My Giant Sea Shell by Amanda Lieber, ill. Kathy Creamer
(published by Little Pink Dog Books)
Guest Author Profile by Amanda Lieber
Thanks for speaking to Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog about your debut picture book, My Giant Sea Shell, Amanda.
What was your relationship with books as a child and please tell us something about your background?
Growing up I was surrounded by books, my parents read to us every night and we would snuggle in bed with a book. Wanting to be an actress I was always reading plays, poetry and writing them. I also loved reading Shakespeare.
I am a dreamer, a lover of stories and owner of an incredibly overactive imagination. I have been an actress and English and Drama teacher in South Africa, London, Scotland, Italy and Australia.
I now live in Sydney and work with children with special needs. The flightpath to the airport is above the school I work at, and I dream of travel every day.
What are three surprising things about you?
1. I used to be a fairy with lots and lots of sparkles, ‘real’ fairy wings and bells on my limbs. I still have my fairy ears in a safe place on my bookshelf.
2. I travelled around Scotland with my best friend and giant ladybug, that we named Penelope. We bug-napped her in a friendly way from the Haggis Tour bus we were on. She had the trip of her lifetime – this was well before the movie Amelie came out (and did the same thing with a garden gnome…maybe she was inspired by our photos)
3. I collect dead bugs that I find and set them in resin to create pieces of jewellery.
Why are you an author, what has been your author journey, what are your challenges and what is your ultimate goal?
I’ve always written, jotting down ideas, snippets of conversations or people’s characteristics that stand out to me. When I see someone interesting, they come alive in my head, and I create a new world for them in my imagination.
I joined The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and met the most incredible authors who took me under their wings, guided me on my journey, gave me advice and pointed me in the ‘write’ direction. Susanne Gervay and Victoria Mackinlay were the first two people I met at my first SCBWI meeting. If it wasn’t for them, I’m not sure that I would be here now. Members of SCBWI can join a Critique Group, which has been most helpful in developing my skills in self-editing by learning to critique others and seeing my work in a more critical light.
I’ve attended many writers’ events: Writing NSW, Kids Creative Tales, SCBWI, hearing firsthand from publishers and industry experts. Having the opportunity to have assessments with publishers is invaluable to my writing and confidence as a writer. Along with that I have completed many courses through the Australian Writers Centre, Writing NSW to master my skills.
I’ve signed up to industry online magazines such as Buzz Words and Pass It On.
I have entered competitions and have been shortlisted for Writers Unleashed Picture Book, Buzzwords Short Story Competition and Larrikin House Picture Book.
I am the Vice President of CBCA Eastern Suburbs Branch.
Time, energy, time, energy – are my challenges. Working full time and having a young family I find it quite challenging to carve out time for myself, time for writing and time for editing.
I would like to be a full-time author and have all my stories published. I look forward to author visits at school, running writing workshops and speaking at other writing events.
Please describe your writing style.
My stories vary quite a bit, I don’t have a specific style, some are humorous with a fairy tale influence, some of have rather quirky characters and plot lines, some are very lyrical and have a deeper meaning whilst others are based on true experiences. All my stories come from the heart and are written with passion.
Please tell us about your debut book, My Giant Sea Shell.
My Giant Sea Shell is a picture book that deals with a serious theme in a gentle way for children and carers to understand. It opens up the topic for discussion through the story and exquisite illustrations by Kathy Creamer.
Why did you write this story?
I’ve encountered a lot of people who have gone through some form of situational depression in their lives. Be it from the heartache of losing a loved one, losing a job, moving to a new country, a sick child, the list is endless. I worked at the Sydney Children’s Hospital School for some time and saw a lot of raw emotions from parents whose children were undergoing treatment at the hospital. My question was how do you explain the emotional rollercoaster that mum or dad are going through to a child who is witnessing this change within their family circle.
What was your story’s path to publication?
It started off as a poem, I can still remember the moment I wrote it. I was standing in the passageway at home, it had been a particularly emotional day at work and a friend of mine was in hospital with her baby who had an undiagnosed disability. I kept thinking about what she said and how it would affect her oldest child. The next thing these incredible images had taken over my thoughts. I just had to describe the images I was seeing. They flew out of my head and onto the paper.
Then the reworking began; an hour here and there over several months until it was ready to send to my critique group. With the feedback I reworked it again, sent it to a publisher for an assessment, but was told there is nothing to the story, no resolution and it’s just not working. This was during the SCBWI Conference 2019 and I was hosting Mira Reisberg from America. She convinced me to chop the first few spreads and start with the 3rd one, that gave me more space to add other elements to enhance the senses and link up the ending. Another round with my critique group and TADAA it was done. I sent it off to Little Pink Dog Books and it was shortlisted and then accepted to be published.
Who are your biggest literary influences?
My biggest author influences are Julia Donaldson, Oliver Jeffers and Kobe Yamada – three different styles but for me their work holds magic in each story.
What are you working on next?
What am I not working on? I have five picture books manuscripts ready to see the world. I’m just waiting for a publisher to accept them! I have other ideas fizzing around my computer at various stages of completion, picture book stories, short stories, a junior fiction and middle grade novels.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Join a writing group like SCBWI where you have an instant network of like-minded, inspiring authors and illustrators, get yourself into a critique group and attend events (via zoom or in person).
Before submitting your work make sure it’s the best it can be as there are many others out there and you want yours to stand out.
Remember you are in your own situation and can do as much as you can do, no matter how much you want it. Push yourself but not beyond your health limits.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I have a love/wish list:
I would love to find a mentor to guide me in the right direction.
I would love to find an agent to represent me.
I would love to write more poetry and get it published in the school magazine.
I would love to write plays.
Where can people reach you?
paperbarkwords.blog 