Velvet, Valentine and Vanilla Bean are sleeping out in their treehouse when leaves rustle and branches scrape.
"Fox claws," Velvet whisper-shouts.
What can the bunnies do to protect themselves?
How do they work together to scare Foxy-Foxy away?
With wonderfully bright illustrations by Naomi Greaves, Go Away, Foxy Foxy is a beautifully told tale of how working together can solve a problem.
Today I'm chatting with Karen Hendricks, author of her picture book, Go Away, Foxy, Foxy.
Hi Karen. What inspired you to write Go Away, Foxy, Foxy?
 
My pet rabbit called Thumper, that I adored as a child was one source of inspiration. He slept on my lap and drank milk from a baby’s bottle. He was a very smart bunny. This got me thinking that the biggest threat to a bunny is a fox or a dog. You guessed it, for my story I chose a fox. Then the idea for balloons in the story was inspired from being a teacher and children made paper poppers to flick and pop! They made super loud noises. And as a child I always wished I had a treehouse and I finally got one in my story. 
 
That's the fun thing about being an author. You can live your dreams through the pages of a book. How long did it take to write this book?
​
This story has been worked on for four and a half years. Every time I thought it was done I put it to bed but I couldn’t give up on it. The bones of the story stayed the same but I always believed in this story.
 
 Haha! I know all about that. What did you edit out of this book?
 
That’ s easy peasy! I originally had paper poppers in the story and I changed them to balloons.

​How do you select the names of your characters?

One of my favourite things is name selection. I play around with names a lot. Vanilla Bean was inspired by vanilla ice cream. Vanilla is my favourite flavour and then the idea came to have the other names start with a V too. Velvet is a soft fabric that is strong. Valentine is meek and mild and this name came from Valentine’s Day.
 
What was it like working with your illustrator?

The illustrator Naomi Greaves, created the visual narrative herself. I was surprised and delighted by her illustrations and they do pop. Most of all they work with the words to tell the story beautifully. The story narrative is deliciously layered with Naomi’s bright vivid illustrations.
 
How does your book help children face their fear?

It shows children that although they are small it doesn’t mean they are powerless. Problems can be solved and challenges overcome with team work that recognises each individual’s talents with creativity.

That's all so true. Have you ever been afraid? What happened and what did you do to face your fear?
 
I have been afraid many times. I hate people sneaking up behind me because as a child I was hit by a car from behind in an horrific accident walking home. I am terrified of hospitals and dentists and germs because of health things that have had me hospitalised. I face my fear by taking a deep breath and just getting on with things and not overthinking.

It sounds like it has a lot to do with controlling your breathing, and controlling what you are thinking about, and how you are thinking. Great tips. What do you hope children will gain from reading your book?
​
There are so many things I hope children will gain from reading my book, but if I have to choose…

1. Reading is a superpower.
2. By working together and using your creative talents you can do just about anything.
3. I hope my book makes children happy inside and out.

What's your next project?
 
I have my second picture book Feathers coming out in two weeks, so that is going to keep me busy. I have another picture book story that I want to put some polish to. I write lots of stories but finding a gem is like finding a needle in a haystack.
 
That all sounds exciting. What’s your favourite place to write?
 
This is tricky - on the lounge, the dining room table and our local coffee shops. 
 
Three fun facts about Karen:

I love flying foxes, carousels, dodgem cars and rollercoasters.
I have lots of random ideas that sometimes turn out to be such fun things to do.
I like being with me and travelling and exploring, but I love home more.

Go Away, Foxy Foxy is available  in selected book shops and online from https://daisylanepublishing.com and Booktopia for $18.99 (soft cover) and $29.99 (hard cover)
 
You can find out more about Karen on:

​Her website 
Facebook: Karen Hendricks Childrens Author
and on Twitter.

This interview was organised as a part of the ‘Go Away Foxy, Foxy’ book campaign with Books On Tour PR & Marketing. 

Have fun by creating a short story by using a story starter and then change the mood. You'll surprise yourself and it's lots of fun. We used this during our last Zoomed writer's group, Dribbles and Scribbles and we roared with laughter at the results. And we all certainly need a laugh these days. 

First of all we chose a Story Starter from a great list of story starters from Sally Odgers book, How to be an Awesome Author.  I told everyone to just have some fun and play (thanks, Jen Storer for this advice in your Scribbles Academy) and write a short story. I gave everyone 20 minutes and we were off. For the first time in a long time we all felt we had some head space to write. Let's face it, 2020 has been a roller coaster. 

At the end of twenty minutes we took turns in reading out what we had come up with. The were hoots and howls of laughter, gasps, comparisons to the feel of certain books. In other words, fun. 

We then moved on to the workshop. Mood. 

For this we headed over to LitCharts.com and read through what they had to say about mood.  

'Mood Definition:

What is mood? Here’s a quick and simple definition:
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing can influence its mood, from the setting and the imagery to the author's word choice and tone. For instance, a story that begins "It was a dark and stormy night" will probably have an overall dark, ominous, or suspenseful mood.' LitCharts.com

We've looked at creating mood in all different ways many times before in our writer's group. (Some we've even blogged about.) 

• Setting
• Imagery
• Tone
• Diction
• Genre and Plot

However, this time I decided to do something different so that we had the opportunity to combine all the skills we had learned previously. So, after reading through what mood was all about, I announced to the group we were now going to use our story we had written earlier and change the mood. One thing which was not mentioned but many of us did anyway, we changed what our character focused on as we had already work shopped this a while ago. 

So here are our stories so you can see the difference.

Megan:
Mrs Perry’s garden was overgrown with thistles. Mood 1.

Mrs Perry’s garden was overgrown with thistles. They twisted and twined themselves around bushes, spread across the garden, strangling various plants as it went. It spread across the grass and up and over the washing line. It hung there like a many fingered skeleton grasping at what looked like the remnants of an old shirt and was now a piece of faded cloth. An icy breeze grasped at the material and finally ripped it from the thistles grasp and the remnants of the shirt was tossed and carried past grimy windows and up into the stormy sky.

Rory froze as he caught sight of the cloth, his hand on the rickety old gate. His feet felt as if they were cemented to the spot and his breath came in small gasps. He could feel his head starting to spin. No! He did not want to be here. He did not want to go into Mrs Perry’s and apologise to her for his ball going through her window. He did not want to apolgise for breaking the garden statue when he snuck into her yard to retrieve it. She. Freaked. Him. Out. He caught himself and started some deep breathes.

In. Hold. Out. Repeat.

‘Hey! Rory!’ a familiar voice called.

Rory jumped. Billy Dickenson, his best mate, laughed. Gah! He was the reason why he was here, and he got off scot free. So not fair.

Rory scowled. ‘What?’

‘Good luck. You’re gonna’ need it.’ And with that Billy sped off down the street, his laughter carrying on the breeze.

Rory’s hand shook. The gate groaned as he pushed it open. He stepped onto the path and started towards the front door. Overgrown tree branches grabbed his hair, his jumper. Spider webs clung to his face. He swore to cover his rising panic.

The sky overhead darkened and lightening flashed just as he reached to knock on the front door. The door squeaked open and there stood old Mrs Perry. Tall and thin wearing an old moth eaten dressing gown and what looked once were fluffy pink slippers but were now a strange grey colour. Her thin grey hair stuck up in every direction. Mrs Perry stared down at him.

‘I-I’ve come to do some gardening,’ he stammered.

