A Melbourne based author, Diane Psaila has enjoyed a career covering varying roles across administration in the education sector. Diane's passion for reading and writing began in childhood which fed her imagination to hone in on her thoughts to write poems and short stories. She says there’s something special about being engrossed between the book covers of a great story! Developing her passion for creative writing over the years has recently seen Diane delve into writing content for publications, and contributing as a co-author to three self-help anthologies.
Diane’s idea of writing a series of children’s books about a little boy called Jack is very dear to her, as they were written for her children to provide examples on the concepts of caring about who and what is around them. Three of Diane’s published stories in the Jack series: Jack Meets Oscar, Jack’s Sandcastle, and Jack’s Special Pet, depict Jack, the protagonist. He is introduced in Jack Meets Oscar where his caring nature shines through when he spots a lonely bear in a petrol station shop. In Jack’s Sandcastle, Jack is taught the importance of including others to share ideas to build an impressive sandcastle. Jack approaches his mum about wanting a new pet in Jack’s Special Pet. And it’s a snail! But what does it eat and where should Jack keep it? So off they go to the library to find out.
Diane enjoyed the self-publishing journey. It takes dedication and finesse in project managing the process, however teamed with the creative flair of her illustrator Emma Stuart, and expertise of her publisher, Busybird Publishing, has resulted in three quality hardcover books. Diane says it was a risk to publish three books at the one time, however with close monitoring it has paid off to ensure continuity in the end result. Besides, the children often asked about what happened next to Jack, and Diane is finding that now, when she visits as guest author for storytimes children are eager for the next book to be read.
You’ll love Jack! Grab your series set today! (3-7)