What Makes a Good Illustrator?

On today’s show, we chat illustrations with a legend of over 30 years of producing quality artwork. We look at what makes a good illustrator. Is it consistency? Is it a unique style and brand?  Is it knowing what jobs to take on and what to leave alone? So much to consider as we go behind the scenes with one of my all-time favourite creators of books for kids. 

Plus, Liv reviews a picture book with too many dogs. 

Today’s special guest is a multi-award-winning Australian illustrator based in Sydney, with over two decades of experience in children's literature. His distinctive style has brought to life numerous beloved stories, including "My Dad Thinks He’s Funny," "Why I Love Footy," and the "Sporty Kids" series. His work extends beyond books; he's contributed editorial illustrations to major newspapers like The Australian and The Weekend Australian. His latest picture book, "The Train at the End of My Street," continues his tradition of capturing the whimsy and wonder of childhood through vibrant illustrations. And, he’s popped in today to share his incredible journey with us, along with his timeless knowledge of the craft, so everybody please welcome the amazing, Tom Jellett.

An interview with Chat GPT

AI and the Future of authors

On today’s show, we chat to one of the world’s quirkiest digital assistants. We get the future straight from one of the world’s biggest AI Language Models! Yep, who better to ask than the number 1 bot in the business.

We chat about what AI can and can’t do for children’s book creators, how authors and illustrators can use AI as a tool, and what is the future of creativity with AI. What is potentially exciting and what’s not. 

Plus, Liv’s back to review a big bunch of brand-new books!

Today’s special guest is a friendly language model powered by OpenAI. Trained on a massive library of text, Chat GPT helps with words, ideas, and creative flow, but doesn’t have feelings, opinions, or a physical form. Instead, it likes to think of itself as the world’s quirkiest digital assistant who loves stories and tacos in equal measure. Please welcome, Chatty the AI Bot. 

How Beautiful is our world?

On today’s show, we chat to one of this country’s finest picture book authors about writing humour along with serious and important stories for kids. We chat about planning stories, writing stories, where stories come from, where humour comes from, and a brand-new book showcasing our beautiful world.

Today’s special guest is an internationally published children’s author based in Melbourne. She loves to write stories filled with humour and heart. Her debut picture book Mozzies Vs Flies was shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards 2022. Her second picture book, Meowster Chef, has been translated into Spanish and Italian. One of her recent books, Wild About Book Week has gone so well, not only is it in reprint, but her publishers have asked her to write another in the series.

She’s popped in to share all this with us, as well as an uplifting story that means so much to her, and a topic that should mean so much to us all, everybody please welcome our beautiful author, Sarah Speedie

How to create, publish, and market stories in the modern world

On today’s show, we chat about graphic novels, appreciating stories of all kinds, creativity in the modern world, publishing stories in the modern world, mixing art and marketing, plus, pushing through your creative process when things get tough. And, if that’s not enough, Liv’s popping in to review an Aussie legend.

Today’s special guest began his working life in marketing, even winning a Gruen Trophy on TV, but when his kids grew to reading age, he realised there were no appropriate comics. So he wrote his own, ran a successful crowd funding campaign and kicked off an awesome writing and illustrating career that has seen him publish multiple books and win multiple awards/

He’s popped in today to share his creative journey with us, offer up a few tips, and help creators push through those tough times. Everybody please welcome, the huge creative talent that is, Mike Barry.  

Dreaming up stories

On today’s show, Liv and I chat to a kids author who is making a splash in 2025. With multiple books out this year, we explore stories, storytelling and the process of making dreams come true. Plus, Liv reviews a classic CBCA winning book.

Today’s special guest has loved books since she was a little girl. Her parents still tease her because at 4-years-old they took her to see Beauty and the Beast and all she was interested in was the scene with the giant library. “So many books!”

She’s popped in today to share her love of storytelling, how she comes up with her ideas, and the process she’s used for making dreams come true. Everybody please welcome the wonderful, Millie Lewis.