‘Come in, Rory,’ rasped Mrs Perry. ‘I’ve been expecting you.’
 
 Mrs Perry’s garden was overgrown with thistles. Mood 2.

Mrs Perry’s garden was overgrown with thistles. They jumped and hopped over the rose bushes in full bloom, encircled the lilac tree, and hugged the camellias.  A gentle breeze blew through the garden and carried the scent of lilacs and roses past Rory. Rory was rooted to the spot. One hand on the rickety front garden gate. The other clutching two sunset roses.    

His face felt warm. From the beautiful spring day; and from other things. His guts felt like a gazillion lizards were leaping around in there. He sighed. Though he did not want to go into Old Mrs Perry’s and apologise to her for his ball going through her window, and he did not want to apolgise for breaking the garden statue when he snuck into her yard to retrieve it, he did want to meet ‘Her’.  

‘Hey! Rory!’ The voice of his best mate, Billy Dickinson, jerked him out of his dream state.

Rory jumped. Billy Dickinson, his best mate, laughed. Gah! He was the reason why he was here, and he got off scot free. At least he wouldn't be around to interfere. 

Billy scowled. ‘What?’

‘Good luck. You’re gonna’ need it.’ And with that Billy sped off down the street, his laughter carrying on the breeze.

Rory’s hand shook. The gate groaned as he opened it. That’s going to need some oil, he thought. He stepped onto the path and started towards the front door. A blackbird began to sing its song. Ahhh! What a romantic touch. For a moment he stood transfixed and then he remembered who was waiting for him. He smoothed down his hair and pushed his way forward through overgrown tree branches. They’ll need pruning back. He wiped off the spider webs which clung to his face as he reached the front door. I'll have to get rid of them. 

Sunlight burst through the many branches as he reached to knock on the front door. The door squeaked open and there stood old Mrs Perry wearing an old moth eaten dressing gown and what looked once were fluffy pink slippers but were now a strange grey colour. Her thin hair stuck up in every direction.

Mrs Perry stared down at him and grunted, ‘What do you want?’

The sunlight had penetrated into the gloom of the house and lit up the person standing behind Old Mrs Perry. Young Mrs Perry. All gorgeousness and sunlight with an air of melancholy about her, and it was actually her he had come to see. Perhaps, after all these months, he would be the one to put a smile on her face.
​  
‘I-I’ve come to do some gardening,’ he stammered, as he stuck out his hand holding the roses.

Melissa Gijsbers
Grapes were usually green, weren’t they. Mood 1.

Grapes were usually green, weren’t they. Or purple. Never orange. Orange was reserved for oranges and mandarins. Come to think of it, none of the fruit in Old Mrs Marshall’s fruit bowl was the colour it was supposed to be… and none of the grown ups seemed to notice, or care.

The grown ups sat happily nibbling at orange grapes, purple cheese, and bright blue nuts, along with sipping a wine in a green that looked suspiciously like it had been made from brussels sprouts.

The children thought the wine should also have been orange as it was made from grapes, but it was definitely brussels sprouts green.

Even the orange juice that was given to the children was a strange colour. It was a pale purple rather than orange. None of the children wanted to touch the food or drink offered. They felt as though a spell had been cast over the house somehow, missing the children and only landing on the gown ups, who kept telling the children not to be rude and to eat what was offered to them.
 
Mood 2:

‘Grapes were usually green, weren’t they?’ Joey whispered.

‘I guess,’ Emma looked at the strange array of food before them.’

‘Nothing is what it’s meant to be,’ whispered Callum.

‘I only eat red Food!’ declared Molly, standing as tall as her 4-year-old, one-meter body would allow. ‘I might get a tomato,’ she hissed to the others, ‘or maybe a red frog,’ The other kids rolled her eyes and wished her luck.

‘Sit down Molly,’ her mother said. She was sipping puke green wine. ‘Don’t be rude.’

‘But I only eat red food,’ Molly said. She sat down, the fight going out of her. She pushed the strange coloured food around her plate. There was no way she was going to drink the ‘orange’ juice that was actually purple.
Emma wrapped her arm around her little sister.

‘It’s OK,’ she said, ‘You don’t have to eat it.’

‘There’s a pot over there,’ Joey whispered, ‘we can empty the juice into it. I’m sure the plant will like it.’ The other children nodded enthusiastically. ‘Watch my back.’
​
Joey moved across the floor, slowly, careful not to get the attention of any of the grown ups and emptied the first cup of juice into the plant pot.

Ester de Boer

Dear Clara, why did you steal my kayak. Mood 1.

Dear Clara,
why did you steal my kayak?
We were three hours away from camp by river, but now I have to climb down on foot, and the terrain is tough! Tree branches grab at my hair and clothes, and under the canopy of the jungle, I lose all sense of direction, not to mention the insects… did I mention the insects, Clara?

Dear Clara,
Seriously, my insect repellent? It’s one thing to nick the boat, but to leave me, stranded in the jungle at the mercy of Argentine killer ants and what the heck? Is that a spider? No way! Clara! I’m covered in bites and they burn and itch like crazy and there are spiders…SPIDERS, CLARA! Big, scary buggers with legs that resemble gnarly, hairy-knuckled fingers dangling above my head, creeping into my backpack. I’m terrified one’s going to creep into my swag and get me in my sleep.

Dear Clara,
Why did you steal my sleeping bag and replace it in my backpack with a sack full of rare, spiked, poisonous Bayara leaves? I put my hand in to pull it out and now the skin is peeling from my fingers and it’s making me insane. I know we’ve had our ups and downs. I feel like you’ve never forgiven me for that incident with Deidre. How many times do I have to tell you that she was teaching me an ancient Mayan yoga technique? Oh my god I feel sick… and these ant bites are kind of swelling and ohhh my stomach… I’m just going to have to wrap myself in the swag and sleep best I can…

Dear Clara,
I can’t find the medicine case. It had the antiseptic cream, Phenergan, anti-malarial tablets… I think these insect bites are beginning to fester. I want you to know that, no matter what I’ve done, it was always you, Clara.

Dear Clara,
It’s raining. I’ve scrunched myself up in  the swag for the night, but the rain finds places to trickle in. My hands have gone an alarming shade of green where I made contact with the bayara leaves… I’m not sure now if I’m still wet or just sweating profusely. Babe, I missed you so much.

Dear Clara,
Couldn’t you at least have left the Imodium?

Dear Clara,
Why did you dig a large pit in the ground, fill it with sharp objects and poisonous snakes and cover it with palm fronds? In my delirium, I stumbled right into it and now I am lying, impaled, waiting to be finished off by what looks very like a Guatemalan spitting asp.

Dear…. Clara……..     Why???
 
 
Mood 2:

Dear Clara,
why did you steal my kayak?
The walk down from the mountain is slower, much slower, than the trip by river, but I know how to bide my time, Clara.

Dear Clara,
I have discovered more things missing. You really have been a nasty girl, but I am patient… I am suffering, of course. That is what you wanted, to make me pay. That’s what you do, Cara, but I forgive you.

Dear Clara,
I could hardly believe you would be so petty, so spiteful, but it’s part of what I have always told you about yourself. Sometimes you harm yourself and blame me, but this is the proof. You took my sleeping bag and set a deadly trap to poison me? You made me very angry, Clara. But I’ve calmed now and am ready for us to work things out. You’re confused and don’t know yourself- you have a lot of trust issues and this is your way of showing it,
But I’m patient, Clara. I’m very patient.

