When I was a child I never wanted to be an author, I wanted to be an artist. My interest in art came about because I spent a lot of time in the bush near our house and was always noticing the animals, wildflowers, patterns in the earth, in the bark of the trees and so on. There is no greater artist than the natural world itself. I became an author by accident. Mainly because I wanted to tell an important story – the story of my family – and for that I needed words. However, I find words are much more limiting than pictures. I now specialise in writing books for children and sometimes I have fun doing the illustrations too.

Any words of advice for young readers and writers?

 Let your imagination fly. Read and draw a lot. Spend time in the natural world. Don’t be critical of your own work until you are a long way into it. Creative energy needs encouragement, fun and happiness to thrive, not criticism. Don’t kill your ideas by criticizing them too early. Never ever give up.

If you could have one wish for the world what would it be?

One wish really narrows it down! I think I’d wish for everyone to see the Earth as our mother. Then a lot of the problems we have now would vanish, there’d be less suffering and the world would be a kinder and more equitable place.