'As writers we’re advised to concentrate on what we know best and what we feel passionate about. I’ve always loved animals, children and writing. My books combine these three passions.
My first book for children was New Faces: The Complete Book of Alternative Pets. This book won the Children’s Book Council Eve Pownall Award for Information Books in 1995. As the oldest child in a large family, I was not allowed to have a dog or a cat until the youngest child was three years of age. So, to satisfy my passion for animals, I explored pet options from an early age, with lizards, birds, guinea pigs and aquariums of fish, tadpoles, frogs, crickets, yabbies, axolotls and all sorts of other creatures! I would gaze at crickets engaging in courtship displays, marvel at the earth-moving prowess of my pet yabby, and delight in teaching my goldfish to swim through a hoop.
Animals make you laugh, smile and talk and have always been enormously important to me. At present, I share my life with a Great Dane, Opal; a collie, Macka; an Irish setter, Prince; a Siamese cat, Katie; a stumpy-tailed lizard, Stego; and two blue-tongued lizards, Kimmy and Lightning. So I do a lot of stroking, laughing, smiling and talking! The Dog Book and Envirocat reflect my love of dogs and cats.
Moonbird (UQP, Storybridge Series) is based on my experience of living on King Island, on a sheep property with ocean frontage—complete with muttonbird and penguin rookeries. Yes, I have a passion for wildlife and conservation issues as well.
Five years ago my husband and I moved to Phillip Island, home of the world-famous penguin parade. Our home overlooks the ocean and is within 100 metres of a muttonbird rookery. So I’m in my element studying both penguins, and muttonbirds, with their amazing migration. Some new books are in the pipeline.
Koala and Wombat (Omnibus Books, Solo Bush Babies) reflect yet again my fascination with animals, children and writing.'
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