In part two of this interview, author/illustrator Aura Parker speaks about her upcoming books, her agent, engaging kids with books and her top tips for those wanting to squeeze into the industry. Read or refresh you memory of Part 1 here. Cocoon is coming out this November, what can you tell us about this book? […]
Aura Parker is an author and illustrator who is certainly going places – and I don’t just say this because I ran into her at the airport recently! Her picture book Twig (her first as author and illustrator) has been published internationally as well as recognized nationally as a Notable book in the CBCA Book of the […]
In Part 2 of finding out how intrepid pioneer Jan Latta carved out for herself a publishing niche, Jan talks about some stories behind her adventures and her marketing and promotion strategies. To recap part one, click here. Jan, how do you walk the fine line between fact and fiction in bringing the animals stories to […]
I first heard Linsay Knight at a CBCA conference speaking about poetry, before she became the publisher at Walker Books Australia and New Zealand. Then, earlier this year, I had the good fortune to pitch a manuscript to her at a literary speed dating event where I found her to be engaging and responsive. Recently, […]
This is part 2 of our interview with Zanni Louise, author of picture books Too Busy Sleeping and Archie and the Bear, plus four early readers and another picture book coming out next year. In part 1 (here) we found out how her blogging both ignited her desire to write for children and provided the opportunity to be published and […]
With a new book coming out at the end of August, there’s a tsunami of chores to get ready for the launch. I feel a bit like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia: I bail out a bucket-load of chores, and as soon as I turn my back, more have swept in from nowhere! Not that I’m complaining […]
Zanni Louise is author of picture books Too Busy Sleeping and Archie and the Bear published by Little Hare. She also has a deal for four early readers with publisher Five Mile Press and another picture book with Scholastic coming out next year. I’ve run into Zanni in cyberspace groups, shared in her enthusiasm for […]
At the beginning of last year I posted this matrix of things to do spread throughout the year. I think it’s a good strategy for everyone to review their goals from time to time, and when better than at the beginning of the year? So, how did you go with these goals and what were […]
The value of festivals cannot be underestimated when it comes to both networking and nourishing our writing craft and career. So here are my top take home messages from the NSW Writer’s Centre Kids and YA Festival in June: 1 The Process of writing – hints from picture book authors: Don’t delete your rubbish ideas. ‘You have to […]
On Halloween 2015 I attended an “Inside the publishing House” event at Hachette, Australia, organised through the Emerging Writers Festival. It was incredibly insightful and interesting. Although not specifically for children’s books (Hachette has only one children’s publisher compared with five other publishers) most of the messages I gleaned for the panel discussions hold true […]