Dear Clara,
I barely slept, with the stinging of the insects and the driving rain and mud. I’d ask why you do these irrational things- steal, sabotage our relationship, try to control the situation, but I don’t believe you know yourself.
But I do, Clara. Which is why you need me- why you can’t survive without me- I wish you could understand the torment it puts me thorough when you do these things, when you make me so angry, when you make me do things that hurt you.
It’s because I love you Clara.

Dear Clara,
You took the medicines
You really are trying to kill me, aren’t you? Yes I’m hurt and angry, but I forgive you Clara. you’re a sick person.
But when I get back down to you, we can work it all out. I’ll be setting a few new rules, Clara, but know that they’re all for your good.

Dear Clara,
I can’t wait for us to be back together. The jungle has cleared and I can even see you, frantic, buzzing back and forth around the cabin- I’m having a little laugh to myself. Did you discover that the car doesn’t start Clara? I could be there is less than an hour, but it’s such a pleasure to watch you, my little Clara. And I am patient, very patient…

Have fun and let me know how you find this exercise. And maybe you may know some kids who may like to try this out, just for fun. 

Today's chat is with author Marg Gibbs about her book, Jasper's Jumbled Up Words.

Megan: What are some of your influences in your picture book writing?

Marg: Most of my influences come from family situations with the grandchildren who range in age from 2-10 years. I am also inspired and influenced by what I notice in shopping centres, parks, travel and holidays.
 
Megan: You’ve said on your website that ‘always present was a passion for children’s stories, writing and art.’ In what ways have you followed this passion? Has it always been writing stories?

Marg: My passion and zeal for children’s stories started when I had my own four children, visiting the libraries, reading to them daily and browsing over the art pages for myself. I love that you are transported to amazing worlds via characters and vivid settings. I followed the passion of art from high school to now, when I have gained more time after retiring to write stories, paint pictures and dabble in artistic and creative pursuits. My passion for poetry is strong with the wonder in language that echoes music, sound and imagery.

Megan: Did being a teacher influence you and your writing at all? If yes, please explain. If not, what has?

Marg: Most definitely, my teaching career allowed me to encourage and influence young people to explore, experiment and persist in their writing. Not every student enjoys writing, in fact, many times writing assignments is hard work and tedious.

And, through teaching, I also developed my own writing style.
 
Megan: Can you explain the story behind, Jasper's Jumbled up Words? How long did it take to write and publish?
Marg: Jasper’s story is about a small boy who has difficulty speaking out the words clearly so that his family can understand him. He willingly tries to say many words but gets frustrated with the mixture of babble and pronunciation.

Jasper’s story idea developed from my twin grand children who talk in their own toddler language.

Jasper took me six weeks to write and have edited, with a few changes along the way. From finding an illustrator in Emma Stuart to having it published and in my hands, it took nine months. Throw into the mix Covid 19 and Christmas holidays.

Megan: How did you find Emma to illustrate your book?

Marg: I searched one day on the internet to find an illustrator who could draw children and realistic family scenes. I had a short list of three names and emailed each of them. Emma enthusiastically liked the story with the view that I would self- publish it. She sent me some sketches, I sent her a few photos and my ideas and we collaborated from there.

She is a professional artist who has been commissioned for her work with traditional publishers.
 
Megan: What was the process like working with an illustrator?

Marg: At first, I learnt how to write an illustrator brief to send to her. She asked me questions about the size and details of each spread. I calculated how many double page spreads I could afford.
​
She was working on my manuscript then after a few months, she juggled a couple of other bigger projects, so I extended her time to another six weeks. Emma was professional, hard-working and captured the day to day family routines capably. There was one illustration I didn’t use in the end. Overall, our working partnership was very positive.

Megan: What is the bravest thing you have ever done in your life? Were you afraid? How did you overcome your fear and do it anyway?
Marg: I guess way back when I was 17 years old, I wanted to travel to Scotland to visit my grandmother. My father was against me going and wasting my savings on an air ticket to a freezing, unforgiving country. My Dad was a Scot. I went by myself, gave up my savings to buy a car and travelled by plane, then bus to stay in Falkirk. I did have a few home sick moments but overcame my fears with prayer, an open heart and the belief that I could do it.
 
Megan: What next for you?More writing, creating and enjoying the beauty up here in Mapleton. I long to be a kinder and more loving person to my family and friends. My travel goals would be to reach the Kimberleys and visit New York one day and Novia Scotia.

Three fun facts about Marg:
I love to dance to Blues music.
I love to run backwards down the street farewelling my grandchildren.
I love to play hide and seek with the twins.

Marg Gibbs can be found at the following links:
Website: www.mjgibbs.com.au      
Facebook: Marg Gibbs                                    
 Twitter: Marg Gibbs   
​

​This feature with Marg Gibbs is a part of the ‘Jasper’s Jumbled up Words’ book campaign with Books On Tour PR & Marketing (www.booksontourpr.wordpress.com). 

Children's author Julie Hedlund, challenged participants of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year. She believes the way New Year's resolutions are traditionally made come from a place of negativity - what DIDN'T get done or achieved in the previous year.  Instead, she suggests we set goals for the New Year that BUILD on our achievements from the previous one. I decided to participate in this Anti-Resolution Revolution!
 
As some of you may be aware, my daughter had to have major surgery at the end of last year (2018). As she helps me out a lot due to me having Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic encephalomyelitis, I ended up having to help her as her health deteriorated before her surgery, and then in her recovery after her surgery. Only problem was, I needed help and didn’t yell loud enough and ended up having a CFS crash. I had to resign from my part-time job and have been unable to return. Initially, I would get out of bed, see if my daughter was okay, get food, and within twenty minutes be back in bed.

Gradually I was able to stay up for longer and longer periods of time. My daughter has recovered. I have not.

As of today 30th December 2019, I am far better than I was one year ago. However, I am not recovered from the CFS crash. However, as you read through this list, and look at the photos, there is a bigger story. I have made the most of every minute that my mind was clear, and I could be upright. I didn’t waste a second. There are still some days I spend a lot of time in bed as I just have to be horizontal. Once I start working on a project, I may only have half an hour, or it might be two. Then I have to lay down again. Some days are better than other. It’s unpredictable. The fact I got all this done, and more is amazing to me.    
 
Here is my list for 2019.
 
Writing:
I successfully launched my book, ‘Raymund and the Fear Monster’ with the help of my friend and illustrator, Ester de Boer.

I participated in my first book blog tour with my first book. It was fun being interviewed and not doing the interviewing. (Though I like that too).  It was also exciting seeing our book with its own book trailer. I lost count how many times I watched it. It went down well at school visits too.

I had a story shortlisted in a competition and my story was traditionally published in an anthology and it was chosen to be read on radio.

My two stories, Supermoon and Fairy Dust and Freya and the Fear Monster were accepted and published in the Flip book of the Creative Kids Tales Story Collection Vol. 2 Bump in the Night and Enchanted.

I was asked to do readings of my book at different schools and do an author Q & A.

I found someone to help me with video editing — Nat K.

I managed to do a reading of Raymund for my Youtube channel and get it up.

I caught up with some amazing authors and illustrators while they were visiting schools in the area.

By Christmas, I had three books out. Two anthologies and my own book.
 ​

Illustration:

I painted more this year and learned heaps.

