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Isla’s Family Tree – Happy Book Day!

April 7, 2020 by

Katrina McKelveyis a children’s author, former primary school teacher, wife, and mother to two tweenagers and a cocker spaniel. She’s written many children’s picture books and educational readers including No Baths Week,Up To Something, Isla’s Family Tree (April, 2020), and Chasing Rainbows (August, 2020).

She’s highly involved in CBCA, SCBWI, literary conferences and festivals, and loves visiting schools. She’s left-handed, loves tea and rollercoasters, and is addicted to mint chocolate.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Isla’s Family Tree, published by EK Books on 1 April  is a picture book for children aged 4-8 but would be enjoyed by teens and young adults too.

Isla isn’t happy that her family is changing, so her mother creates a clever family tree with Isla to teach her how families always grow. When her mother hands her two new leaves, Isla doesn’t think they belong. She tries to make them fit somewhere, but not on her branch. However, once she meets her new brothers, she has a change of heart and finds room for them after all. A fun book for any family trying to introduce new family members, or show children how they belong in their family.

Download teacher’s notes and a paper doll making activity from the publisher’s website

WHERE KATRINA’S INSPIRATION CAME FROM

This story came to me when my son was five years old. My grandmother had passed just before Mother’s Day in 2012 and I found it interesting that it was so complicated to explain to him how four generations connected together – and that was only a small part of our family. Around the same time, my sister-in-law was studying my husband’s family tree. We had wonderful family discussions about his family history. Also at the same time, I found the TV show ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ extremely interesting. I wrote down scribbles in 2012 and seriously started writing this manuscript in late 2014.

KATRINA’S FABULOUS WRITING TIPS

  • It took me from 2014 – 2018 to get this story right. Good stories that have a subtle message in the character’s journey take time to get right. That balance between the message and the story is paramount.
  • Ask for professional advice and get a manuscript assessment. As soon as I did, Isla’s Family Tree was accepted for publication.
  • Even though this is my fourth picture book to be traditionally published, I still feel I have loads to learn about creative writing. Keep learning.
  • Picture books have a very unique style about them. Study them and do courses and workshops on how to write picture books specifically.
  • Observe, adore, and follow illustrators. They’ll tell the other half of your picture book story, so leave loads of room for this in your manuscript.

WHERE TO FIND KATRINA ONLINE

Website and blog: www.katrinamckelvey.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katrinamckelveyauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/katrinamckelvey

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinamckelvey/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgfVHAHyIHP14oeEkGl2jtA

Congratulations Katrina and Happy Book Day!

WIN A COPY OF THIS FABULOUS BOOK 

Only open to Australia residents.

All you have to do is:

  1. In the comments section on this post, tell us why you’d like to win the book.
  2. Share this on social media and tag ‘Writing Classes for Kids’ or ‘Dee White Author’

Good luck!

 

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, INTERVIEWS, Picture Books, WRITING TIPS Tagged With: , ,

The Story Behind the Story – Amber’s Inspiring Road to Publication

November 20, 2018 by

“Poultry Passion – Stories From Highshire Farm”

The Story Behind The Story

We are so lucky to have Amber Jepsen visiting today. Amber wrote her first book when she was 10 years-old and it was published when she was 12.

Here she shares her inspiring road to publication.

AMBER’S STORY

I’ve always loved writing, ever since I can remember. As a very young child I can recall always writing little stories and books, some which you would call quite “imaginative”! It was at that age that I was determined to become an author, with my biggest dream to be published. It wasn’t until I was 10 and home bound for three months due to major spinal surgery that my dream started coming true.

All my stories seemed to have a focus on the animals around me, and there are a lot considering we live on a 60 acre farm. But it was when my aide from Primary School sent me a photo of her four newborn Silkie chicks, that inspiration hit me and I wrote the first short story “The Silkie Gang”.

At this stage it was never going to turn into a book, let alone be published. However, when you’re stuck at home for three months, you have a lot of free time. As my aide sent  more pictures of her various breeds of poultry, I wrote more short stories, a story for each different breed of bird. Even though I had written six short stories, I still hadn’t considered making it into an actual book. It was only when a teacher from school read them that she decided to help make my dream a reality.

And so the process began to get my book published. It took a good year of intense editing, going through each story over and over, communicating back and forth with a professional editor who agreed to get onboard. Once we had reached a somewhat mistake-free bunch of stories, and the title “Poultry Passion – Stories From Highshire Farm”, the rejections began.

We contacted countless publishers who turned us away, and many media outlets. Most media companies rejected us, but we managed to get the ABC’s 7:30 report to run a story on my journey with my book. At this stage, many amazing local people who had contacts to many others in the writing industry, had come together and helped through all stages including editing, illustrating and publishing. Without these people, the book never could of happened.

After many months of preparing, at the age of 12,  my book was published and the 7:30 report aired. My dream had come true. It was an incredible experience to publish my own book and has made me believe that any young person with a passion for writing can follow their dreams too.

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