TOO MANY ACORNS IS A REAL BOOK!
July 2024
I am insanely proud to be able to share this advance copy of Too Many Acorns. This is my second book as author-illustrator, the story is close to my heart, I adore little Patrick and can't wait for you all to meet him. Falling into bookshops and libraries this September.
LAUNCH PARTY: THE REAL COWGIRL
Sunday 7 July 2024
The Real Cowgirl enjoyed an incredibly special launch party at the Book Cow in Kingston. Author Isabelle Duff made the trip to Canberra for it, and brought along Saffy (the real-life inspiration behind Cookie), who turned out to be the star of the show. It was great to finally meet them both!
Craft was plentiful, cupcakes were gobbled and hobby horses were gleefully galloped around the shop.
Thank you to the Book Cow and to everyone for coming along and welcoming Sal and her pony into the world.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD, THE REAL COWGIRL!
June 2024
What a joy it is to hold a copy of The Real Cowgirl. I love the colour palette in this book, and I'm so proud of how it has come out. Written by Isabelle Duff, author of Cookie, it will be galloping into bookshops and libraries this June.
I'M IN THE EK SALES CATALOGUE!
May 2024
Thrilling to be given a copy of the EK Books Catalogue for 2024 and discover my work splattered throughout it! Having worked in bookshops for many years, diligently studying and ordering from catalogues like this, it is a 'pinch me' moment every time I see something I created featured in one. I have four books featured in this catalogue, including the imminent release, The Real Cowgirl and, excitingly, Too Many Acorns which is both written and illustrated by me, coming out later this year.
LAUNCH PARTY: CLOUDSPOTTING
Saturday 18 June 2023
Cloudspotting was officially launched into the world in style, and what a glorious day for a book party on a boat on Lake Burley Griffin!
We had some very enthusiastic eaters of cloud cupcakes, crab cookies and crab lollipops, and some wonderfully creative crafters. I spotted some future illustrators in the crowd! Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us, and the hugest thank you to the Book Cow Kingston and the amazing venue MV Southern Cross.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD, CLOUDSPOTTING!
March 2023
Wow, the colours in Cloudspotting are just glorious! It's one thing seeing the paintings on my desk and proofs on my screen, it's something else entirely holding a physical copy of the book. Written by Canberra powerhouse Samantha Tidy, it's floating onto bookshelves now. What a joy to watch my son noticing his own toys in the illustrations, giggling at the sea gulls' antics and spotting animals in the clouds.
BUBBLES ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY
February 2023
Cracking out the crystal flutes and a bottle of champagne on this gloriously warm and sunny day in honour of signing my latest contract.
This will be my ninth picture book, and I'm excited to be working on this beautiful story, written by multi-talented author Dee White. Published by Windy Hollows, Thankyou Whale will make it's way into the world in 2025.
PUBLICATION DAY - 回到你身邊 (Back To You) - Mandarin Edition of Where the Heart Is
December 2022
Happy publication day to 回到你身邊! The Taiwanese publisher Heliopolis even made a re-jigged trailer with is just divine! It's incredible to think that my little illustrations are out there in the world living their own life and now reaching Mandarin speakers around the world.
THE ENDIES AWARD WINNER 2022
December 2022
Thrilled to see Swoop's eggy endpapers win the 'Variations on a Theme' Award in the small but international Endpaper Awards.
LARRIKIN COMPETITION SHORTLIST
September 2022
Exciting to have my manuscript Frank shortlisted in the Larrikin House X SCBWI 2022 Picture Book Competition alongside lots of talented writers.
LAUNCH PARTY: SWOOP
Saturday 10 September 2022
Nicole Godwin and I enjoyed a smashing launch party for 'Swoop' at the National Arboretum Canberra. There was a huge turnout of enthusiastic bird-loving kids and adults. We loved seeing some of the children's decorated magpie eggs and beautiful, creative swooping magpies they made to take home. Everyone got involved in the magpie quiz and scavenger hunt, fought over prizes and devoured Nicole's cookies. We were thrilled to see a few fantastic swoop-proof hats bobbing around, and I happily swooped around everyone in my shoddily made magpie wings.
IT'S CHAMPAGNE AND CONTRACT SIGNING TIME!
August 2022
Three years ago, I signed my first contract to illustrate a picture book. Today I signed a contract for my eighth picture book!
