Award-winning children’s author
As an Australian best-selling children’s author – I write stories for children to share with their grown-ups.
My award-winning children’s picture books and short stories connect with many.
I’m the CBCA 2022 Winner of Children’s Book of the Year – Early Childhood, the winner of the 2023 Aust Speech Pathology Book of the Year 5-8 yo’s for Jetty Jumping.
And I wrote the Notabled 2024 Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood for In the Rockpool. which is the hero face of Australian Picture Books for the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
This was followed by the Notabled 2025 Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood for Amid the Sand Dunes.
I am a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellow and I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Media, and Post-Graduate in Crisis Communications, which means I am very good at sniffing out stories and am quite calm during re-writes!
My notebooks are overflowing with new characters, and exciting settings and smudged with story-fuelling Cherry Ripes.
Summer is my favourite state of being, beaches are my happy place and books are my forever friends. I write from my house with towering book piles, tucked in amongst the sand dunes of Bunurong Country on the the Mornington Peninsula.
My love of words has joined forces with my love of children’s books.
I joyfully write children’s books and there are the robust makings of a YA novel currently taking shape too.
Jetty Jumping, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville, and published by Hardie Grant, was released in January 2021. It won the 2022 CBCA Children’s Picture Book of the year – Early Childhood. Thanks for loving it Australia!
Sunday Skating and In the Rockpool, were again illustrated by the most talented Hannah Sommerville and published by Hardie Grant.
In the Rockpool was awarded the 2024 CBCA Notable Picture book of the Year – Early Childhood. It’s follow-up Amid the Sand Dunes has been Notabled in the 2025 CBCA Picture Book of year celebrations.
I have several more books on the way between 2024 – 2026!
I have appeared in several anthologies and collections, I’m the winner of the 2020 Hal Porter Short Story Award, 2023 Mulga Bill Writing Award and Highly Commended for 2024 Mulga Bill Writing Award
I write books for children, and books for grown-ups to love too. There’s a few other stories floating in the book-osphere waiting to land as well.
I spy book shelfies
Sightings of my book in the wild There’s something awfully thrilling about being sent ‘shelfies’ of your book across the land. I'm having such fun playing Spotto with Jetty Jumping. It's quite the competitive sport! From the editor of Crinkling News (and fellow...
World Book Day reading
This is my kindergarten book reading grin I adored reading to the Tootgarook PreSchool kids. What a way to mark WORLD BOOK DAY this week. After I’d finished sharing Jetty Jumping, a gorgeous boy in the front row who’d followed every word with wide, wondrous eyes,...
Book launch joy
Book launch joy The pandemic and recent 3rd Victorian Lockdown took a load of moments from us, but not the joy of reading. And today, not the joy of gathering to welcome a book into the world. A Lockdown Liberty Book Launch has a mighty fine ring to it and in two...
Nomination for Citizen of the Year
I'm just happy connecting community I feel like I need to wheel out a small bugle player and pass the hors d’oeuvres around for this news: Today I received a Letter under Council Seal from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, acknowledging that I was one of the many...
Book release day
It's book release day Hurrah! Huzzah! My debut children's picture book JETTY JUMPING has just launched into the world. It’s due to start bobbing about on bookshelves in stores across the land from today. Here’s to spying it in young readers hands and families reliving...
Hal Porter Short Story winner
Hal Porter Short Story Competition winner I am really very honoured to have been announced as the winner of the coveted Hal Porter Short Story Competition. To be awarded this recognition, which has been running for 28 years, is something that truly humbles me....
Victorian Writer published story
The Pandemic Playbook Member's and supporters of Writer's Victoria will be familiar with the seasonal writing magazine The Victorian Writer. ‘The Victorian Writer’ magazine is a valuable resource for Writers Victoria members and aspiring writers across Australia. as...
Peekaboo book cover reveal
What a gorgeous cover Picture book grins for my debut children’s book JETTY JUMPING with Little Hare, an imprint of Hardie Grant Books. I'm blessed to be in wonderful publishing hands to bring my story of Jetty Jumping to life. This book was a joy to write and I've...
Pandemic Writing
Writing through isolation There’s nothing like a pandemic to channel story voices and concepts. The writing flood gates have opened. I've spent 8 months blending copywriting projects with creative writing expressions and submitting them to competitions, collaborations...
Storytime online
Old school storytime online: I don’t know about you, but I’ve missed library time, and book reading to small ones. I have some special little folks that I often read to, just to enjoy exploring books with them, or peering around the aisles at bookstores and libraries...
Lockdown writings
Time to write: While lockdown and restrictions during COVID times have turned life upside down for us all, it’s also brought some reflective writing to my desk. Spending more time with my home-schooling tribe has meant I’m also more in tune with different...