Challenging traditional publishing norms

An honest look at Clutterbugs, publishing and carving out a path to creativity

On today’s show, we look for Clutterbugs, chat about children’s publishing, how to navigate your own writing path, taking risks, and ways to come up with new ideas.

Plus, Liv tells us why we should never trust fish. She reviews 2 awesome picture books, one about family and one hilarious book about fish.

Today’s special guests is an author and playwright. Her acclaimed play, Fragments has been produced as a web series and a feature-length film.

She is multi-award-winning picture book author, and a book reviewer for the CBCA and Reading Time magazines.

Born in the USA, she gained a PhD in philosophy, before having her own Crocodile Dundee moment and marrying a genuine Aussie shearer.

She’s taken time today, away from her avocado farm, wombats, echidnas and lyrebirds on their NSW rainforest mountaintop property to share her amazing journey with us. So, everybody please welcome, the awesome Maura Pierlot.

On today’s show, we chat with a first-time author and her experienced illustrator about the behind-the-scenes process of a brand-new picture book and its inspiring message. You’re going to love this dynamic duo and their journey together. It’s a fun and inspiring story that’s sure to resonate and produce a smile or two. Plus, Liv reviews a fun and adventurous junior fiction book.

Today’s special guests are an author and illustrator combo. Our author was born in Harbin China and moved to Australia at 18 to pursue a Commerce Degree in Accounting. But fate had other plans. Having kids of her own led to a writing career in the parenting genre in various Australian newspapers and magazines. And, when a job at the Vic branch of the CBCA opened up, her career path took a creative turn into children’s literature.

Our illustrator is one of Australia’s most loved and respected illustrators. An award-winning artist who celebrates the unique warmth, textures, and imperfections made when drawing by hand, she is currently living in Prague, but has taken the time to join us today. Everybody please welcome this dynamic duo of, Angie Cui and Evie Barrow.

Luna's World. The Process of a Series in the Making

On today’s show, Liv and I chat to a teacher librarian who has helped transform school libraries into a hub of energy and fun and has signed a 4-book series with one of our favourite publishers. We go behind the scenes to look at the process of a book series in the making. Plus, Liv reviews a magical middle grade book that’s in stores now.

Today’s special guest is a teacher librarian and a big supporter of getting quality books in the hands of kids. We first met her by her social media handle, ‘Hayley in the Library’. And we’ve had her on the show several times over the last few years, chatting about what kids are reading, and how libraries have changed to become a real hub of energy, fun and learning.

Now she’s written about it, and turned this theme into a 4-book series with Affirm Press.

She’s popped in today to share this amazing journey from teacher to author with us, her process for writing, her interactions with editors and publishers, and the transformation of an idea for a book into a realised dream. Everybody please give a big cheer for the wonderful, Hayley Gannon.

Want the world to hear your stories?

Then turn your story into an audio book

On today’s show, we chat to an audio narrator, creator and producer of the most amazing audio books for kids.  And, we discuss how you can have your work in audio for the world to hear.

Today’s special guest has produced audiobooks by some of Australia's best-known authors, including Kate Constable, Hazel Edwards, and Susanne Gervay.

She has worked on production contracts for well-known international publishers and with small-house publishers alike and has narrated for Bolinda Audio.

Today, she specialises in children's literature, Australian stories, academic texts, and multi-cast dramatic productions with her own company, Thrive Audio.

She’s popped in to share her audio process, her philosophy, and how this benefits all of us in the kidlit world. Everybody please welcome, the amazing Sarah Bacaller.

On today’s show, we chat to someone who went from winning a competition to being recognised as a CBCA Notable and from there went on to publish another book, and that book won a CBCA Notable. And, now she has a 4-book series.

We find out how she’s achieved all this, how she goes about her writing, her love of frogs, and her process of being a children’s book author on the rise.

Today’s special guest won Just Write for Kids Pitch It! Competition in 2020, and was the recipient of an ASA Award Mentorship in 2022. From there she went on to be the author of CBCA Notable Book The Garden at the End of the World and Ella and the Amazing Frog Orchestra. Everybody please welcome, the wonderful, Cassy Polimeni