I sat down at a cafe a three months ago with a notebook and an idea. When I put pen to paper, a completely different story emerged. It was a story that demanded to be told, and it held me hostage until every word was perfect. I'm so excited to be authorstrating again, and working with the lovely team at EK Books again - that same publisher that gave me that first contract.
Keep an eye out for Too Many Acorns, hitting the shelves in 2024.
BOOK WEEK SCHOOL VISIT
August 2022
First ever school visit! I arrived, a little tremulous, with bags filled with books, craft supplies and toys. The gorgeous kindy kids at Macgregor Primary enthusiastically roared like bears and warbled like magpies, filling my heart to overflowing.
Reading my books was such fun, and the creativity displayed during craft time was magnificent.
ACT NOTABLE AWARDS
July 2022
A glorious evening with my kidlit tribe at the ACT Notable Awards Night at the beautiful Canberra Contemporaty Art Space by the lake.
The night was topped off with a win for Where the Heart Is for the Children's Small Press 2021!
WOOHOO! NEW ILLUSTRATING CONTRACT!
June 2022
Enjoying the requisite glass of something sparkly after signing the contract to illustrate my 7th book. I'm so happy to be working with Isabelle Duff, author of Cookie, and my wonderful publisher Anouska Jones at EK Books again.
The Real Cowgirl is due for publication May 2024.
HELLO ADVANCE COPY OF SWOOP!
June 2022
I'm just over here, marvelling in the glory of my next release, Swoop. Written by local talent (and all round excellent human) Nicole Godwin, Swoop will be swooping into bookshops in September, PRE-ORDERS available through CSIRO Publishing's website.
I'M IN CATALOGUES!
June 2022
I will never tire of seeing my book babies in publisher and bookstore catalogues!
Take a peek at the Dymocks May catalogue and the Hachette Kids Highlights 2022 catalogue.
THE CBCA 14th NATIONAL CONFERENCE
June 2022
The Children's Book Council of Australia hosted it's National Conference at the QT Hotel in Canberra this weekend. Authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians and teachers talking books for three days straight... bliss!
SCBWI put on some wonderful panels alongside the traditional teacher/librarian sessions, and lots of clever SCBWI creatives got to showcase their talents.
My lovely CSIRO publisher Briana Melideo brought along an advance copy of Swoop for me and Nicole Godwin to drool over. I was thrilled to see so much interest in our book despite it not being released for another three months. I did a 'fireside' reading Friday evening, and chatted about my writing and illustrating process.
There were some insanely talented humans (including Sami Bayly and Dub Leffler, pictured) and I caught up with my wonderful, inspiring kidlit tribe. Massive congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make the conference what it was.
LAUNCH PARTY: UNDER THE MOONLIGHT
Saturday 30 April 2022
With the help of fabulous friends, family and fans, Dymocks was filled with SCREECHES, HOWLS, ROARS and THUMPS. Everyone went home with swag bags of stickers, bookmarks, colouring, craft and the most beautiful moosey cookies.
It was a joyous celebration marking the end of an era - I am so happy I got to launch by book in my parents bookshop in Canberra, on the eve of their retirement. After almost 19 years and holding several hundred book events, this was their last!
HELLO ADVANCE COPY OF UNDER THE MOONLIGHT!
April 2022
Woohoo! Look at the loveliness of this book! I can't wait to share it with the world, for now I'll just have to content myself with sharing it with my son and all his toys. Available to PRE-ORDER or if you can stand to wait, it'll be hitting shelves in Australia and New Zealand on 27 April.
THIRD PLACE IN FOREVABILITY BOOK AWARDS 2021
April 2022
Created by children’s author and disability advocate Tabitha Page, the Forevability Book Awards showcase Australian and New Zealand children's books which focus on disability, illness (long or short term), neurodiversity, own voice and other specialised subjects.
Isabelle and I were thrilled to receive third place in these empowering awards for Cookie.
PUBLICATION DAY - DONDE EL CORAZON TE LLEVA: La historia de Dindim y Joao
March 2022
Happy publication day to Donde el Corazone te lleva: La historia de Dindim y Joao! Irma Gold and I were utterly thrilled to discover our baby Where the Heart Is has been translated into Spanish by Editorial Kairos (Ana Pániker Vilaplana, translator). With distribution throughout Spain, USA, Mexico, Central and South America, we hope soon children all over the world will be falling in love with our dynamic duo Dindim and Joao. I love the idea that a kid could be sitting on a beach in South America watching Magellanic penguins play in the water with our book in their hands.
