One in Many Millions

A far cry from stories about storks and magical eggs, RJ Miles’ debut picture book One in Many Millions engages children in fascinating facts about assisted reproduction.

RJ was inspired to independently publish the book when she and her wife began researching how they would start their own family and began the IVF process.

‘We realised there were not many titles out there for children born via assisted reproduction that explained in their language, how their life began – particularly for same-sex parented children who may have been a result of donor sperm or assistive reproductive technology,’ RJ said.

RJ found that indie publishing required a lot of stamina and effort, but the best part was making connections with many interesting, like-minded people.

She even got invited to TEDx Brisbane, and also to be a writer for QNews in Brisbane. Her next big creative dream is to get a PhD.

‘One in Many Millions is special to me because it coincides with the start of our child's life and was essentially written for them,’ RJ said.

RJ and her wife welcomed their baby boy in December 2018.

Find out more about RJ’s journey on her website.

Ori the octopus returns

Anne Donnelly is an emerging author, illustrator, dance teacher and former scientist. With such a busy life, it’s no wonder she had to invent an eight-armed helper.

Ori the octopus has now starred in three indie-published picture books. The latest title, Ori’s Clean-Up, aims to inspire children to care for the environment.

One of Anne’s favourite things about her indie publishing journey has been collaborating with editors, a designer, printer and distributor.

‘I have learnt so much along the way. Persistence and hard work!’ Anne said.

‘My big creative dream is to be able to earn a reasonable living from writing so I can continue to do it.’

Anne’s connections with environmentally-minded retailers is helping Ori on his journey into the hands of young readers, despite the distribution challenges faced by indie authors.

‘I have been so lucky that, aside from book shops and libraries, lots of other retailers have picked up Ori’s Clean-Up,’ Anne said.

‘Many zoos, national parks, museums, aquariums and holiday retailers across the country are now stocking it, and I am doing a second print run.

Head to Anne’s website to check out the full Ori series.

Riverboat postie inspires picture book

Joanne Karcz has to cross the beautiful Hawkesbury River by boat to get to or from her house. As a passionate travel writer, she couldn’t have asked for a more perfect abode.

The river – and the lifestyle of the lucky folk who reside on its banks – even inspired Joanne to write her latest picture book: The Riverboat Postman.

1. What inspired you to independently publish a picture book?
I live in a unique place on the Hawkesbury River. Children here have a freedom unknown by many Australian children. After writing my first book on Dangar Island, which celebrates that freedom, it was an easy step to introduce readers to The Riverboat Postman, which delivers my mail.

2. Why is your book, The Riverboat Postman, special to you?
I am lucky to live in one of the most beautiful parts of Sydney. The Riverboat Postman captures the essence of the unusual life people who live in water-access properties on the Hawkesbury River lead.

3. What has been the best thing, and what has been the most challenging thing about the process of indie publishing?
The best and most surprising thing was how well my books have been received. I never in a million years expected the response I have received. The most challenging thing was starting from a zero knowledge base and researching absolutely everything about publishing my book. Finding an illustrator was also difficult.

5. What is your big creative dream?
Unrelated to my books, I dream that my writing will one day be published in a travel magazine. I currently write a blog, Travel with Joanne, which mainly focuses on Sydney suburbs, but other travels too.

To buy a copy of The Riverboat Postman head to Vivid Publishing.

The picture book philosopher

Maura Pierlot rediscovered her creativity after more than 25 years in business, and her career as an author and playwright is blossoming.

Her indie-published debut picture book The Trouble in Tune Town, has received several awards, and she has plenty more stories up her sleeve.

We sat down with Maura to find out a little more about her creative journey.

Why is The Trouble in Tune Town special to you?
The Trouble in Tune Town was inspired by our children and it touches upon the many challenges kids face when learning. Meg, the main character, represents the struggling student who wants to give up out of sheer frustration, especially when she makes mistakes, just like our kids did for piano and other lessons over the years. They loved playing their instruments but never wanted to practice — a challenge echoed by many other families — mainly because, in their eyes, the learning process often highlighted what they did wrong, rather than how far they had come.

Children have different personality types, learning styles, interests and abilities, and I think learning (in all subjects) needs to engage students so they can develop skills in a fun and enjoyable way. In my view, education focuses far too much on outcomes rather than process yet most of the personal development can be found in the journey, where important traits can be developed like resilience, self-belief, perseverance and belonging — themes explored in Tune Town.

What has been the best thing, and what has been the most challenging thing about the process of indie publishing?
The best thing about indie publishing is the fact that I could help drive the process. I’ve been in small business for more than 25 years (real estate, marketing, property development, finance) and it would be hard for me to take the back seat and simply hope for the best. I had clear ideas for the look and feel of Tune Town (the many double-page spreads, glossary at the back, the tactile cover) and wanted an opportunity to offer input; with indie publishing, I could add my voice to the chorus.

