Q&A with kidlit author, Elizabeth Pulsford!

Elizabeth Pulsford is the author of 'But Why?' (Ethicool, 2022) and 'Boots' (Wombat Books, 2024), which was just released last week. Her two brilliant picture books are essential reading for children and adults alike. When not writing, Elizabeth works as an English teacher in Brisbane and was a scriptwriter, actor and director for children's theatre in her previous life. 

Thanks to Elizabeth for joining me to discuss her fantastic new picture book 'Boots'.
Make sure to visit Elizabeth on instagram at @elizabethpulsfordauthor

Can you tell us a little about your fantastic, heart-touching and moving new picture book 'Boots' illustrated by Krista Brennan and published by Wombat Books? How did this wonderful idea originate for you and what was the process from beginning writing it to it becoming a published book?
‘Boots’ is inspired by and pays tribute to my grandfather Roy Henderson and his family, and their colonial Australian roots. For most of his life, my grandfather owned the cattle and wheat property ‘Coolamon,’ located outside of the ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ township of Dulacca in rural Queensland.
 
Many of my happiest childhood memories were created at my grandparents’ when my brothers and I would leave our sea-side home to spend school holidays with our extended family. I remember feeding cattle, hiding between hay bales, riding horses and four-wheelers, and playing ‘Chicken’ with the electric fence. I remember custard creams, and saying ‘Grace’ at dinner, solemn ANZAC services, and kindly visitors just ‘dropping in to say G’day.’ But most clear in my memory, are my Grandpa’s boots – faithfully sitting by the back screen door. This image has inspired the story’s unique perspective.
 
In terms of process, I wrote this manuscript in a single sitting and knew immediately that I wanted the story to be shared largely through the illustrations, with minimal text to accompany. I imagined the illustrations would paint a portrait of ‘an everyday hero’ and honour the legacy of a generation of hardworking men and women, their humble lifestyles, and the unforgiving landscape they survived and thrived within. Krista Brennan surpassed my every expectation in bringing this story to life.
 
In a stroke of luck, ‘Boots’ was picked up by Rochelle Stephens of Wombat Books during an assessment at by first CYA Conference in 2021. I’ve been so fortunate that she has championed this story as a rural Queensland resident herself and the journey towards publication has been a smooth and very special one.
 
Do you have a typical writing and rewriting process? What are the joys, or the challenges, of writing picture book texts specifically? 
Currently, my writing process is I don’t have a writing process, and I’m always reprimanding myself for that. In 2020-2021, I wrote upward of twenty manuscripts and submitted frequently. In the two years following I didn’t write or submit a single manuscript. Sometimes I write a story in a single day, and sometimes stories take shape over weeks or months. Sometimes I plot, and sometimes I just ‘freestyle.’ My commitment this year is to be much more disciplined. I’ve been trying to write for a total one-hour window each day in whatever minutes I can scratch together.
 
One practice I am consistent in, is sharing my work in various critique groups and often multiple times. This informs my re-writing process and ensures that my stories are the best version they can be by the time I submit to a publisher.  
 
Finding time and inspiration, and even opportunity to attend various Kid Lit events amidst work and parenting is my greatest challenge, but that’s not likely exclusive to picture book writing! I’m also very reluctant to market myself and my work, so that’s a skill I’d like to improve.
 
Like many children’s authors, picture books offered me countless opportunities for adventure, escape, humour, learning, companionship and perspective, and in writing my own, there’s such joy in the hope I might gift my readers the same.
 
'Boots' is your second picture book after 'But Why?' - What was the writing and publishing experience like for 'But Why?', as your very first book, in comparison to the experience with 'Boots'? 
My first published picture book ‘But Why?’ was written to an illustration stimulus as part of the Bee Ethicool Competition in 2020 and voted upon by the public. Contrarily, ‘Boots’ was accepted by Rochelle Stephens, who championed this project from the outset. In writing ‘Boots’ I certainly felt a greater sense of freedom as the story was ‘mine’, but also responsibility, as I wanted to do my grandfather’s memory justice. Being my second book, I was more familiar with the publishing process, but each ‘milestone’ was equally exciting. My favourite moment is always viewing the illustration proofs for the first time.
 
You are a teacher and have worked in children's theatre too. How does working with kids inform, or help your writing? 
My first degree was in Acting and I was really lucky to work in children’s theatre in Australia and abroad as an actor and then director for several years. Through this experience, I’ve come to believe that the best children’s theatre requires actors to enter a ‘play state’ in which the inner child is brought to the fore. It’s a truly beautiful state of vulnerability, imagination, curiosity, and possibility. I think as a writer for children, while I’m not engaging my whole body as an actor, I still try to occupy that ‘play state.’ This is when I create my best work.
 
On the other end of the spectrum, I’m a Senior English and Literature teacher. This is handy because I have a strong understanding of the mechanics of writing - form, style, structure, aesthetic features, etc - but more than that, I spend a lot of my life with seventeen and eighteen-year-olds on the cusp of entering adulthood. And surprisingly, they inform a lot of my stories – their fears, their hopes, their humour, their profound insights.  As picture book writers we are writing for the children of today, who are the adults of tomorrow, and so I hold both in mind when I write. For me, whether a picture book shares a profound life lesson or a fart joke, the very best have the capacity to affect us all.
 
Is there anything in the pipeline you can share with us?
Sadly, nothing right now. I’m on maternity leave with my second daughter following a hiatus from writing. I really struggled to maintain creativity and productivity after returning to work with my first. I’m hoping there may be a few more opportunities headed my way this year, particularly if I can be more disciplined and create better writing habits.
 
And finally, can you name 3 Australian picture books you think everyone should read? 

1. Koala Lou by Mem Fox – My Mum tucked me in every night whispering, ‘Koala Lou I do love you. I always have and I always will,’ and it’s something I repeat to my girls every night at bedtime too.
2. Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan – absolute classic!
3. Cicada by Shaun Tan – so very, very, very clever. And who doesn’t love this creative’s genius!?