What is your book about? When can we see it on the shelves?
Mavis, the Little Plane Spotter is set in rural Australia during WWII. Ten-year-old Mavis wants to help the war effort but is told she is too young. Then she discovers she can volunteer alongside her older sister, so she becomes an enemy plane spotter. Imagine her surprise when she sees an enemy bomber fly over her hometown!
What sparked your interest in writing this book?
Nine times out of ten, I get my ideas from the news! I listen to my regional ABC radio station every day, and one morning, I tuned into an interview with a 90-year-old from Albury in NSW. She was talking about her experiences as a child plane spotter during WWII. I’d never heard of plane spotters, so I jumped on the computer and discovered everything I could. My research led me to a story about the youngest plane spotter in Australia, and that’s when I knew I’d found the perfect character for a picture book!
What else have you had published?
I was a journalist for my local newspaper for two years and have had four non-fiction articles published in The School Magazine. A millennium ago, I had a story published in the popular women’s magazine at the time, Cleo. I used a pseudonym because it was a bit spicy! I think I got paid $100!
Have you won any competitions?
‘You’ve got to be in it to win it!’ I was runner-up in the 2022 Larrikin House Picture Book Manuscript Competition, longlisted in the 2022 Pitch It Competition, winner of the 2023 Book Pipeline Unpublished Picture Book Contest, and had two picture books shortlisted in the 2024 Pitch It Competition. Winning the Book Pipeline Contest was a massive surprise, especially when it came with $3,000! The prize money allowed me to pay for assessments, courses and conference tickets. So, you see, you should have a crack at everything!
What advice would you give an aspiring author?
DON’T GIVE UP! Keep writing, keep learning, keep submitting, keep entering competitions, keep attending conferences, and keep connecting with other writers. If I had given up after the rejection of my first picture book (which was truly woeful!), I would have missed out on all the wonderful things that led me here today, sharing with you!
How can readers learn more about you?
@angelatoniolowriter