Ten Terrifying Questions with Kellie Byrnes!

Kellie Byrnes is a children’s author, presenter, mentor, book reviewer, kidlit blogger, and full-time freelance writer with a BA degree in Literature. Kellie’s first picture book, Cloud Conductor, came out in 2018, followed by Yes! No and Evie Is All Ears. Kellie also has two more picture books and her first junior-fiction novel on the way. Her newest book is a picture book called This is NOT a Book!, with illustrations by Aśka.

Today, Kellie Byrnes is on the blog to take on our Ten Terrifying Questions. Read on!

Kellie Byrnes

1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?

I was born, raised, and schooled in Tamworth in regional NSW. (You may have heard of it as Australia’s ‘Country Music Capital’!) I’m not a big fan of country music, but it was nice growing up as a country girl. We lived on a hobby farm, so there was always plenty of peace and quiet. I loved having lots of animals around, too.

2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?

An author! Or at least some type of writer and storyteller. However, after working in a publishing company in my early twenties and seeing how hard it was to make a living as a writer, I put off my author dreams for a long time. Ironically, I think it’s much harder to be an author now, so I would have been better off getting into it when I was younger! I do appreciate that the life experience I’ve had since helps me bring more perspective and insights to my writing, though.

3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you don’t have now?

Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I’ve always read all sorts of different books and been open in that way, which is why I write various types of stories now. One belief that has changed, though, is about graphic novels and comics. I used to think I wasn’t interested in them at all, but that was just because I didn’t have much exposure to them. I was never guided to them by adults, and I didn’t have friends that were into them. I love graphic novels today, though, and am working on some myself. I wish I had started reading them much sooner. I think they’re a fabulous format.

4. What are three works of art – this could be a book, painting, piece of music, film, etc – that influenced your development as a writer?

Oh wow, how do I narrow that down to three? My list could go on for pages! It feels impossible, but here are three that came to mind first: The Magic Faraway Tree book, West Side Story the musical, and Pharlap the movie.

5. Considering the many artistic forms out there, what appeals to you about writing a children’s book?

I love how children’s books get to combine this beautiful mixture of innocence, wisdom, depth, playfulness, empathy, and imagination. Kids’ books have everything, and I genuinely love reading them.

Also, I know how much reading had an influence on me as a child, and still does, so knowing that I can, in some small way, help to foster a love of books and stories in children is very special to me. I dare say that a psychologist would tell you that I also write children’s books to subconsciously honour the kid in me who was a complete bookworm and nerd!

6. Please tell us about your latest book!

This is NOT a Book! is a fun picture book that breaks the fourth wall. It’s a light-hearted and action-packed meta-fictive story about a character who is VERY sure they’re NOT a character, and certainly NOT in a book … until some strange things begin to happen to and around them.

This picture book showcases all the elements of story in a fresh way that I think kids will have fun with. There are many crazy, surreal situations that should fire up reader imaginations and give them a giggle, too, fingers crossed.

7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?

I hope children have a rollicking good time and come away with a big smile, while also learning more about the structure of stories and books without even realising it. Plus, my heart would be happy if kids finish the book wanting to develop some of their own stories!

8. Who do you most admire in the writing world and why?

Too many names to mention, for many different things! Honestly, being a writer is challenging in all sorts of ways. It’s not just about the actual creation process, which is tricky enough itself, but all the rejection and ups and downs along the way. I admire every creative for being brave enough to put themselves out there and cope with the hurdles of a career in the arts.

9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?

I have many goals. Top of mind is to keep pushing myself to try new things, play, be as creative as possible, and hone my craft. I hope to keep producing quality work that helps readers learn about themselves and the world around them and enjoy doing so.

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

The big piece of advice I have is to keep learning. Pick up new information not only about writing but also the industry, how the market is evolving, what publishers and readers are looking for, etc. Carefully study lots of current books, rather than older ones, and read work aloud to hear how it sounds to the ear.

Attend conferences, festivals, workshops, and other events to pick up tips and build relationships in the industry. Also, make some writer friends (join online or in-person groups, for instance), so you have people to share the ups and downs with. Your family and friends outside the industry will try to support you, but no one understands what it’s truly like trying to make it as an author unless they’ve been in that same position.

Thank you for playing!

—This is NOT a Book! by Kellie Byrnes and illustrated by Aśka (Exisle Publishing) is out now.

This is NOT a Book!

by Kellie Byrnes & Aśka (Illustrator)

In this fun-filled picture book, our main character is convinced they’re not in a book. After all, if this was a book, there’d be pages to turn … Oops! We’ve turned the page.

But that’s not proof this is a book. If it was a book, there’d be interesting settings and problems to solve...

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