Katrina McKelvey – Going Places

Posted on April 6, 2018April 6, 2018 by debratidball

Katrina McKelvey is going places because she has gone places - in a fearless way that makes me awestruck. Doing this interview with Katrina made me laugh at the way she throws herself in, boots and all, and makes me jealous for even a little bit of her fearlessness. The great thing is, it's all paid off! After kicking off with her first picture book, Dandelions (EK Books), illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan, Katrina has three more on the way - one due out in October this year and two more in 2...

Aura Parker – Sprouting Wings PART 2

Posted on March 2, 2018March 1, 2018 by debratidball

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? I am excited about Cocoon. It is an uplifting story about an optimistic little caterpillar who enjoys a nice leaf or two. Funnily enough, patience and resilience feature strongly in...

Aura Parker – Sprouting Wings Part 1

Posted on February 2, 2018February 19, 2018 by debratidball

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 year awards 2017. She has another picture book due out later this year (Cocoon) and a further two contracted. She has recently signed with Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown literary agency...

The Wildly Intrepid Jan Latta – part 2

Posted on January 4, 2018January 6, 2018 by debratidball

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 life? How much do you attribute human emotions/motivations to them? The True to Life Books are called creative non-fiction because the animals ‘talk’ to children in the text...

A walk through Walker Books

Posted on December 13, 2017December 11, 2017 by debratidball

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, I heard her speak about Walker Books at the recent SCBWI Christmas Party. I wasn’t quick enough to secure one of the manuscript assessments that Linsay was giving that day, but I heard...

The Wildly Intrepid Jan Latta – Part 1

Posted on December 1, 2017December 2, 2017 by debratidball

Today’s interview is a break from my usual focus on up-and-coming children’s book creators, to look at someone who has forged her own way into a niche market in children's publishing, and from whom much can be leant. Jan Latta is the only woman in the world who is the author, wildlife photographer and publisher of books on endangered animals. Each of her books is self published and distributed widely in schools and she is a sought after international speaker. On the publication of her 17th b...

Zanni Louise – Walking on Sunshine

Posted on July 7, 2017July 7, 2017 by debratidball

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 the release of her new book and listened rapt to her interview with Allison Tait on the Australian Writers Centre So You Want To Be a Writer podcast. She is a very generous member of ...

Shelly Unwin – Launched!

Posted on June 2, 2017May 30, 2017 by debratidball

Shelly was my very first interviewee on this blog two years ago (see here, here and here) and now here she is – finally – with her series of no less than five books! And they are so gorgeous too! It’s an absolute delight to welcome Shelly Unwin back to the JWFK blog! Thanks Debra! It’s lovely to be chatting with you again, and at such an exciting time. Shelly, last time on this blog, you had just signed the contract with Allen and Unwin but couldn’t tell us much about the books at all, b...

Tonya Alexandra – Magic Happens Part 2

Posted on May 5, 2017May 4, 2017 by debratidball

In this second installment of my interview with Tonya Alexandra, she delivers some sage advice and we find out what has encouraged and challenged her in writing for kids. You can catch up on the first installment here Tonya, I understand you have an agent. I hear that they are as hard to get as publishing contracts! Can you tell us how this came about? I needed some help with the contract for my book deal, and one of the authors in our CBCA group told me an agent was really good for your c...

Tonya Alexandra – magic happens!

Posted on April 12, 2017April 11, 2017 by debratidball

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing YA author Tonya Alexandra. Tonya is a very generous committee member of my CBCA subranch, where I have the privilege of catching up with her from time to time. The Incredible Story of Olive In Love is the first of a YA series picked up by Harlequin Publishers. The book launch for Olive In Love was at a brewery - a far cry from the kid's book shop or library story-time sessions for picture book launches! What a hoot! Tonya doesn't like talking about herse...