‘The Christmas Tree Catastrophe’ – A Picture Book Inspired by Real Life!

October 21, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The Christmas Tree Catastrophe was inspired by real life! 😻🎄 ➡️ Please scroll through the slideshow below, to discover how Matt Shanks and I weaved cats, mice, baubles, gingerbread men, trees, physics and FUN into a joyous Christmas Eve tale, that we hope will be cherished by children and their families for many years to come!
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📚😻🎄 Enjoy this sneak peek into our picture book creation process of: Where the idea came from. How author and illustrator work together. How the characters and story evolved. How many covers are drawn before one is selected. How long it takes from initial idea to seeing a picture book in print. And, how endpapers can uniquely tell a story!

This Is My Happy Place – Discussion Guide

September 5, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

I’ve just finished a wonderful few weeks of classroom and library visits for CBCA Book Week (2024) and am riding high on the adrenalin! I’ve genuinely enjoyed so many candid, joyous and insightful conversations with so many kids and their educators from ELC to Prep – Yr 6. It was certainly a highlight to be able to share our new picture book, This Is My Happy Place and see their enthusiastic responses, which warmed my heart. I loved hearing how the kids connected with the ‘happy places’ in our book, and I enjoyed sharing with them that I often have discussions with my own children about their ‘happy places’.

I’ve put together the following one-page discussion guide as a brief summary of what I shared with the students and their educators, in the hope that it may be useful for many other people too.

Meet The Creators of ‘This Is My Happy Place’

May 22, 2024.Reading time 5 minutes.

AUTHOR: EMMA BOWD

Where did you get the idea to write ‘This Is My Happy Place’?

I was sitting on the beach with my family and marvelling at how happy everyone looked. I thought to myself, This is MY Happy Place . . . in fact, it’s LOTS of people’s Happy Place.

And so, the seed was sown. 😊

Why did you write ‘This Is My Happy Place’?

In our super-busy, modern world it can be all too easy to forget to spend time in our Happy Places. I thought it would be fun to remind everyone to stop and think about the people, places and things that bring us joy – as seen through the lens of our senses of touch, taste, sight, sound and smell – and to celebrate our Happy Places. Plus, of course, encouraging us to spend more time in them. 😊

Fun Facts: March 20^th every year is International Day of Happiness 😊 So why not make an extra effort on this day to spend time in your very own special Happy Place. When we’re in our Happy Place, the smiling muscles in our face trigger our brain to release special chemicals, which makes us feel even happier!

Science has also shown us that simply ‘thinking’ about our Happy Places has a positive effect on our state of mind. That’s right, you don’t even have to visit your Happy Place, to feel happy! So, if you’re having a bumpy day, why not think about your Happy Place, and how you feel in it – using all of your senses. 😊

What is your Happy Place? And why?

I have LOTS of Happy Places! But my ‘Number 1’ Happy Place is being immersed in nature and swimming in the surf – which I have done since childhood. I really love the feeling of the frothy saltwater swishing up my nose, and the sunshine kissing my face as my body is carried through the waves. I look forward to my annual surf holiday in NSW, and I will always seek out any opportunity to swim in the ocean throughout the year in Victoria, too. 😊 Though, I haven’t yet been brave enough to become a winter-swimming ‘Iceberger’ in Melbourne! But never say never!

ILLUSTRATOR: JEN KHATUN

What did you enjoy about illustrating ‘This Is My Happy Place’?

Illustrating ‘This Is My Happy Place’ was such a great project to be a part of. I was allowed a good sense of creative freedom when composing the spreads and the feedback from the writer, Emma and Coral from Affirm Press were all so encouraging. The process of the page spreads coming together was such a joy!

Each piece of artwork reminded me of my childhood and what it felt like again to experience those happy places.

What medium/s did you use to illustrate ‘This Is My Happy Place’?

For this book, I used my Wacom tablet – so everything was created digitally, with my reliable, ‘go-to’ brushes on Photoshop it enabled me to create my signature style of spontaneous, ink pen lines.

What is your Happy Place? And why?

I have two happy places. The first is, as a child, being around the dining table with my whole family. My Amma (Mum) would always make such a wonderful selection of Indian food, the aroma was divine. Amma and Abba (Dad), myself and my older siblings would be talking, laughing and sharing stories, it was such a special time.
The second is, as me now, walking in the fields nearby our home in East Sussex, with my wonderful partner Harry and our dog Juno. Watching Juno run in the green grasses, and us just looking at the sky, enjoying the breeze from The South Downs, and talking about our next adventure!

Writing From The Heart

July 24, 2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

On the eve of our book baby’s publication, I thought I’d share the story of how my words found their way onto the page for ‘The Day You Were Born’. Writing picture books, for me, is such a magical process of melding experiences, observations and imaginings to conjure a narrative text that will invite connection for both children and adults. I am so proud of this book and so very happy that my words had the good fortune to fall into the hands of Tash Besliev at Affirm Press and our award winning illustrator and co-creator, Hilary Jean Tapper.

The idea for ‘The Day You Were Born’ came to me one afternoon in Melbourne, in late 2021, at the very end of the world’s longest lockdown, when I was feeling particularly drained. I vividly recall my mood lifting by seeing a photograph of a newborn baby, and marveling at the light and hope that it radiated; and how much better the world felt, for having it in it.

At this time, I was also feeling extremely nostalgic about my own two children (the lights of my life in the photo), who were now young adults and flexing their wings in readiness to fly the family nest. I fondly reminisced about how their personalities had not changed one single bit, since they were babies and young children – and how different and magnificent they both were.