​I sold my first painting.

I had nine illustrations published in the Flip book of the Creative Kids Tales Story Collection Vol. 2 Bump in the Night and Enchanted.

My artwork was on posters.

I received a contract as a direct result of the publisher seeing my illustrations.

I’m being mentored by Nina Rycroft through this picture book.
 
Personal:
I went on my first holiday in years with a friend.
I became Street Library Ambassador and spearheaded the Street Library Project for my area to see many Street Libraries set up.

I'm so excited to see what 2020 will bring my way. 

It was exceptionally difficult to choose a winner and it took Ester and I literally hours to choose.
 
We looked at what jumped out at us, and how well the student interpreted what their fears are as a picture, and how much detail they put into it. We created a long list and then a shortlist, and then narrowed it down to even less, and then the winners.
 
Every student who entered and drew their Fear Monsters is a winner. You all did amazingly and made our job so hard. Well done to all of you!!!
 
So here it is…  
​
Competition winners:

Name: Finley
Age:6
School: Bracken Ridge State School
Class: Prep/1
Finley wins a signed hardcover copy of Raymund and the Fear Monster

Name: Latisha
​Age: 8
School: Morwell Central Primary School
​Class: ½ C
Latisha wins a signed hardcover copy of Raymund and the Fear Monster and a free author and illustrator visit for her class

​Name: Xander
Age: 8
School: Morwell Central Primary School
Class: ½ A
Zander wins a signed paperback copy of Raymund and the Fear Monster

​3rd Place
Name: Leonardo
Age: 8
School: Chairo Primary School
Class: 2 JJN
Wins a signed poster from ​Raymund and the Fear Monster

Phew! I'll be posting Finley's prize off to him this week, and delivering the other prizes to the local school on Friday. Good luck and happy Fear Monster taming.

It is with great excitement I welcome you, dear reader, to the #JunoJonesWordNinja #blogtour! I had so much fun interviewing Kate. So strap yourself in for a great read. 

​Prior to becoming a writer, you worked as a children’s librarian and bookseller. Have you always written? Or did being surrounded by books all the time rub off on you?
Well, the answer to both of those questions is yes! My dad was a school librarian and I grew up in his library, in the back corner, on a bean-bag, with piles of books around me. And my house was very much a bookish one. Reading and writing stories was just … always a part of life. My dad writes, too, and wrote me stories and it just felt like … a thing people did? I never saw it as a viable career, though, so I did all the other bookish things I could think of, instead. When I actually became a professional writer, it was a complete (magical) accident.
 
Can you elaborate? How did this complete magical accident come about? 
I began a role as a school librarian and was encouraged to do a university course in literary studies, so I could specialise. One of the units was creative writing. The task was to write a short story, but I have always been terrible at writing short stories and two thousand words ballooned into fifty thousand. My lovely lecturer, thankfully, did not fail me and, instead, strongly encouraged me to apply for a Varuna fellowship, which I was lucky enough to be awarded. On the back of that, my first agent, Nan Halliday, took me on. She sent the story to Allen and Unwin, who didn't want to publish it but were looking for an author for the final book in their Girlfriend Fiction series. They asked me to have a go at writing one. They liked what I wrote and ... it just kept going from there! Ten years on (minus a gap of four and a half years while I was focussed on my young child), I'm still doing it! 

You’ve written five young adult novels. What drew you to write for a younger audience?
I have always wanted to write for younger kids but never quite found a way to do it – it’s much trickier than you might think (not that being a YA writer isn’t!). I still feel deeply connected to my inner kid (a blessing and a curse). It was having my daughter that finally made me work hard on writing for a younger audience – I wanted to write books that she could read NOW, instead of in five or ten years. It’s been lovely seeing her excitement at reading the books and sharing them with her friends. There’s no book fan like a six-year-old book fan!
​
Can you tell me how Juno Jones Word Ninja came about? What inspired you to tell this particular story?
I always start with a character, and usually they pop into my head completely unbidden. I’m not one of those “woo” writers who believes I’m not in control of my story, but I do often get “visited” by characters who want me to write about them. The imagination is an incredible thing! Juno was one of those characters. She’s a bit of a combination of me as a kid (and the kid I wished I was) and my little brother, Richard, to whom this book is dedicated. He was the kid who was obsessed with ninja turtles and all the active things and thought reading was boring, until he discovered books like Animorphs and Goosebumps that sparked a life-long love of books. I hope that Juno Jones does for a kid what those books did for my brother!

How important is it to have humour in children’s books?
Well, it depends! It’s important in books that are meant to be funny! I love a funny book for kids – as does my daughter – but I also adore books that are serious and moving. There’s a place for every book and the right book will connect with the right kid at the right time. Sometimes, when I was a young reader, I really needed to read a book that was sad and deep and let me connect with deep emotions inside of me. Those books are hugely important. And sometimes you just need a laugh and an escape!
​
Do you have any advice on writing humour and non-boring stories?
Golly, I wish I did! I was lucky that Juno just came out as a bit of a funny character. She has no filter and I think that can be hilarious. I have tried to write “funny” books and they’ve been terrible. I don’t think the other books I’m working on are funny at all. Juno just came out that way!

Does Juno, or any of her friends get scared in the book? If so, what do they do to overcome it?
Juno is pretty fearless, which is the “kid I wish I was” part of the story! Some of the other characters do experience a great deal of fear and anxiety, in particular Shy Vi. And it’s in Juno’s interactions with these characters that I think show that she is not all bravado and boldness. She is enormously empathetic and kind, when it comes to her friends, and this is my favourite aspect of her character. Shy Vi is able to cope with the help of her friends. Paloma also struggles with anxiety, and does not have the support of close friends to help her – at least in this book. I’m hopeful things will change for her in future books!

What’s next for Juno?
Juno has two more adventures forthcoming, full of mystery and intrigue and problems for her to solve. And the Alien Lizard men are always hovering in the background, threatening to destroy her school!

What else are you working on?
I have a few middle grade books in the works – aimed at a slightly older audience than Juno Jones (my daughter is growing up so quickly!). One is a contemporary middle grade, one is a magical school fantasy, and the other one – which I have been working on since my daughter was a baby! – is a book about a family of wicked sisters living in Tasmania during the first world war. And of course, there are more Juno books coming up, which is beyond exciting!

Three fun facts about Kate:

1. I have many obsessions, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and a singer from the United States, called Josh Ritter. I could talk for days on any of these topics. Go on. Try me. I’ll start with my thoughts on the Hogwarts houses (I’m Ravenclaw, by the way, with Hufflepuff rising) …
2. My favourite food is white chocolate.
3. I cry All. The. Time. Over All the Things. TV commercials. Songs. Paintings. Poems. Movies. I made the mistake of going to see Dumbo with my kid and she was so embarrassed by how inconsolable I was. It’s an issue. Is that a fun fact? I feel like I should add something else that’s more fun. Ummm … I still know all the dances to all the Spice Girls songs and my favourite one is the little-known classic Saturday Night Divas. That song is tragically underrated. 

Places to find Kate:
Her website: kategordon.com.au 
​Instagram: direleafhall
Twitter: @direleafhall

Today, I welcome Allison to the blog. I love reading historical fiction, and I have even got an idea for one myself. So, it was fascinating to have the opportunity to interview Allison about her non-fiction historical books, as well as her faction piece, Follow After Me.  

