Like a Gannet - Book Launch

🥳 Like a Gannet Launch 🥳

Thank you to everyone who came along to Murwillumbah Library yesterday to help @debi_hudson and I launch our new picture book Like a Gannet! 🥰 🙏

It was so wonderful to have a packed house of family, friends, colleagues and kidlit crew @writelinks celebrating with us 🥳 Thank you for your amazing support 🙏

It was so lovely to meet Deb for the first time 🤗🎨 Thanks for coming all the way from Melbourne and bringing Mike - what fun we had 💛

Thanks @zewlanmoor for being our perfect MC 😘

Thanks to Kym and everyone at @richmondtweedregionallibrary Murwillumbah branch for sharing your beautiful space and making us feel so welcome 🙏

Thanks for selling books for us @boardwalkbooks - and yay we sold out!!! 🥳

Loved seeing all the children who came along to enjoy the story, craft and cupcakes 📚✂️🧁 I loved reading Like a Gannet to you for the very first time! 💛

💦 Urrah! I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect debut launch!!!

The Twelve Curly Questions Interview

I loved doing the Twelve Curly Questions with Kids Book Review. Thanks, Penny, for this great opportunity. I have linked to the Kids Book Review page down below if you want to check it out.

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.

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Like a Gannet - The Quick Six Interview

I loved doing The Quick Six Interview with Romi Sharp for my debut Like a Gannet. I’ve always loved reading other authors’ answers and I’m super happy to have a turn. And a big thanks to Romi for all she does to promote Australian Kid Lit creatives – it’s such a wonderful support. I’ve included some of the interview here and the link to the full interview.

What is your favourite part of this book?

Ooh, hard question. I think my favourite part is the gannet metaphor that runs through the text. I love how Deb has cleverly brought the gannet into the illustrations by having a mural at the pool with diving gannets on it. Many people have never heard of a gannet, even though they have probably seen one diving for fish off the east coast of Australia. I love how the mural shows the gannet in the different stages of the dive, as it tucks its wings back and becomes almost like an arrow as it hits the water. There are old faded murals at many regional public pools, so I love how she has captured this.

When did you begin writing this book?

My first draft was written in January 2021. It went to acquisitions at Windy Hollow and I was offered a contract in October 2022.

Why is this book meaningful to you?

It’s inspired by my memories of being a child with a bigger body shape who wasn’t very sporty but who felt capable and graceful in the water. So I really wanted Francie to have a bigger body type too. It’s slowly getting better, but I still think there’s a lack of representation of diverse bodies in children’s books. I hope Francie shows kids that, with courage, they can face their fears and strive for things out of their reach, learning along the way to accept their limitations and do it their own way. Just like gannets whose short legs and webbed feet make them slow, clumsy waddlers on land, but who transform into Queens of the Sea when they dive.

Read the full interview here

Like a Gannet - Lauren Hackney Interview

I loved chatting with @lbe.hackney about my debut picture book Like a Gannet!

When I was thinking about podcasts, interviews, and blogs to approach, I was super daunted. I’m totally in my happy place championing other authors and writing friends, but putting myself out there is super scary and outside my comfort zone. Thank you, Lauren, for responding to my email pitch in the most warm and welcoming way. If any debut authors out there are worried about doing podcasts and interviews, I highly recommend Lauren as a safe place to land. She was so lovely to chat with, asked great questions, was so professional, and was so genuinely interested in me and my book! And she was a fabulous listener. Lauren quickly made me feel comfortable, and then she could hardly get a word in edgewise (ha ha sorry about that Lauren)

I hope you enjoy our interview chatting about Like a Gannet half as much as I enjoyed doing it. And definitely check out some of Lauren’s other interviews on her YouTube or website — almost everyone from the AU kid-lit world is there somewhere. Thank you, Lauren, for your amazing and generous support of the Australian Kidlit community 💛

Like a Gannet - Picture Book of the Month

I was so delighted and honoured to see that Like a Gannet was named picture story of the month by @farrells_bookshop for October! How amazing to share a list with such talented authors with my debut. Below is the review they included in their newsletter:

A joyful tribute to summer days, swimming, and time spent with cousins. A fresh take on a first experience story. Like a Gannet is a celebration of being that not-so-sporty kid, but finding the courage to do it anyway – a little bit awkward and clumsy, but always feeling strong in the water (just like a gannet). A playful and inspiring read for the kids dipping their toe into the water for the first time or lacking a little bit of confidence. — Reviewed by Justine

Like a Gannet - ABC Radio Interview

This morning, I was the featured author in Bridie Tanner’s Book Nook segment from her ABC North Coast radio Breakfast episode. Below are some little excerpts from the interview and the audio if you feel like listening! Thanks to my sister Lisa for organising the interview for me 😘

Tell us about your local pool growing up. And did you have an experience like this where you had to be brave and go off the high diving boards?

Well, no, I actually can't dive. So I have always wished that I could dive all my life, so that's probably why I've got it in this story. But yes, growing up, I always remember going to my Nana's house; she lived in Dubbo, and we always went there for the whole summer holidays. It was boiling hot, so we spent a lot of time at the local pool. And yeah, we loved going there, I can remember. And we used to go with our cousins as well. Our cousins would be staying there as well. So yeah, I suppose that's some inspiration behind that as well.

Tell us about who this book is dedicated to.

Oh, the dedication! I still go to my local pool a couple of times, two or three times a week, to do deepwater running, and I've dedicated it to two ladies who I do deepwater running with, who are in their 80s and 90s, and my dad, who's 87. They all still go to the pool during the week, every week, to keep exercising, and they're very inspiring to me, to know that, you know, you can keep enjoying the local pool until forever, really.

Of course, in the end of your book, Kirsten, Francie says “again”, which is, I think, the natural reaction for kids once they get over that scary part.

Yes, and like I said, I can't dive, but I can remember the first time I did the roller coaster feeling that same thing, like really not wanting to go on, and waiting and waiting and waiting, and then when I finally went on, I went on lots of times. So yeah, that same sort of feeling when you push outside of your comfort zone and do something. But Francie does it her own way, so that's what I like as well. So it's a good book for kids who love swimming and summer days at their local pool and want to do what the big kids are doing, but also kids who might lack confidence to try something new, or who want to face their challenges their own way, like Francie.

Or check out some of Bridie’s full Breakfast episodes here.