I concluded that this precious gift of individuality and diversity is what every single child brings to our world – from the day they are born! And that then led me to think about ‘Monday’s Child’ – a traditional mid-nineteenth century nursery rhyme I’ve always adored, and yet wondered if it was time for a modern update.

I wrote ‘The Day You Were Born’ as a love letter to children. Acknowledging and celebrating their unique gifts, and so very thankful for how they light up our world and ALL of our days. I loved collaborating with Hilary on this book, and delighted in seeing how her tender, warm and stunning visual narrative took my words to heights I could not have imagined. The page turns literally unfurl like a movie. This project was also strongly shaped by the vision and support of our wonderful publisher, Tash Besliev and the brilliance of book designer Sasha Beekman.

It is my hope that ‘The Day You Were Born’ will encourage self-reflection and facilitate many positive discussions amongst children, as well as between children and the adults in their lives, about what makes us all so different and yet so special. Offering a beautiful, hope-filled keepsake to be cherished for years to come.

Brilliant Book Trailer

April 23, 2021.Reading time 2 minutes.

It’s UNESCO #worldbookday !! And I’m so excited to share this adorable picture book trailer for WONDERFUL SHOES – which officially tip-taps into the world on the 1st May.

Picture books, in my mind, are THE most important books in the world, because they are quite literally the stepping-stones to literacy and becoming an engaged citizen in our world.

WONDERFUL SHOES is a joyful celebration of what happens when little feet find big shoes. I could not be more proud of this little book, and wish it well as it click-clacks its way into the hands and hearts of our tiniest citizens and their carers.

This book trailer, created by the super-talented Romi at Books On Tour PR truly is the ‘icing on the cake’ of what has been a wonderful journey with my picture book co-creators Tania McCartney and Cristina Pase at Windy Hollow Books.

This charming little video is also extra special, because it celebrates my very first published picture book – a long-held dream of mine! PLUS, I won the privilege of working with Romi through the Twitter fund-raising auction #AuthorsForFireys back in early 2019. [An astonishing half a million dollars was raised for the CFA, coordinated by authors Nova Weetman and Emily Gale]

If there’s one thing I dare to know for sure in this world good people, it’s that good things do indeed come to those who wait! Happy reading, writing, creating, sharing, dreaming, doing 😘 XX

Some Wonderful News

September 9, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

‘Wonderful Shoes’ – Picture Book by Emma Bowd and Tania McCartney, published by Windy Hollow Books

COVER REVEAL for my debut children’s picture book, ‘Wonderful Shoes’, illustrated by award-winning kidlit creator Tania McCartney and published by Cristina Pase and her award-winning team at Windy Hollow Books. I know, I REALLY hit the jackpot with this one!

‘Wonderful Shoes’ has been such a joyful collaboration, and will be tip-tapping into bookstores in May 2021. I just can’t wait to share it with all the small children of the world, who think big shoes are just as awesome as I do!

My thanks must go to the organisers of KidLitVic, where I first had the opportunity to present ‘Wonderful Shoes’ to Cristina for a manuscript assessment in 2019. After taking on board Cristina’s feedback, I re-submitted the rhyming text to her and was subsequently offered the contract with Windy Hollow Books, and then teamed-up with the incredibly talented Tania . . . who also happens to be a fellow lover of shoes (and all things fashion).

You’ll hear more from me and Tania and Windy Hollow closer to the publication date. But for now, please excuse me while I happy dance around my kitchen in the sparkliest shoes I own . . . and there are several to choose from!

Creative Writing Awards – Shortlisted

February 20, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

CWA_badge_SHORLIST-2018

Amongst all the excitement of being shortlisted in the Scribbles ‘Creative Writing Awards’ late 2018 – in both the Picture Book and Middle Grade Short Story categories – I forgot to blog about it!

This new creative writing competition for the Australian children’s literary calendar was established and run by acclaimed children’s author Jen Storer – under the banner of her online creative writing course, ‘Scribbles’ of which I’m an active participant. The competition was also supported by Harper Collins Children’s Books.

The judges were none other than esteemed industry professionals Judith Rossell, Gabrielle Wang and Lucinda Gifford. All shortlisters were provided with valuable feedback on their manuscripts, and the winners each received a full manuscript assessment with Jen, as well as a Skype coaching call.

It goes without saying that I was thrilled to be shortlisted in both categories! I’ve since reviewed my picture book manuscript and tweaked it slightly, in light of the judge’s considered feedback, and shall be hopefully presenting it to a publisher at this year’s KidLitVic Conference. As for the middle grade short story – well, I really enjoyed putting this idea to paper, and may even transfer it into a full novel in the future…watch this space 🙂

Oh yes, and Scribbles is not only an online community of kidlit creators, we have real-life workshops too. Here I am below enjoying a Masterclass with Jen and my fellow writers (and illustrators) in Melbourne last May, just prior to attending the KidLitVic 2018 Conference.

Scribbles Masterclass 2018 — Scribbles Creative Writing Masterclass, Melbourne, 2018

Welcome

March 19, 2016.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Hello and welcome to my website – the hub of my creative world. From here you can find all you need to know about my work as an AUTHOR for CHILDREN and GROWN-UPS, my children’s literacy ADVOCACY, classroom and literary AUTHOR TALKS and PRESS/READER REVIEWS. My books are available from all good bookstores and online.