Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Sheila Knaggs and Jennifer Falkner!
We couldn’t be happier to welcome the wonderful duo behind a gorgeous new picture book – Sheila Knaggs and Jennifer Falkner join us to share their absolutely delightful, Fairy Beach. You can always feel the twinkle and sparkle of magic when fairies are around, and at Fairy Beach, there’s an abundance of wonder and mystique to be found … from their fairy beach caves through the sand dunes, splashing in the waves and dancing on the tide by the light of the moon, playing in sandcastles, rockpools and swaying to the fairy beach band tunes. A truly special Australian story of summer beach night secrets, told in lilting rhyme to match the gentle seashore, accompanied with the quintessence of fairytale magic in its deep evening-hued watercolours. The beautiful representation of our sunny beach fun mixed in with charming hidden nightly surprises make this book utterly magical for readers, beach-goers (and fairy-lovers) of all ages.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful book with us, Sheila and Jennifer! 🙂
About the Author
Sheila Knaggs was born in Liverpool, England and spent her childhood years on the Isle of Man, where her parents ran a small guest house. When she was fifteen, her family emigrated to Melbourne, where she fell head-over-heels in love with Australia.
Sheila has written poetry for as long as she can remember, but it was working in a primary school, supporting students with additional learning needs, that inspired her to begin writing stories for children.
She lives on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
Please find Sheila Knaggs at her website: Sheila Knaggs – Children’s Author and Poet and on Facebook | Instagram
About the Illustrator
Jennifer Falkner is an illustrator and independent designer based in Perth, Australia. Her work is inspired by a passion for Australian flora and fauna, and a childhood playing and exploring the beach and the bush in Western Australia.
Please find Jennifer Falkner at her website: Jennifer Falkner Illustration and Design and on Instagram
Fairy Beach is available for purchase from Affirm Press and local bookstores.
We thank Affirm Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
SK – I wrote it, Jennifer Falkner illustrated it, and Affirm Press published it.
WHAT is it about?
SK – This story is about everything a beautiful summers day at the beach evokes in all of us. It’s a story we all can relate to because we all love the beach. But it also has a magical, mystical twist. For, after dark, when children rest in their beds on the cusp of sleep, sand sprites sneak from their fairy beach caves to frolic on our empty shores. Only rarely are they ever seen! But for the special child who spots one … oh, what a joy!
What is your favourite part of this book?
SK – I can’t choose, it’s impossible! I absolutely LOVE everything about it.
JF – I loved illustrating the magical night scenes the most, working with deep indigo and a glowing white moon. If I had to choose a favourite spread, it would be the one where the fairies are frolicking in the rockpool. It was fun thinking up ways they would interact with the rockpool inhabitants.
Image: Jennifer Falkner
Jennifer, what media did you use to illustrate it?
JF – After painting the scenes with watercolours I scanned them onto my computer. I then used photoshop digital brushes and a Wacom tablet to add more detail.
WHEN is its release / launch date?
SK – It was released on 27th Aug this year.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
SK – The inspiration for this story came about quite by accident. One day, during lockdown, my husband and I went down to the beach for a walk. It was a blustery day and no one else was around, but as I stepped from the car, I heard giggling and chattering. I looked around, wondering where on earth the commotion could be coming from, only to realise one of my friends had accidentally pocket-dialled a bunch of us, and the noise was coming from inside my pocket. This got me thinking, and as I walked along the beach that day the idea morphed from pocket-fairies, into tiny sand sprites who lived in the sand dunes and came out to play after dark.
As soon as I got home, I began to write the story but it was daily walks along the beach that brought further inspiration. The little beach fairies refused to quieten until their story had been written.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
SK – This book is so meaningful to me because the beach has always been my happy place. It conjures up so many lovely feelings. Memories of long, carefree summer days – the sun, sand, sea, laughter, the sounds of the waves gently lapping at the shore. It’s a place that I love and a place I visit often. Just being next to the ocean allows me to let go of my worries. It’s also where I do a lot of thinking and daydreaming, and it’s where I tend to come up with ideas and inspiration. So, it’s no surprise that these little sand sprites crept joyously, and effortlessly, into my imagination in the very place where I feel happiest.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
SK – So many stories these days have messages and themes. But I just wanted to create a story that was pure joy to read and share – something magical that would help ignite little imaginations and create a sense of wonderment. I think the book is a breath of fresh sea air and I can see it resonating with all who read it.
HOW long did it take to write?
SK – The original text was much longer and took me perhaps three or four weeks to write, but working with the publisher to get the story just right took perhaps six months. And then closer to publication, the story still needed a few tweaks until it was perfect.
How long did it take to illustrate?
JF – I would estimate it took 8 weeks of solid illustration work over a 6-month period from start to finish.
Image: Jennifer Falkner
How do you feel about the text / illustrations? Do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
SK – This book really is a dream come true. I couldn’t have imagined more beautiful illustrations for my debut story. I cried when I saw them for the first time. I think Affirm Press did a wonderful job bringing Jennifer and I together and I couldn’t be happier with the result. It’s everything I’d envisioned, and more!
Please share your some of your favourite promotional ideas for this book.
- Affirm Press has created a scavenger hunt with some little fairy cut-outs to hide around the bookstores for children to find.
- I also love the idea of a scavenger hunt at the beach where children are asked to find various items a fairy might use: e.g. Cuttlefish, shell, leaf, flower, old thong, spade, stick, spotting a seagull or a pelican, etc
- I love the idea of asking children to create their very own sand sprite/beach fairy. What would it look like? What sort of a personality would it have?
- What if a child imagined him/herself as tiny as a sand sprite, where would they hide in a game of hide-and-seek? And if they hid in a shell, who’s shell (house) might they have they borrowed to hide in?
What gorgeous ideas and what a gorgeous book! Congratulations, Sheila and Jennifer! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #fairybeach #summer #magic #imagination #picturebooks #justkidslit