How much of your earlier research for your non-fiction books went into Follow After Me?

An immeasurable amount! I developed an extensive knowledge of the Australian experience of WWI during the creation of my adult title Anzac Sons: the Story of Five Brothers in the War to End All Wars (Big Sky Publishing, 2014).  That research enabled me to capture the authenticity of time and accuracy of historical events. Spending time on the Western Front also developed the capacity to address the sensory experience to create the WWI setting. In the creation of Anzac Sons there were moments of serendipity that could not be included in a work of factual content. Follow After Me has allowed me to tell some of those stories, the moments with no explanation, of which, in fiction, I had the freedom to bend and conform to the narrative.

Did Follow After Me require further research? 
​
Follow After Me is told in parallel narratives of today and a century before. It includes the experience of an indigenous soldier and the impact the war had on him and his descendants. There was more research that needed to be done to ensure I accurately represented the experience. Further research was necessary to capture the elements I needed for Lizzie who is growing up on a farm in time of drought and dealing with the coming-of-age issues of today. While I grew up on a farm and I’m very aware of the effects of drought, to capture the young adult voice I did a lot of eavesdropping on my own children. The opportunity to research and write at the Australian War Memorial, courtesy of a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship, made a significant contribution to the writing of Follow After Me.

On your website, you say, ‘My interest in the service of my ancestors began when I was studying to become a teacher.’ Can you explain what, ‘the service of my ancestors’ means and why it is important?

The historical story within Follow After Me is based on the tragic World War One experiences of my ancestors, the Marlow family. Honouring their service to Australia became a slight obsession. I wanted to share their story. Of six brothers, five went to war, only two made it home. The Anzac characters in Follow After Me are based on each of the brothers and have been developed as accurately as possible using a collection of over 500 letters and postcards which the men sent to home from the Western Front. Some of the correspondence in Follow After Me uses the actual letters of my ancestors but with additions or modifications to move the narrative forward. 

What tips do you have for researching and writing faction (fiction with historical elements)?

• Write for yourself – the places, landscapes, stories and objects that pass through your life and are meaningful to you.
• Faction has unique needs – recreating an era long gone requires research. Research will ignite the spark that creates a sense of place and brings the world to life.

• Facts can drive the narrative, or they can rest in the background, but facts provide authenticity. You need them to create depth.
• Stay as faithful to the truth as you can – savvy readers of that time period will know when you change a fact, if you do it, let them know.

 
How important is it to share Australian historical stories?

I firmly believe that we cannot understand who we are today and develop a strong sense of identity without understanding the past – it helps develop empathy for all and an appreciation and conviction for the values that Australians hold dear. Keep sharing Australian stories and reinforce our unique sentiment and characteristics!

In the lives of the two protagonists, Evie and Lizzie, there must’ve been times when they felt afraid. What are some of the ways they faced their fear and found courage?

That’s a tricky question – I might give away the plot! Perhaps I can say that being prepared to listen to their instinct and follow the values they know are right, were the key factors that helped Evie and Lizzie to face their fears. It has a lot to do with those that came before and the courage they showed in the face of great danger and adversity!
 
How have you dealt with fear in your own life?

I try turning fear into my friend, I listen to it, acknowledge it and, like Lizzie, think of the courage my ancestors displayed. If they can do it, so can I. Perhaps I don’t always conquer fear, but I do my best to give it a go and not be overwhelmed by it.

Three fun facts about Allison:
 
My Favourite Books:  Belinda – Pamela Allen (closely followed by my books, of course)
                                   
Pets: I once had a dog and three cats – now I have a native blue-banded bee who visits the herb garden outside my study window (actually, my bee is the second one I have had, the first one sadly left me).  She is beautiful and has a very loud buzz!
 
You as a Child: I grew up on a farm surrounded by dogs, cats, chooks, cows and sheep. I wish I was still growing up on the farm! I read a lot, played netball and tennis and rode the motorbike. I did lots of jobs like helping at shearing time, looking after the vegetable garden and picking fruit, but wasn’t always trusted to gather the eggs … I was a bit clumsy …

Two women live a century apart but are mysteriously connected.
 
'Follow After Me' is a unique blend of contemporary fiction and historical detail. It is a beautiful story of war, love and coming-of-age that will appeal to both male and female readers from age 14 and up and cross-over to adult readership.
 
Allison is the author of the 2016 ABIA and CBCA notable title 'Anzac Sons: Five Brothers on the Western Front', the children’s version of the adult title 'Anzac Sons'. Her children’s picture books 'Granny’s Place' and 'Shearing Time' are inspired by childhood memories of life on the farm. 'Australia Remembers: Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and War Memorials' was published in 2018 and is the first in a series. 
 
More information about Allison and her books can be found at her website: www.allisonmarlowpaterson.com.

Cameron Macintosh: a writer and editor based in Melbourne, has worked in educational publishing since 2001, editing primary literacy books and teaching materials, and author of more than 80 primary titles.

In 2017 he dived into the world of trade publishing with the release of the first book in his Max Booth Future Sleuth series — a humour-filled sci-fi series for 7 to 10-year-olds. Previous titles in the series include Tape Escape (read our conversation here) and Selfie Search, with the latest, Stamp Safari released in August 2018 (illustrated by Dave Atze, published by Big Sky Publishing).

Megan: I love how you’ve set the Max Booth series 400 years into the future. Have you thought a lot about how we are treating our planet and what the planet may look like in 400 years? Or was it just fun to dream up whatever you wanted and readers just having to accept what you say?
​
Cameron: That’s a great question. I can definitely say that I’ve had all of that in mind from the beginning. The fun side of it came first, narrowly, but it was apparent pretty quickly that a series about future people looking back at our present-day lifestyles could offer some opportunities to examine how we’re looking after the planet.
 
These thoughts play out fairly subtly in the Max stories but they’re definitely an important layer, given that Max lives in a very crowded, polluted city. Max’s hometown, Bluggsville, is also very sharply divided by class, so I hope the series might also spark discussions about social inequality, and things we might be able to do now to prevent our society from fracturing further in the coming decades and centuries.

Megan: Wow! I love the layers you’ve included in these stories. I’m sure it will generate great classroom discussions.  
Max often seems to get himself into scrapes and situations where he must overcome various fears. How does Max approach these situations? And how do you face your fears?

Cameron: Max tends to face his fears by confronting them head-on, with cheekiness and bravado. But there are definitely times when he doesn’t feel so confident. When these times come along, his robo-dog Oscar can usually supply the boost he needs. They’re pretty good at supporting each other when one is feeling frightened or discouraged.
 
As for me, when I’m facing a fearful situation, I try to ask myself ‘How scary is this, really? What’s the worst that could come of this?’ Usually, the worst-case scenario isn’t nearly as bad as the feeling of fear makes it out to be.
 
Megan: I love how Max has Oscar to give him that boost when he needs it. And you have said something I believe in whole-heartedly. Often, fear makes things appear way worse than the situation really is. 
​

Do you get fan mail? If so, what has been your favourite so far?

Cameron: I have had a few messages from happy readers – it’s a huge buzz when the readership you’re writing for responds to your stories in the way you were hoping they would. One particularly nice message actually suggested a really good plot for a future Max story. Who knows, that one might become a co-write!
 
Megan: That must be exciting.
Will Max and Oscar be having more adventures?
​
Cameron: There’s definitely more to come. Book 4 is written and in production as we speak. I won’t give too much away about that one, except to say that it deals with the discovery of some very old-school photographic gear, and more grave danger for Max and Oscar! 
 
