I love a good Christmas book, and this year I was thrilled to receive a copy of a new Christmas picture book from Affirm Press. Christmas Wonder, beautifully written by Vikki Conley and lushly illustrated by Cheryl Orsini is a sweet, joyful, rhyming book that captures the magic of an Australian Christmas and the special memories built from family time and festive traditions. Conley’s words make the story almost feel like a Christmas lullaby, while Orsini’s bright, evocative, humorous illustrations bring the magic of this festive season to life - as well as the Australian landscape.

Today I’m excited to be chatting with author Vikki Conley about the writing and development of Christmas Wonder, and her path to becoming an author.

Welcome, Vikki! How did you come up with the idea and style for the beautiful Christmas Wonder? 

One of my favourite memories from my childhood is making the Christmas plum pudding with my grandmother, together with my sister. It was a sensory sensation with scents of cinnamon and spice, wafts of brandy and sticky fingers that were itching to be licked!

When I started this tradition with my own little ones, the feelings of exhilaration and joy around this special festive season, came flooding back to me like big buckets of brandy custard sauce. I just had to put words down on the page.

The style of the book was inspired by the rhyming verse in Yellow Kayak by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon. I was mesmerised by the extraordinary illustrations and powerful, yet (seemingly) simple structure of the story’s verse. It used minimal words (eight words per stanza, two per line) to achieve lyrical brilliance.

The style seemed perfect to capture the feelings and memories of my Christmas childhood that had been popping like Christmas crackers in my head. I also wanted a style that would encourage the reader to linger on just a few evocative words. I wanted the sounds to sink in, so the memories could float out, allowing them to journey to a nostalgic place with their child.

What was your path to getting this book published?

I met Affirm Press Kids Commissioning Editor Davina Bell at an industry event a few years ago and have been sending her my work for consideration ever since. Christmas Wonder struck a chord with her, and it was exciting to discover that Davina shared my vision for a very special gift book.

Cheryl Orsini’s artwork perfectly captures the atmosphere of an Australian Christmas, taking us from a beach barbecue to carols by candlelight. The book’s red cloth spine and golden starred cover also make Christmas Wonder feel like a treasure to be kept forever. I’m delighted to say that Christmas Wonder recently sold out in the warehouse (after only a month or so since release), so we can expect a larger print run next year!

What has been your best investment in your creative career?

Quitting my other career! I threw in my marketing job and walked away from over 20 years in the strategic communications industry. I put all my focus into honing my writing for children. Attending courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre and with Writers Victoria, definitely helped accelerate my path towards publication.

What do you know now that you wish you knew earlier?

Resting a piece of writing and coming back to it after a while to rework it afresh, will always make it better than it was.

What is your writing process like? 

I’m an early riser so I often sneak a few hours in before my children wake. Exercise clears my head and is also a time for composition and observation. I listen to the sounds in the bush along my river walking track, and I roll words and ideas around in my head while I’m doing laps in the pool.

I’ve always got a note book close by to scribble down ideas. I read widely and find the natural world (mountains, beach, travel, flora and fauna) and other artforms (music, fine art and design, dance, ceramics) help fuel my writing.

When I’m writing every day, my subconscious also starts firing with gazillions of ideas. I often wake in the morning with the resolution to a story ending. My next release, The Lost Moustache, came to me like a dream. I just woke up with the title in my head and said, “hello, nice to meet you” and started writing about a girl who finds a costume moustache on the ground at dress up day.

What do you do if you get stuck?

Keep trying, push through, sleep on it, read something inspiring in the same genre, or call in a trusted writing friend!

Do you have any particular creative rituals?

I wish I did, because it would sound more interesting. But mostly, I’m just finding windows of time between being a mother of two little folk and doing other freelance jobs.

I’m grateful for when I’ve got chunks of time to just put my head down and do the work. Right now, I’m writing at 5.45 am in my dressing gown and slippers with a blanket over my shoulders, because I don’t want to turn the heater on to wake the family!

Any tips for other writers?

Keep writing. Find your voice. Join a writer’s group. Write every day.

What's coming next for you?

Two new picture book releases in 2020 — The Lost Moustache (Red Paper Kite) and Tomorrow Girl (EK Books). I’m working with Stonnington Shire focusing on an exciting series of inclusive story art sessions, collaborating with Vision Australia, Stonnington Libraries, Very Special Kids and Kinross Arts Centre. I’m also wrestling with some junior fiction and chapter books — in my dressing gown!