Personal Bio

I was born in South Australia and although I've travelled to various parts of the world, I've lived most of my life in this state of Australia. I began teachers' college at sixteen and taught junior and primary school for over twenty years. I also acted in a professional children's theatre company, and have done dozens of television and radio commercials as well as voice-over presentations for video documentaries.

My overseas travels have included a live-in, double-decker bus trip through Britain as well as visiting New Zealand, Bali, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Spain, South America and living for three months in India in a remote village, called Ki, in the Himalayan Mountains.

My husband Jon and I live in the seaside suburb of Glenelg, in South Australia. We have two grown-up daughters and a grandson.

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Professional Bio

IAlthough I didn't know it then, my writing career began when I was about thirty, writing light-hearted poems for my two young daughters. I'd never imagined being a writer, but around that time I also started attending writing conferences and seminars, which was a great revelation. I admit I had little knowledge of the process of writing but over the years found out what a wonderful, yet complex process it was! Although I've since written dozens of books, not all have been published. To date, however, I've had over 70 books published. They range from short fiction to picture books, novels and non-fiction, while my poetry has been published in fourteen anthologies. Over 100 stories, poems, plays and articles have also been published in children's magazines, both in Australia and USA.

Hoosh! Camels in Australia won the Honour Award in 2006 CBCA awards in Eve Pownall information category. Where does Thursday go? was an Honour Book in the 2002 CBCA Awards for Early Childhood and also a Notable Book in the Picture Book category.

ilawuk - When I was Young was Honour book in 1998 Children's Book Council Awards - Eve Pownall Information category. Seven of my books have been Notable Books - Party Time!, Rocky, Dog Star, Duck Down, Party Time!, Elephant Mountain and Leaves for Mr Walter. Leaves for Mr Walter was also shortlisted in the 1999 Children's Peace Literature Award, while Maria Donato - When I was Young and Max Colwell - When I was Young were highly commended in the 1999 Equal Opportunities Awards - in the Year of the Older Person. I have also won or been shortlisted for many other awards for my stories, poems and articles in literature competitions.

Although the majority of my writing is triggered by my own ideas, I also write commissions or requests that come from publishers who want a particular style of story or piece of non-fiction.

I continue to travel throughout Australia visiting schools and libraries, doing speaking engagements and workshops.

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Childhood Memories

I always loved to read, make up plays and stories, and create. I knitted my first jumper when I was nine and sewed my first dress at eleven. I was never bored, but I was always itching to do more adventurous things. One time I planned to take two of my young friends overnight camping alongside a creek miles from my home, but I wasn't allowed. I enjoyed making things to sell at little fetes, which I held in my front yard, donating the money from any sales to charity, like the now defunct Crippled Children's Home at Somerton Park. I always loved looking for treasures as I walk along, and I still do. I'm not out to find anything in particular, but I do find interesting bits, which I sometimes use in art work, or simply collect. It's amazing how many coins I find!

I have lived all my life near the beach. I love it still - particularly in cold weather. At four I started attending a small school run by two elderly sisters, but a year later shifted to Brighton Primary School and then on to Brighton High School.

I didn't have many books during my childhood and nor was there a library available at primary school so I would use any means at my disposal to beg or borrow books (I don't think I ever stole any, but I couldn't be sure) from other children. I received a book each birthday and another one when I did well in the final year of primary school. When I was about six, I found a copy of Charles Dickens' Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in a shelf at home. I tried to read it but had to abandon it because it was too hard.

I wished I'd been a bit braver as a child. A friend of mine introduced me to the local library and I was so excited. I'd just begun to borrow, when the librarian gave my friend such a telling-off for an overdue book, it unnerved me and I never went back. Luckily I found another library when I was about 13. I enjoyed English, French and Latin at High School, but struggled with Maths and Chemistry. I would've loved to have had the chance to do Art or Drama.

My younger sister loved being with animals and my elder brother was off doing 'boy' things, but once he made my sister and I a large fan from a discarded dartboard. He cut the wire in half, covered and glued it with brown paper and then drew pictures on it. I thought was very nice of him.

My father was sick most of my childhood, but I remember enjoying the funny poems he'd recite. I learned one called Young Albert and the Lion, and recited in once in Year 5. Perhaps that's where I got my love for the ridiculous, the funny and the play on words that I like to use in my poetry and fiction today. I loved listening to the radio and still love listening to stories, and plays over the radio - especially when I'm driving or in my studio making mosaics.

Genres and Themes

Children's fiction, poetry, educational (stories, poems, plays, articles), novels, non-fiction, adult poetry, articles and short stories.

Adventure, survival, history, environmental, sensory, the unusual in the everyday, creative solutions, humour.

 

 

Well-known author, Philip Pullman says,

'We need books, time and silence.
"Thou shalt not" is soon forgotten,
but "Once upon a time" lasts forever.'