Megan: Sounds intriguing. 
What are your favourite ways to feed your creativity?
Cameron: Apart from consuming as many good books and films as possible, at the moment I’m finding meditation to be really helpful. I don’t know whether it’s actually feeding the creativity or just giving it space to seep out – a bit of both, I suspect. There are so many demands on our attention these days, but even just a few minutes of stillness seems to help me filter out some of the white noise and hear my own thoughts more clearly.
 
I also find abstract visual art to be a useful trigger for story ideas, perhaps because it generally gives you permission to interpret it in a very personal way that can spark all sorts of creative associations in your head.
 
These things won’t work for everyone but I love hearing how other people answer this question. It’s always interesting to know what sparks ideas in other people’s heads.

Megan: Sparks of ideas can come from all sorts of places. Conversations, books, poetry, something I see…  
​Your YA manuscript, The Ascension of Saint Jay, was shortlisted for the Ampersand Prize in 2017. What has become of that story? Are you still working on it?

Cameron: I’m a huge fan of the Ampersand Prize – a competition dedicated to first-time YA and middle grade novelists. Being shortlisted was a huge thrill, as well as a much-needed confidence boost. That particular story has been with me for quite a long time, and I’ve redrafted it so many times that I’ve had to take a long break from it to look at it again with any clarity. I think I’ve finally reached that point in the last month or two. I’m pretty happy with the voice and the feel of it, but the plot needs some pretty major renovations, so I’m bracing myself for the inevitable slash-and burn. It definitely needs doing, but it’s gonna hurt!
 
Megan: Ahhh! Yes! The re-write. Or as you say, the ‘slash and burn’.  
What’s next for you?
​
Cameron: I’m currently working on Max’s fifth adventure, and having a lot of fun with it. As soon as that’s done I’ll start the Saint Jay rewrite in earnest – hopefully the 600th draft will be the last! In the midst of all of that, I’ll be writing some levelled readers too, for one of my educational publishers. It’s a lot to juggle in this modest brain of mine but I’ll always be grateful that this is what I actually get to do for a living.
 
Megan: Sounds like a busy and exciting time ahead.  
 
And as always … 3 Fun Facts:
1. As a kid, I was obsessed with the Smurfs, and built up a sizeable collection of little blue figurines. I sold them all for pocket money as a teenager but now I want them back! These days I’m slowly restoring the collection with visits to collectible shops and junk markets.
 
2. I’m crazy about dogs. Maybe when I grow up I’ll get one of my own!
 
3. I only buy socks with loud colours or unusual pictures on them. They’re so much easier to pair up after they come off the clothesline! (Today’s pair: skull and crossbones. Tomorrow: pineapples)

Title: Max Booth Future Sleuth: Stamp Safari
 
Author: Cameron Macintosh
 
Illustrator: Dave Atze
 
Publisher: Big Sky Publishing
 
Genre: Middle Grade Chapter Book
 
Age Range: 6-12
 
Description:
 
“This is a fun and fast-moving series packed with action.” – KBR
“A fun and futuristic junior fiction series kids will love.” – Just Write for Kids
Max is back. And in the third instalment of the action-packed Max Booth Future Sleuth series, Max and his robosidekick, Oscar, are ready to sharpen their super-sleuthing skills yet again.

MAX BOOTH FUTURE SLEUTH: STAMP SAFARI

A tiny piece of paper from the year 2019 might not sound very interesting to most people. But Max and Oscar – Bluggsville’s sharpest sleuths – aren’t most people! Max has a hunch that this ancient patch of paper might be valuable, and extremely rare.
​
Max is right – this isn’t just any old piece of paper. It’s a strange, sticky thing called a postage stamp, and it’s more than 400 years old! It’s an exciting discovery, but before long, it leads Max and Oscar into some very sticky situations… 

​On Saturday the 19th of May, after a sleepless night for many, too keyed up, nervous, freaking out, or just uncomfortable in a hotel room, two hundred and thirty emerging, aspiring, and established, authors and illustrators descended on Melbourne Town Hall for the annual KidLitVic—Meet the Publishers Conference.

For me, it was my third year and I felt like an old hand trying to calm the nerves of those there for the first time and letting them know what to expect. I was excited to be able to catch up with many of the authors I’d interviewed for my blog over the past year, as well as speak to many I had ‘met’ online, and to make new friends. However, for a bunch of predominantly introverts, being in a room full of mainly strangers should have been daunting (it was initially), and silent (it was not).
​
As we filed in the chatter began and it was hard to be heard above the din that arose from Melbourne Town Hall. Nerves fell away as people recognised one another from social media and started to talk. As one author said to me, ‘I’ve never felt like I quiet fit in anywhere. Here I’ve found my people!’ A sentiment I’m sure which is echoed by many.

​Leigh Hobbs inspired and encouraged us with his opening address as he shared his own journey to be published. ‘In this industry you need talent, luck, and perseverance. I had some talent, some luck, and plenty of pigheadedness.’

Leigh went on to say, ‘How do you know you are a writer and/or illustrator? The need and urge to paint/draw/write is always there. You should nurture and protect what you do, and it should come first.’
​
The rest of the day went by in a blur. I know I’m not alone in saying there was a huge amount of information packed into the day which we’re still trying to sort out and get our head around. These came from the panels, and the workshops, as well as the Q & A at the end. So many of our questions were answered. However, there was the, ‘It depends,’ quite a lot. 

Many of us took the opportunity to have a manuscript or portfolio assessment by a chosen publisher or agent. I suppose this was to answer the question, ‘Do I have any talent?’ I didn’t think I was nervous until suddenly while waiting for my assessment time, my mouth dried up completely and my tongue felt glued to the roof of my mouth. I wondered if I’d be able to even speak. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten slowly, I managed to get myself together. This was just in time to have a relaxing conversation for the next fifteen minutes with my chosen agent. 

I’m sure others will have a lot to say about the content shared throughout the day. For me, these are my key takeaways:

1) As Leigh said, we need perseverance and pigheadedness to stay in this industry. One of the best ways to be able to persevere is to create a community of like-minded people around you. These are people who will support, encourage, and be honest with you. We need to develop our talent, put ourselves out there, and be prepared to be in it for the long haul. And why would we do this? Because we can’t not write/paint/or draw. If you have a story you believe in, hold on to it and keep submitting. It will find a home somewhere.
​
2) You are not alone. The Australian KidLit industry is competitive, yes. However, more than this, it is supportive and encouraging. The people I’ve met over the past four years have been proven this to me. I belong to a few Facebook groups, and the KidLit ones are by far the most helpful and inspiring. There is no reason to hide in your cave writing or drawing/painting by yourself wondering if this is what you should be doing. 

Going to conferences like KidLitVic—Meet the Publishers is where you find ‘your people,’ and it is where you have opportunities available to you, you would never have otherwise (luck); opportunities to find out about professional development (develop talent), hints and tips, industry insider news, and a day to immerse yourself in the publishing industry and see if this is what you really want to do (perseverance). These are things you can put into place, so you will be able to persevere, as well as nourish and protect what you do.

I applaud the organisers of KidLitVic, Coral Vass, Jaquelyn Muller, Alison Reynolds and Nicky Johnston for changing things, mixing things up, and making this year’s conference bigger and better than ever. 
 
