Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes I most certainly do, although with the passage of time the memory has become rather...shall we say...hazy around the edges.
But certain points stick with me.
I was in primary school, I think I must have been about 8 or 9 years old and like every girl I knew — utterly and totally horse-mad. This particular day I'd sat myself out on the verandah and curled up in one of those wicker-type moon chairs — mine was a trendy 70's style black and white — and with my little squares of blank paper, a handful of coloured pencils and a story in my head I'd started.
Of course my story revolved around a horse and I believe it was a beautiful black horse just like the one in 'Black Beauty' the classic by Anna Sewell. I don't remember the plot — if there was much of one — but I do remember the excitement of writing and then illustrating it.
How do you approach cover design?
I always try and have a cover which reflects the essence of the story and its characters. All of my covers have been clues as to what is contained within and this was a deliberate action. I have tried to make them eye-catching because I know when I look for something to read a pretty, attractive cover will always catch my eye first.
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