Big Rain Coming A picture book illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft.

Australian Best Seller!

Set in a remote community in Northern Australia Big Rain Coming paints a picture of daily life. Everyone is waiting for the rain. Even the dusty dogs and green frogs are hot. When will the rain come?

A very clever, extremely well written story designed for young readers. It is the sort of story that will be requested night after night at bedtime. Ian W Gibson, Multicultural Education

Celebrating 10 years in print
• Winner! Washington (State) Children’s Choice Picture Book 2002
• Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book
• Premier’s Reading Challenge Book

Australia: Penguin Books ISBN: 978-0-143-50045-2
USA: Clarion Books ISBN 978 -0-618-08344-2
Purchase copies here.

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Littledog will be broadcast on Play School tomorrow at 9:30am on ABC2.

I enjoy hearing other people read my books. Usually I’m the one reading so it’s always a small thrill to hear how someone else presents a story. (Often I think, “That sounds good. Maybe I should try it that way.”)

It’s a bigger thrill to hear someone else present one of my stories on national television. Big Rain Coming was on Play School several years ago and now I’m looking forward to Littledog’s turn in the morning.

The Play School theme notes for the week are here. (Look for Littledog under Wednesday.)

A Littledog printable colouring in sheet is here.

You can read about Littledog’s road to publication here and find teaching notes here.

There is lots more about Littledog on Pinterest here.

And you can buy a copy here.

Go Littledog! Go! 

Littledog A picture book illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie.

Sam and his sister find Littledog during their beach holiday. Littledog is friendly, playful and cuddly. But where did Littledog come from and how long will he stay?

Littledog is one of those everyday-family-life stories told in pitch-perfect prose. Leanne Hall, Readings

A truly delightful storybook for younger readers. Rebecca Butterworth, Bookseller and Publisher

Scholastic Press ISBN 978-1- 74169-5526
Purchase copies here.

What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome as a writer?


What was one of the most surprising things you have learnt from writing?


What was the book that most influenced your life — and why?

Pop over here to read my answers.

Baby Gets Dressed A board book illustrated by Sascha Hutchinson.

What will Baby wear today? Help Baby choose. An engaging, rhyming book for families to share together. Fun seek-and-find illustrations.

Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book
Little Big Book Club Reading Pack Title

A welcome addition to any library or private collection. Liz Derouet, Magpies

Working Title Press ISBN 978-1-921504-00-6

Purchase copies here.

While I completely understand that stunning illustrations are the first thing you notice when you open a picture book the following comments will offend me if you have one of my books in your hand:

• Children’s books are really all about the pictures aren’t they?
• The best thing about this book is the artwork.
• Your book is great. I didn’t get a chance to read it but the illustrations are wonderful.

You won’t offend me if you say:

• The pictures are beautiful.
• Isn’t the artwork gorgeous?
• The illustrations are perfect.

And you definitely won’t offend me if you say something positive about the words. I put quite a lot of thought into those.

Today I’m Dee White’s guest over at Writing Classes for Kids. I’m considering writing picture books for the many different age groups who enjoy them and there’s a writing activity for children as well. Pop on over and I’ll see you there.

When it comes to writing picture books and approaching publishers, I’ve made many of the mistakes that there are to make. Trial and error is how I learn about writing specifically for the picture book genre. It’s how I learn about the industry, secured an agent and got more books published. I didn’t have any mentors or writerly connections when my first book was accepted. I just muddled my way through from there. It’s worked out okay.

Last year I ran a series of workshops in regional areas for aspiring picture book authors about developing a manuscript and finding a publisher. I focused on the questions that I would have loved to hear answered when I first began writing and when I hit bumps in the road along the way. I wanted to share some of my mistakes so that participants wouldn’t make the same ones. The workshops were great fun.

I love books picture. I love reading them and I love writing them so it follows that I love hanging out with writers who share my love.

Following last year’s workshops I received emails from writers asking about an online picture book writing workshop. I’ve been mulling the idea over since then, trying to think of a way I could deliver a course that was as engaging, as fun, and as motivating, as hopefully the face to face ones were. (I didn’t want to just send out an e-book.) And I think I’ve worked out a way! So come and visit me at the Writers Quilt Website. It’s a little net space for those of us who just want to talk about writing picture books all day.

See you over there.

Katrina x

What do you write?

Why do you write it?

(It’s harder that it looks.)

What I Write

I write all kinds of things. Sometimes I write about small dogs and sometimes I write about dads and babies. I also write about the weather, especially when it’s raining. I write stories that children seem to like. I write picture book stories, so adults must like them too, otherwise children will never get to hear them. At the moment I’m trying to write about a girl who wants to be a mermaid. It’s tricky because such a story has been told before and I want to create something that’s original but still feels natural. I have to watch out for clunks because there should be a comforting rhythm to a picture book text.  Some of my finished books include Littledog (it’s meant to be one word because that’s the dog’s name) My Dad Thinks He’s Funny and Big Rain Coming. Once I wrote a story about a seal but no one wanted to publish it, probably because it wasn’t really that good. The same thing happened with my story about singing frogs.  Plenty of times I write rubbish by mistake but every now and then I write something lovely. I write all kinds of things.

Why I Write It

I tried to give up writing once. It was during a busy time when I felt like I was drowning in the stress of an overcrowded life. I knew I needed to throw something overboard to stay afloat so I tossed writing over the side. (It wasn’t paying the bills after all.) But instead of feeling lighter, I felt like I was suffocating under an even greater heaviness. It pulled me deeper until I was forced to acknowledge what I’d always really known – writing was, and is, my life raft. When I write I feel free. Other writers understand what I mean. When we write we feel buoyant. We find peace through our writing. That sounds like nonsense to some people but not to other writers.

So I write for the nourishing weightless feelings of peace and freedom and then there’s the other reason; my ego. I write because I like being a published author. I like seeing my name on book covers. I like achieving success in a highly competitive field and I like the challenge of creating something from nothing. When it comes down to it, all reasons considered, I write for myself.

How would you answer?

*I stole the idea for these question from the Emerging Writer’s Festival site. They’re asking potential 2012 panelists to send in their answers.*