This post originally appeared on the KidLitVic website 23rd May, 2018: Talent, Luck, and Perseverance by Megan Higginson

Today, I have the pleasure to welcome Maura Pierlot to my blog on her whirlwind book blog tour for her latest book, The Trouble in Tune Town. 

Maura is an author and playwright based in Canberra, who enjoys writing fiction for children and young adults. The Trouble in Tune Town is her first children’s picture book. 
​
Megan: Hi, Maura. How are you today?
 
Maura: Morning, Megan. I'm great. Slightly tired ... my 18 year old came in at 5am after his last cricket match!
 
Megan: Oh, dear!
 
Maura: I'm like my mother ... can't sleep properly until all the kids home. I say 'kids' but they're 16, 18 and nearly 20 so I better get used to late nights.
 
Megan: Those days are long behind me, but I remember them well.
 
Maura: One of the down sides of being an older parent ... less energy (and tolerance lol).
 
Megan: Well, let’s dive straight into the interview, shall we?
 
Maura: Rightio!
 
Megan: You grew up in the Bronx. What brought you to Australia?
 
Maura: I was working on my PhD at Georgetown Uni in Washington DC. I was at the thesis stage – no more coursework – so I was actually working in NYC at the time as an ethicist of all things. One of my professors told me about the Fulbright Program – it's an international study program, similar to Rhodes Scholarships, and I was intrigued. I had always wanted to visit Australia, so the choice of location was easy.
 
Professor Peter Singer, a well known philosopher and animal rights advocate, was heading Monash University's Centre for Human Bioethics. I wrote to him, asking if he'd support my Fulbright application (to be based at his Centre) and he wrote back straight away and said yes. Sounds funny now to say 'wrote back' but these were the old days where people actually wrote and posted letter - computers were still clunky and no internet to speak of. Only four Americans were chosen for Australia and I was one of them so I was thrilled beyond belief.
 
Sorry that was a bit long haha. The short answer is I came here to work on my PhD thesis (philosophy/ethics). My thesis focused on HIV issues – very topical in the late '80s.
 
I was comparing the US response to HIV and Australia's, arguing that public policy needed to meet minimum ethical standards and not just be based on economics or expediency. So, I came to Australia for a year, went back to New Jersey, where I had been living since high school days, then came back to Australia for another six months when they granted me an extension. Lucky!

​Megan: You certainly did come in from a very different pathway to creative writing. Wow! What an amazing opportunity. So, what did you do during the Fulbright Program?
 
 
Maura: I should say that I studied hard, laboured over my thesis, ready philosophy tomes, but the real answer is I had a ball just being in Australia, meeting great people, enjoying new experiences. Peter Singer was the absolute best person to work with – so accessible, open minded and supportive. Writing a thesis is like creative writing; some days the words and ideas come, other days not. So, it was a lesson in perseverance and self-belief on many levels.
 
 
By the end of my second stint in Australia I had competed the 300-page thesis and submitted it to my (American and Australian) supervisors. In America, you have to orally defend your thesis ... you get grilled by a panel, but fortunately I passed.
 
Megan: It certainly sounds like you learnt a lot of great lessons, including those of perseverance and self-belief which are doing you in good stead now. I read that you only turned to creative writing only about five years ago, and your short stories, plays and young adult manuscript have won or been shortlisted for awards. What would you attribute to your success?
 
 
Maura: I'm not really sure but I suspect it's a combination of factors. I've always had a "can do" attitude. I like challenges – I've had many over the years in business, work, study, life! My parents instilled a very good work ethic and I've been working (usually several jobs) essentially since my teens.
 
I had a lot of interests as a child and always loved learning. I devoured books, wanting to step into new worlds but also being fascinated by facts. I remember struggling with the idea of a career – how can someone possibly commit to one field? The standing joke was that I was going to become a professional dilettante, which I have in a way.
 
I think the long haul of doing a PhD was good practice for writing a novel. Simply put, I don't give up easily and when I get an idea in my head that I want or need to do something, there's usually no stopping me. Of course, I have my days when I second guess everything I've done and am doing – ah, the writing life. And there are many days that I wish I could have bottled the enthusiasm and confidence of my youth. So, I'm just plugging away at various projects the best I can, mainly for my own pleasure and journey… but hoping also that my writing resonates with others.
 
At the risk of sounding cynical, I don't think winning or being shortlisted for awards means my work is any better than anyone else's. I've been blown away reading work that has never won awards or been published. And I've read plenty of books and wondered how they got published. There's so many titles on the market, and so many people trying to get published, that awards certainly help get noticed but I think it's often being in the right place at the right time – having the right work be read by the right person in the right moment.
 
It's unfortunate that people tend to measure success by publication standards. I nearly fell in this trap myself. I started writing 'midlife' after many other careers, mainly because I wanted and needed to exercise the creative side of my brain, which had been dying a slow death.
 
I always said – and really meant it! – that I was writing just for me, that the process was far more important than the outcome. I still believe that, but the problem is when you've poured your heart and soul onto the page, often for several years, you want that imprimatur – a supposedly independent third party to say, Hey, this work is so good that we want to publish it. And when you don't get that, you then start to second guess everything you've written.
 
It's a very dangerous and unhealthy cycle. Publishing decisions are based far more on commercial considerations (marketing/sales) than literary value. And the people who decide are essentially just one voice. There's no universal truths to be imparted from a decision to publish or not publish.

Megan: I can pick a few points out from what you’ve said that I think are key to succeeding at anything. 1) A ‘can do’ attitude. 2) Work hard 3) Love learning new things. 4) Devour books. 5) Practice writing 6) Don’t give up.
 
As for your next points, I’ve often wondered the same things. And I think you are right in saying that it really is a whole range of factors that contribute to getting published.  
 
Maura: Hahaha! Yes, your six points are great. Why didn't I just say that?
 
Megan: You also write plays. Do you think this helps you visualise each scene, write dialogue, develop characters etc?  
 
Maura: Maybe I watched too much TV as a child but I often write visually. When I imagine characters and scenarios, it's always dialogue driven. Perhaps that's why I gravitated to YA (though I think it's because I never quite grew up lol... maybe I have some unfinished teen business!). So writing for the stage seems like a natural fit.
 
I read about a writing comp in 2014 and thought, what the hell, I always wanted to write a play, so I'll give it a go (there's that 'can do' attitude haha). My mother was very unwell overseas, and I was struggling with a lot of related issues – the tyranny of distance, guilt about moving to Australia years ago, the burden of caring that had fallen on my brother who lived locally – and I essentially just dumped that scenario/conversation on the page and the play was picked up. That got me hooked!
 
Megan: My writer’s group and I just did an activity on the weekend where we took a scene from our current work in progress and turned it into a play. It was a lot of fun, but I also found that, even though I visualise my scenes as I write, this made it even more focused. It was a great exercise.   
 
The Trouble in Tune Town is your first picture book. What inspired the story? 

Maura: Our three children were the inspiration for the story. They were all very musical but never liked to practice. That's an understatement ... there wasn't a week that went by without one of them wanting to quit.
 
Their teacher was fantastic, but the kids felt like lessons focused on what they did wrong rather than how far they had come. They were flat out with school work and co-curricular and practice was just another chore in a busy week. In fact, it was taking the fun out of music for them.
 
When waiting for my son at his lesson one day, I had an idea of a child struggling with a new song, blaming the music, only to find that the notes flew off the sheet and far away, leaving the town without any tunes. And the story grew from there.
 
