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Jacqui Halpin

Genres: Picture Books, Middle Grade, Short Stories and Non-Fiction for children of all ages

Publications:

Picture Books
2022 - It’s Time All Possums Went To Bed, illustrated by Gavis Scott, Affirm Press.
2019 - Where’s Lucky?, illustrated by Sandra Severgnini, Little Pink Dog Books. Shortlisted for Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards, 2019
2017 - Parmesan the Reluctant Racehorse, illustrated by John Phillips, Little Pink Dog Books.

Non-Fiction
2022 - Australia Remembers 6: Wartime Nurses – Care and Compassion, Big Sky Publishing.
2016 - A Long Way from Misery, by Jack Turner and Jacqui Halpin, Crown Mountain Press.

Short Stories
April 2024 - Genius, illustrated by Amy Golbach, The School Magazine, Countdown.
April 2019- The Christmas Cat, illustrated by Douglas Holgate, The School Magazine, Blast Off.
2019 - Sister Elizabeth Kenny- The Nurse From The Bush, illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, The School Magazine, Touchdown.
2015 - The Quest, Creative Kids’ Tales anthology, Deep Within the Forest.

Member Bio

Jacqui Halpin is a former registered nurse, tuckshop convenor, and children’s author.

Her passion for children’s books came while reading bedtime stories to her children. She completed a Diploma of Professional Children’s Writing and now finds joy in reading her own picture books to her grandchildren. In an author dream come true, her latest picture book, It’s Time All Possums Went To Bed, was read on ABC’s Play School.

Jacqui is an active member of Book Links, a founding member of Write Links and the Brisbane Coordinator for the Queensland chapter of SCBWI Australia East. While writing and editing she loves to sip tea from fine china and eat copious amounts of chocolate and cake. Her procrastibaking skills are second to none!

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Questions with Jacqui

Which writer(s) inspire you?
I love books by Mem Fox, Lynley Dodd, Jackie French, Emily Rodda, Judith Kerr, Margaret Wild, Corrinne Fenton, and loads more.

 

What draws you to writing for children specifically?
I first wanted to write for children when I had the pleasure of reading beautiful picture books to my own children when they were small. I still remember the joy and satisfaction that I and my children felt at the close of a well-crafted, gorgeously illustrated picture book. I wanted to be one of those special people that could generate such feelings in others.

 

How long have you been writing?
It’s been a long journey! The year 2000 was when I decided to delve into the world of children’s writing and completed a Diploma of Professional Children’s Writing.

 

Which professional writing bodies are you a member of?
I am a member of SCWBI, Write Links and Book Links.

 

What writing resources do you recommend?
Inside Story: the wonderful world of writing, illustrating and publishing children’s books by Sophie Masson, Kathy Creamer, Beattie Alvarez and Peter Creamer, and The Grown Up’s Guide to Picture Books by Lara Cain Gray are both great books that offer a lot of insights. I’ve found workshops by Write Links, SCBWI, the QWC and local libraries very helpful. Famous authors’ websites often have loads of useful information for aspiring writers.

 

Best time of day to write
I prefer to write first thing in the morning but more often than not it is usually afternoon or after dinner that I get the time to write.

 

What do you do to assist you in writing?
I often attend writers’ workshops and seminars. I read books on writing and attend writers’ festivals. I also go to as many writers’ meetings as I can and strongly believe in the importance of the support network a writers group provides.

 

Was there a particular book in your childhood that had a big influence on you?
When I was a child my father used to read me stories from Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit which I always enjoyed. I found out later that because Dad never went to school and therefore wasn’t a very good reader, he made up half the story. This in no way diminished their appeal. I also remember a picture book called A Home for Whiskers, a story about a kitten finding a home with a woodcutter and his young daughter. I loved that story.

 

Who/ what inspires you?
Inspiration to write can be found anywhere and at any time. I’m inspired to write by rainy mornings, walking (especially at dusk), riding on trains, waiting at airports, sitting in traffic, looking out my back door, and sometimes in the middle of the night for no reason whatsoever. That’s why I have a notebook and pencil with me at all times.

 

Have you got any inspirational writing quotes you would like to share?
My favourite inspirational writing quote is- ‘writers write’. So simple yet not always easy to do in our busy lives.

And one of my own quotes that is not so much inspirational but factual- ‘writing is an apprenticeship that never ends.’