About
Hi! I’m a children’s author who writes fresh, relatable books for kids that I hope will leave the world a better place.
I live in a little patch of rainforest in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. I enjoy living an alternative lifestyle with my family and our closest neighbours (who are mostly a lot of Drongos, Wompoos and Turkeys).
When I write, I often start with an emotion and go from there and my books often have themes of nature, friendship or community. Editing is my favourite part of the writing process - I love playing with words and language.
When I’m not writing, I work in my local public library getting kids excited about books and reading. I also enjoy playing tennis, deep-water running and exploring in my camper.
media bio
Kirsten Ealand lives in a little patch of rainforest in northern NSW where she enjoys an alternative lifestyle with her family. She writes fresh, relatable books for kids that she hopes will leave the world a better place. When not writing, she loves working in her regional library, getting kids excited about books and reading, and deep water running at her local pool.
twelve curly questions with author Kirsten ealand
1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I came equal dux of my primary school because I very unexpectedly topped the grade in creative writing with my story ‘A Day in the Life of a Car’. Wish I kept it – I’d love to read it now.
2. What is your nickname?
Family and old school friends call me Kirst, though I was Big Bird for a while in high school after the incident of the bright yellow dress.
3. What is your greatest fear?
Putting aside my biggest mortal fear of bad things happening to people I love, my biggest everyday fear is getting a chai latte when I ask for a chai tea – it’s a totally different drink and it really needs a totally different name.
4. Describe your writing style in 10 words.
Fresh, relatable and hopefully leaving the world a better place.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a writer.
Supportive, interested, considered, honest, playful.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
I’d quite like to be one of the kids in my next book – sharing backyards with your best friends would be pretty cool.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
Hmmm, let’s say 1994 – I spent a year living in a van in Spain and I wouldn’t mind doing it again, but this time I’d bring my husband.
8. What would your 10-year-old self say to you now?
Yay, you finally found something we really love doing.
9. Who is your greatest influence?
Probably my inner child, so thank you 10-year-old-self.
10. What/who made you start writing?
Once I decided I didn’t want to go back to full-time teaching I thought I’d do a few courses and see what interested me. I wanted to do something creative and I’d done writing courses over the years so I was excited to see a Writing for Children course at a local community college. It was run by the lovely Zanni Louise and I was hooked from the very first class. So serendipitous!
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Serendipity – it sounds beautiful, is fun to say, and who doesn’t want delightful discoveries by accident?
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh gee – luckily I would still have audio books, right? Maybe a Spanish language textbook or dictionary – I could definitely become fluent if I didn’t have any books to read.