Tania McCartney Blog: a wee wintry update

Hello, peeps, how are you travelling? Are you keeping snug in our southern states?

If you are in Melbourne, I'm sending love. What a completely crappy time. I'm a Melbourne girl and have a half-tonne of friends and colleagues and family there - it's all so heartbreaking. How I wish I could sweep you all up and deposit you in the Maldives till Christmas.

It's raining here in Canberra, and this is when I'm most happy. It ever confounds me when people say they don't like it.

For me, as a child in perennially inclement Hobart, rain was comfort. It meant mud and earthworms, pink and wriggling on the surface before the inevitable deep dive. It meant a thriving veggie patch and an Irish-green lawn. It meant a bounty of peaches and plums and apricots on our trees.

Inside the house, it was foggy windows to paint on, warm spirals of baking from the kitchen, the cottony scent of mum's iron, thick socks and flannelette PJs - and any excuse to draw, craft, read, play with lego or dolls. Any excuse to snuggle.

Such deep comfort.

Not sure if you've heard, Canberra isn't the most rainy place, especially not these past years. Even our trees are balling up and dying at the roots. Watching the earth drink in this rain - it's a good thing.

Today we celebrated my girl's 20th birthday with a beautiful brunch (she loves brunch so much, she dragged herself out of bed early despite a big night last night with friends!). I always remember thinking I'll feel old when I have a 20-year-old child. But now that I'm here, I still feel 15 (even tho I don't look it!). Am I alone?

The cake was incredible - Flute Bakery in Fyshwick. That shop is Canberra's answer to Paris. And yes, we ate cake at 11am.

Such a lovely surprise this weekend to learn that Fauna has shortlisted in the Educational Publishing Awards Australia - what an unexpected joy! Without question, I create books for enjoyment, possibly with the hope of some enlightenment, and education is a glorious (and important) by-product, so I'm thrilled to have the book acknowledged in this way. Now in its 27th year, the full EPA shortlist is right here.

I've been so busy with book production, my YouTube channel has been a little quiet, but I've uploaded a new video featuring some stunning adult books - a pretty decent haul from Readings. I have some new kids' books I'll feature soon, too - some stunners! Hoping for more to arrive next week. Click the image above to see some inspiring adult titles, and one kids will love, too.

I've also posted a couple of Instagram videos on new book finds - some adult and kids' titles. Click the images above to view.

On book production, I've finished a wonderful picture book for Windy Hollow, as illustrator (author Emma Bowd). Above is a little peek. Can you guess what it's about? Cake? The life cycle of ants? Hmmmm?

It was SO much fun.

At the top of this post, you may have glimpsed a wee penguin of quite a different kind. He's the potential star of a new upcoming book. Watch this space; I shall reveal more when I can!

Last week, it was a great pleasure to chat with Micaela at The Wilderness Society, along with Megan Daley from Children's Books Daily and friend Christina Booth - on shortlisting (Fauna, again) for the Environmental Award for Children's Literature (both Christina and I). It was the most fascinating chat about everything from animals and nature to extinction and politics. You can watch the entire chat right here.

I just have the most gorgeous publisher at Windy Hollow Books - Christina Pase - and she posted this peek at my alphabet book, AlphaKid (above, out this November). Cannot wait to share a cover reveal soon!

It seems teal blue is a theme with me of late. This sample image, above, is for my upcoming animal book with Hardie Grant Travel. It's a huge project of a book and it's been interesting creating it because I'm having an illustrious book designer this time around. Because I tend to create organically, and my research, writing and imagery is tied heavily into book layout, it's been an interesting process to craft the content without designing the pages, too. All a learning curve! and one I'm relishing despite the tricky creative navigation right now.

From teal blue to orange...

I'm still playing daily in my wardrobe like a be-Disneyed 4-year-old. Are you a bit sartorial? If I posted videos of my styling shenanigans, would you watch? Or would you find that a bit strange, watching me play dress-up? Seriously. Let me know. I mean, this H&M orange knit. Who knew I could wear this colour??

To finish off, I'm sure you're keen to see my latest InstaCrushes. Here they are. Click on each one for more.