Introducing Over or Under?

Well, it’s been a long wait but finally I can say I’m a picture book author! Over or Under? is a love letter to Australian beaches and all the kids who learn to swim there each year – through our amazing SLSC Nippers programs or with their families.

I roughly sketched out a first draft in Singapore on paper and then another version on my phone notes at North Curl Curl Beach in Sydney after I’d had a swim in the ocean with my daughter. She’d been dumped by a wave in rough conditions and was shaken by the experience. Her reaction reminded me that kids need so much courage and resilience to brave Australia’s unpredictable surf conditions.

I’d also been hearing young swimmers shout ‘over!’ and ‘under!’ that day; a common cry used to decide when to duck dive under a wave or float over the top of it. As an experienced ocean swimmer myself, I felt uniquely placed to tell this story authentically.

I sent the original sea-salty draft to my publisher Jeanmarie at Hachette. It’s about a girl called Maisie learning about swimming in the ocean with her father, but she must overcome being dumped by a wave for the first time. Haven’t we all had a wipe out that shook our confidence?

The story is very Australian but also universal in themes – it’s about trying new things, resilience and courage. I like to imagine that Maisie goes on to become a strong ocean swimmer or surfer and it’s that special, triumphant day on the beach that ignites a lifetime of connection to the coast.

And how beautiful are the illustrations? I couldn’t have imagined a better pairing for the text than acclaimed New Zealand illustrator Hilary Jean Tapper, whose whimsical, gentle watercolour artworks add so much to the story and evoke an Australian summer at the coast so beautifully.

August & Jones Shortlisted in the CBCA Awards

A very quick post to say how delighted I am that August & Jones has been shortlisted in the CBCA Book of the Year Awards for 2023. This is what the CBCA Younger Reader judges said:

August and Jones explores complex and challenging concepts such as parental expectations, drought, unemployment, changing homes and schools, anxiety, depression and childhood cancer. The characterisation is strong, with adults and children presented in an authentic and believable way. Contrasts in family life are highlighted with Jones's supportive family juxtaposed with August's angry father, depressed mother and sibling ties. The book is written expertly and sensitively, balanced with humour, showing how friendship, love, personal strength and belief in oneself and others can help overcome difficulties, change and loss. Jones’ cancer is never used for sympathy, and she remains positive despite the hardships she faces.

The other amazing books shortlisted in my category are:

Evie and Rhino Neridah McMullin ill. Astred Hicks (Walker Books Australia)

The Raven's Song Zana Fraillon & Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)

Runt Craig Silvey (Allen & Unwin)

The Way of Dog Zana Fraillon ill. Sean Buckingham (University of Queensland Press)

Xavier in the Meantime Kate Gordon (Riveted Press)

Full list here

Winners will be announced on Friday 18 August, kicking off the literary celebrations of Book Week.

Podcasts & Award News

February was a chatty month as I visited my dear friend Rachel Smith and her co-host Lynne Testoni on The Content Byte to talk about the business and marketing side of being a children’s author. I also hopped over the The Hybrid Author to chat to Joanne Morrell about writing verse - a mash-up style of prose and poetry.

In other exciting news, AUGUST & JONES is a Notable book in the CBCA 2023 Book of the Year Awards. This is a red hot year for books in the Younger Reader category with 162 entries! Check out the full list on the CBCA website

Picture Book News!

Nothing like a failure or two to make success all the more sweet

For a long time, I’ve been keeping a word file called “Picture Book Concepts”. The file now has around 20 PB ideas - ranging from competitive swimming pigs, to cheeky possums, and rejected lunchboxes. Most of the ideas were just for me to play around with the short format of PB’s (usually in between writing longer, emotional middle grade and YA) and explore fun ideas that might appeal to younger kids. A couple of PB manuscripts I felt brave enough to send out to publishers, but they never quite got over the line. It became clear to me that a picture book has to be something very special to be acquired and published in Australia.

Still, I persisted … the ideas kept coming and the file kept growing. I signed up for Jen Storer’s excellent Girl & Duck Four Weeks to Write a Picture Book Course and had a blast learning more about the art form of writing PBs.

In mid 2022, I sent off another PB idea - it didn’t get over the line. Damn. That one stung a bit. I’d worked very hard on it. But it was closer this time.

I sent off another and this time, my delightful publisher at Hachette got back to me within minutes. She loved the manuscript. She could see it on the page. Would it be okay if she took it to acquisitions? Um ….YES! Within weeks, I’d signed my first picture book deal. It felt so hard and so easy all at once. The road to those magic 500 words was paved by near misses and hard work. Picking myself up and trying again.

I’ve since signed another PB deal with Walker Books (that’s TWO, OMG!!) and just sent another idea to my agent. I might be able to call myself a picture book author now.

I think the morale of this story is - don’t let the first, second, third or 14th rejection put you off. Keep submitting, keep trying, keep adding to your file of ideas. One day, the answer will be YES.

April 2023 Events

Look at this sweet cottage! Come to Glenella, mingle with children’s book people and work on your own project.

I have a few events scheduled for April, 2023….come along!

Blue Mountains Weekend Retreat - 28-30 April 2023

Join author Zanni Louise at beautiful Glenella in the Blue Mountains for a weekend of creativity 28-30 April 2023. Throughout the weekend, you’ll develop your children’s book project with Zanni and take masterclasses with Walker Books Publisher, Clare Hallifax, celebrated picture book creators Matt Cosgrove and Tohby Riddle…and me! Book here

Queensland Poetry Festival (QPF) Verse Novel Poetics - 12 April 2023

I can’t wait for this one …a whole hour dedicated to talking about the joy of verse novels with Zana Fraillon, Rebecca Jessen, Kirli Saunders and hosted by Rae White. Online via livestream on Wednesday 12 April 2023 at 7pm AEST. No need to book, just join us! Link here