The down side: even with hybrid publishing, the author is reliant on third parties so there are always potential issues with accuracy, quality, deadlines and so forth. Also, like with self-publishing, the hybrid author has to (virtually single-handedly) drive marketing, sales and distribution. The recent demise of Dennis Jones & Associates is very unfortunate and is not helping the plight of indie authors.

Could you tell us a little about your life outside of writing?
I was born and raised in the Bronx but have lived in Australia for nearly 30 years.

For years and years I studied philosophy, specialising in ethics; friends often joked that I should wear a robe and sandals and ‘pontificate’ in the marketplace like in ancient Greece. Despite philosophy not being a ‘practical’ degree, the training in logic, argumentation, analytical thinking and ethics has served me very well in business and in life.

I also have an active interest in health and medicine (I was a medical journalist for years).

I divide my time between Canberra and the coast, where we have a farm that produces walnuts and avocadoes — a great place for relaxation and inspiration, especially when cohabiting with lyrebirds, wombats, echidnas, kangaroos and other native animals.

What is your big creative dream?
My big creative dream is to have the freedom to write what I want for a loyal, growing audience, to write work that resonates with children and young adults, to continue to assume an intelligent audience and write accordingly, not to create work shaped mainly by market forces.

I used to dabble in film and video, and keep getting signs from the universe that should be pitching my YA manuscript for the screen (it would make a great series).

My play Fragments (a youth monologue project on mental health issues) has been performed in Sydney this year, and it will be performed in Canberra next year. I’d like to take this work to the next level, licensing and making it available for use by schools throughout Australia.

And of course, like many creators, I have countless projects on the go and would like to progress my work in a balanced, fun and enjoyable way… just like Meg in The Trouble in Tune Town!

Find out more on The Trouble in Tune Town website.

Bubbles and Puddles a labour of love

Celebrate the simple joys of life through Bubbles and Puddles, a picture book of rhyming stories by author Michelle Wanasundera.

Michelle first created the tales as bedtime stories for her daughter, Amali. When Amali asked for the stories in a ‘proper book’, Michelle decided to make her a very special gift.

Friends and family also wanted copies, so Michelle decided to share her heart-project with the world, working with artist Thana-one Yazawa and designer Lilly Pilly Publishing.

‘I could have tried the traditional publishing route, but with Amali growing so fast (and traditional publishing being a longer route), I decided to self-publish as soon as I could, before she outgrew the fun of bubbles and puddles,’ Michelle said.

‘The best thing about indie publishing would be of course having full control over the illustrations and design of the book, which was a such a fun and fulfilling experience.

‘I was able to include friends and family in the illustrations as well as have a huge input in the illustration's content, and Thana was just wonderful to work with. Involving Amali and asking her feedback on the illustrations was very special too.’

Of course, indie publishing also presents many challenges.

‘Whilst fun, getting the illustrations and design work just right was challenging at times, the details really need to be perfect, checked, rechecked and rechecked,’ Michelle said.

‘Researching printing options, distribution and marketing is also challenging and time consuming, and it has been frustrating at times as buyers understandably I think tend to choose the more mass-marketed titles.’

Author trivia
Michelle has lived in many places in Australia, as well as Japan. Originally from Melbourne, she met her husband (who is from Sri Lanka) while living on the Gold Coast. They later lived in Sydney city, then made the tree change to the beautiful Blue Mountains.

Michelle continues to lovingly share Bubbles and Puddles far and wide, recently showcasing her work at an Etsy Made Local market, and she shows no signs of slowing down.

‘I have a passion for gorgeous books that touch the heart, and hope that my own stories will also bring smiles, comfort or fun to little ones and their families,’ Michelle said.

Find out more on the Bubbles and Puddles website.

Dreaming of Digby

Embark on a musical adventure between the pages of Digby and the Yodelayhee Who? – the latest picture book by author and performer Renee Price.

The title is the second book in Renee’s independently-published Digby Fixit series, following Digby’s Moon Mission. Both books are illustrated by Anil Tortop.

‘Digby and the Yodelayhee Who? is a dream creation; combining a fun-filled, energetic story and visuals with equally fun and engaging music. All my loves!’ Renee said.

‘The best thing about indie publishing is the creative control over my project and ensuring my vision for it is realised.

‘The most challenging thing is definitely budget, and also obtaining wide distribution channels.’

Renee’s passion for her craft and success in indie publishing has led her to become a strong supporter of many other emerging authors.

Recently, her dream of a traditional publishing contract also came true. Elsie's Dreams will be published by Little Pink Dog Books in early 2021.

Author trivia
‘I have moderate-severe hearing loss (surprisingly not caused by my work as a muso!) and have worn hearing aids since I was 30.’ - Renee Price

The multi-talented Renee continues to dream big, combining her writerly dreams with her talents as a musician and performer.

‘I would love to continue combining my writing and performance, tour, create and build a wide audience for my work,’ Renee said.

‘The Travelling Story Performer sounds like a good title for the role.’

Find out more about Renee’s creative journey, visit Create It Kids, or watch the below video.