Megan: I love hearing the inspiration behind the story. I’m sure that your book will help a lot of kids out there, and parents. Music should be enjoyed. I love how you have the notes of music fly off the page.  
 
Maura: Thanks, I hope the book helps some kids and parents. Every family I talked was having the same battle, trying to get their kids to practice.
 
So much of what kids do these days is geared to achievement – trying to get top grades at school, to make the Division 1 side in their sport, to play a song beautifully on their instrument. The book encourages kids to relax when they're learning, whether it's music or at school (or even a hobby), to try their best and to not be afraid of making mistakes ... that’s where the real growth comes from.
 
It reflects my view that the process in itself has value irrespective of the outcome. (Similar to the writing journey generally.) That's also the basis for the message (on the opening pages of the book): "Practice should never be a fight. If you're having fun, then you're playing all right."
 
Megan: Why did you decide to go with Little Steps Publishing for this picture book? And was the publishing journey like?
 
Maura: I was offered a contract from a (small) traditional publisher but my gut feeling was that they weren't a good fit for several reasons. Always go with your gut.
 
With my business experience, I knew I could self publish but I was flat out with other projects and didn't think I'd be able to devote the time and energy needed, so partner publishing seemed like the best option.
 
Little Steps was quite good – they know what they're doing, and they have a business model that works. There were a few little hiccups, as there often are in business, but I think they learned from the experience and made some needed organisational changes.
 
I think my book challenged them on many levels as it was very detail oriented, and I wanted the music to be depicted accurately while still allowing the illustrator artistic license. With hindsight, I think partner publishers are geared more to getting the book out; they don't invest in authors per se or offer much in terms of post-production services. I think at the end of the day, the author has to believe in her work and do the hard yards trying to get it out to the market. There's no shortcuts.
 
Megan: I think publishing in any sense, is a learning curve. And there is so much to learn. It’s a good thing that you stuck to your vision of the book. Are you happy with the outcome?
 
Maura: Yes, the good news is I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome. Little Steps has very high production standards – everything from the stock, the print quality, the vibrancy of the colour.
 
I love the look and feel of their book. Sophie Norsa, the illustrator, did a fantastic job for such a challenging task and I love the little touches she added. With respect to Little Steps, I think many partner publishers (probably publishers generally) operate from the false assumption that every author is just so damn grateful to be published that they'll take a back seat and go with the flow – not a trait that feisty New Yorkers are known for.  

Megan: That’s such good news that, in the end, you were happy with your book.
 
You’ve also written a young adult novel, Freefalling. Where are you up to with the writing process?
 
Maura: My YA novel has had many manifestations in recent years. Every time I think I can't possible add to it, or change it in any way, I leave it for a bit then pick it up with new eyes. That said, I'm very happy with where it's at right now.
 
I was thrilled to be named winner of the Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program late last year. The mentorship involves spending time with HarperCollins staff (in editing, marketing and publishing).
 
I’m currently talking to the publisher about how my mentorship will work, and I’m pleased that she’s interested in customising an approach based on what my manuscript needs at this point in time. It’s too early to know the precise mentorship details, or the outcome, but I have no doubt that the process will be worthwhile, and that my manuscript will be much stronger as a result.
 
I wrote the story for me, perhaps also in a sense for my 16-year old daughter. It's an important story about losing your sense of self and finding it again, and seems to be resonating quite strongly with readers. I'd like to see it published because I think it's an important story to tell. Ideally, I'd love to see it picked up as a text for high school English.
 
Megan: You’ll learn so much about the writing process through a mentorship, I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with your manuscript by the end.
 
Maura: I'm sure I will! Writing can be a lonely pursuit and it's so easy to be in your own head for too long. I'm super grateful for the mentorship opportunity and am really looking forward to having the industry input!
 
Megan: I’m sure you’ll love it. So, what’s next for you?  
 
Maura: I'm currently working on a series of monologues on mental health issues faced by young people. In a few weeks, I leave for WA to write the second act of my play, Leaving, as part of a KSP Fellowship. Leaving ran as one-act play in Melbourne in 2014 but was always intended to be full length. The Trouble in Tune Town is being launched at the National Library of Australia on 6 May, so there's a fair bit of work to do for that event too.
 
I'm also trying to do more school visits. I did a few last year and loved it. Kids are a very enthusiastic and honest audience and I had a blast!
 
Megan: It sounds like you will be very busy over the coming months. I enjoy doing author visits too. I love how the kids are so honest. You really know where you stand with them.

Is there anything special you are doing with your book launch?
 
Maura: A local community music organisation called Music for Canberra is a big supporter of the book and will be involved with the launch. One of their youth ensembles will be performing at the event.
 
There will also be an author's reading and activities for the kids and book signings, of course. It will be in the lobby of the National Library – a beautiful space with vaulted ceilings, oodles of natural light, great architectural elements, a bookshop and cafe nearby. I can't wait!
 
Megan: Wow! That’s sounds like an exciting day. I hope there will be lots of photos.
 
Well, Maura, it has been fabulous chatting with you today. I can hear the passion you have for your creative writing. Good luck with your plays, your mentorship, and your book launch.
 
Maura: Lovely chatting to you, Megan, and thanks for your insightful questions – a fun creative exercise for the morning! Best of luck with all your work too.
 
Megan: Thank you, Maura. 

And finally, three fun facts about Maura:
 
I nearly pursued a career in comedy.
I have a long history of natural and political travel disasters (earthquakes, two coups, near mid-air collision).
There was an attempted hijacking too.
At university, I pushed a pram from Durham, North Carolina to Washington DC (as part of relay team) as a fundraiser for a US Presidential candidate and also to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. That's about 400 kilometers. Funny to remember that because now a 5 kilometers run is challenging!
 
Exciting News: The Trouble in Tune Town has just been awarded Joint Winner, Best Children's Illustrated E-Book in the IPPY Book Awards 2018!

About Maura:
Maura is an author and playwright based in Canberra, who enjoys writing fiction for children and young adults. The Trouble in Tune Town is her first children’s picture book.
 
Late last year, Maura was named winner of the CBCA Aspiring Writers Mentorship Program, and recipient of the Charlotte Waring Barton Award, for her young adult manuscript, Freefalling.
 
Her short plays have been performed in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, with one of them winning an international monologue competition in 2016 and another currently being redeveloped as a full-length play as part of a KSP Fellowship.
 
In addition to her creative writing achievements, Maura has worked as an ethicist, medical video writer/producer, small business owner, freelance journalist and editor of Australian Medicine. She has a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctorate, each in philosophy.
 

Title: The Trouble in Tune Town 
Author: Maura Pierlot 
Illustrator: Sophie Norsa 
Publisher: Little Steps 
Genre: Picture Book  
Age range: 3-8 years
 
The Trouble in Tune Town is a fun, imaginative fantasy told in rhyme, featuring Meg and her song's quirky music notes, inviting readers to step inside the experience of music.
 
https://thetroubleintunetown.com/
Link to buy: https://thetroubleintunetown.com/buy-now/

Where to find Maura:
 
Website: www.maurapierlot.com

Facebook: Maura Pierlot Author

Instagram: Maura Pierlot

LinkedIn: Maura Pierlot

Goodreads: Maura Pierlot 

Websites: www.maurapierlot.com
www.thetroubleintunetown.com