VIRTUAL LAUNCH PARTY: COOKIE
Saturday 16 October 2021
Book launching during a pandemic is a bit of a strange thing! Thanks to social distancing rules, I could only have one other family join me to celebrate. Lucky they were so enthusiastic! We had a beautiful morning of books and cookies and craft. Head to Dymocks Canberra for signed copies.
Click for Fudgy Choc Chip Cookies and Peanut Bacon Dog Treat recipes, as well as printable kids' activities, craft and affirmation cards.
HELLO ADVANCE COPY OF COOKIE!
May 2021
I made another actual real life physical book! Cookie by Isabelle Duff is such a special story - less than 6 weeks until you can get your hands on it (but you can PRE-ORDER now). How cute is my son reading it with all his dogs?!
SARAH FERGUSON STORYTIME
July 2021
The Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, read Where the Heart Is on her Storytime with Fergie and Friends Youtube channel.
It was an utterly amazing and surreal moment watching Fergie flick through the pages of our book, admiring the illustrations, saying our names, and even describing it as a "beautiful, beautiful book" at the end.
With over 150K views, that's a lot of schools and families, all over the world, meeting Dindim!
IT'S OFFICIAL, I'M AN AUTHORSTRATOR!
July 2021
I'm thrilled to share the news that Hachette Australia has signed me for not one, but TWO picture books. And these books are not only illustrated by me, but written by me too! I'm really looking forward to developing these books and sharing my writing with the world. Well, looking forward to it with a healthy dollop of trepidation and terror... I'm still in a state of disbelief, need to start working on identifying myself as an author-illustrator... or authorstrator... or illusauthor...?
Under the Moonlight will be in bookstores April 2022, with a second book in 2023.
LAUNCH PARTY: WHERE THE HEART IS
Saturday 26 June 2021
A huge Where the Heart Is window display greeted people at Dymocks Canberra with the children's section inside filled with posters, jungle plants and penguins.
Irma read, I talked about art. Kids and their enthusiastic adults enjoyed Irma's penguin cupcakes and delicious marshmallow chocolate fish while Irma and I signed books. Everyone took home bags of stickers, bookmarks, penguin craft, and of course their very own copies of Where the Heart Is.
AND JUST LIKE THAT I HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT
May 2021
Yes, that's right... I just signed a contract with Windy Hollow Books to illustrate a picture book by the effervescent Samantha Tidy. Gosh, Canberra has a lot of kidlit talent! It is a beautiful celebration of childhood memories and the relationship between father and daughter. I'm so looking forward to painting some lush shore scenes and perhaps an underwater scene scene or two... honestly, I can't wait, but I have a couple of other exciting projects to work on before that. And you'll have to wait until March 2023 to see.
PICTURE BOOK NUMBER THREE!
May 2021
Guess what... I signed a contract to illustrate my third children's picture book! This project has been a long time in the making. About 2 years ago, the delightful Nicole Godwin sort me out and asked me to produce some sample illustrations for her manuscript about Australian magpies. I love the manuscript, and am over the moon that this month I got to sign a contract with CSIRO Publishing to illustrate it! Magpies are one of my great loves, they have such huge personalities and I'm thrilled to be able to delve deeper into this project. I think we're going to make a stunning picture book together!
HELLO ADVANCE COPY OF WHERE THE HEART IS!
May 2021
Can you believe I made an actual real life physical book?! Where the Heart Is by Irma Gold Is such a gorgeous story - only 6 weeks until you can see for yourself, but for now you can content yourself with this sneak peak.
I'M IN A SALES CATALOGUE!
March 2021
Absolutely thrilled to get a copy of EK Books Catalogue for 2021 and discover my art plastered across 4 pages of it! As someone who has pored over countless publisher catalogues in my 15 odd years working in bookshops , I can't but feel like I've 'made it' seeing my work included in one. The beautiful, inspiring book Where the Heart Is by Irma Gold looks so striking in this double page spread. And who wouldn't want to pre-order the heartwarming Cookie by Isabelle Duff after seeing this gorgeous write up?!