and started shaking, crying and hyperventilating uncontrollably. The prize money was also life-changing at that point! The validation of my dreams to become a writer was everything, and the overall news was a massive dose of hope, which I really needed to get me through an incredibly challenging year.
Visit Tylissa on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tylelisara/
Wurrtoo: The Wombat Who Fell in Love with the Sky is published by Hachette and available now. Visit this website to read more about the book: www.hachette.com.au/tylissa-elisara-dylan-finney/wurrtoo-the-wombat-who-fell-in-love-with-the-sky
Thanks, Brenton! Leading up to the release, I was so nervous, practically making myself sick. However, the response from the public (especially the response from my home town of Innisfail) has been incredible.
Unfortunately, the whole idea behind Wurrtoo stemmed from a distressing incident of racism directed at my son when he was only two years old. Not long after this incident, I found myself juggling motherhood, university, and multiple part-time jobs, which meant our time together was limited, but we always had our bedtime stories at the end of the long days.
Yet, many of the classic tales we enjoyed reading were steeped in outdated views that didn't sit right with me, especially given my son's background. So, I took matters into my own hands and wrote our own story. I’d always wanted to be an author and thought that this particular story would stay between my son and me and double as a practice exercise to see if I could write a book that I might hope to have published. But my son's enthusiasm for the story pushed me to share it.
Entering it into a competition felt like a shot in the dark, but still, to my complete surprise, it won! The support I received afterwards, particularly from the black&write! fellowship was transformative. They helped refine the story into something tangible. Now, seeing it all come together with Dylan Finney's gorgeous illustrations and the teams’ hard work at black&write! and Hachette—it's truly a collaborative effort, a beautiful book we all had a hand in creating.
2. Do you have a favourite chapter or moment or scene from 'Wurrtoo'?
I have multiple scenes that are my favourites. I particularly love the teachable moments about racism, colourism and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being. So, I am incredibly excited that more children can read and learn about these critical topics in the safe environment that the story hopefully facilitates. I also love the scene where Wurrtoo describes why he loves the sky after being alone in his burrow for so long. This aspect is super personal to me because, as a teen mother, I would receive a lot of negative comments from people in public when I was just out and about enjoying my regular day.
I think the experience with my son was my final straw (we were only getting him a lolly at the servo), as afterwards, I developed social anxiety and feared going outside. There were many times when I would break into a sweat at the supermarket and was so anxious to get out of there that I left my groceries at the checkout multiple times! The nerves made me so clumsy that I even rolled my ankle one time not long after coming home when I realised, I'd left my phone at my son's hip hop dance practice as well as my shopping at the supermarket and frantically tried to race back to my car to retrieve them - I was a mess! I eventually stayed home as much as possible, but when I finally did go outside, I was always so blown away by how beautiful the sky was after looking at just my ceiling and four walls for days. So, yes, that scene is definitely one of my favourites!
3. Did you dream of being a writer since you were a child? What would your child-self say to you now?
Yes! I started reading chapter books after a very traumatic series of events when I was six/seven years old. The first book I read was The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton, and the contents completely transformed my imagination, which acted as a form of escapism for me. We were living at my grandmother's house at the time, and instead of worrying about what had happened or how much life had changed, I was too busy hunting for fairies in her backyard and having tea parties in the hope that one of them might one day join me. Luckily, the school I transferred to encouraged creative writing in our regular sessions. I received so much encouragement from my teachers through praise, awards and conversations with my mother, who had also encouraged me to become an author since. I think my childhood self would be so happy that her dreams came true and would thank me for not forgetting her.
4. Is there one thing, or a few things, you know now about the writing/publishing world that you didn't know at the beginning of the process?
I think that it's okay not to be the perfect writer or editor if you want to get a story out there (or else why would we have our wonderful editorial teams ). And we all have a story inside of us!
I had to do a bridging course to get into university because I was a high school dropout, and as I was disengaged from school for years before dropping out, I failed the first test to even get into the bridging course. I had to buy a book about literacy and used to go online to children's maths websites to relearn everything I had lost. I didn't even know the difference between the three theres/theirs/they'res at 18 years old (so for someone who is now a published author and almost finished a master's in writing, editing and publishing, there's hope for us all)!
5. Can you share if there's anything in the pipeline? What is next for you?
I currently work full-time in the head office of the Department of Child Safety. I absolutely love my career as I get to work on reframing the department's relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I am also still studying for my master's degree and have three children, so I unfortunately don't have much time set aside to write. However, I hope to write my daughters a book each and would love to one day commence a PhD in creative writing where I could hopefully work on another novel.
6. To reflect on an exciting moment, tell us about when you first found out your book was going to be published?
Oh my goodness, the first time I discovered that the book may get published was when I received the call from the lovely Grace Lucas-Pennington from black&write!! I was sitting in the food court in Cairns Central with my husband, my son, who was ten by then, and my oldest daughter, who was two. I wasn't expecting to win, so I was a bundle of nerves when I realised the context of the conversation unfolding and started shaking, crying and hyperventilating uncontrollably. The prize money was also life-changing at that point! The validation of my dreams to become a writer was everything, and the overall news was a massive dose of hope, which I really needed to get me through an incredibly challenging year.
Visit Tylissa on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/tylelisara/
Wurrtoo: The Wombat Who Fell in Love with the Sky is published by Hachette and available now. Visit this website to read more about the book: www.hachette.com.au/tylissa-elisara-dylan-finney/wurrtoo-the-wombat-who-fell-in-love-with-the-sky
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