Dim's Write Stuff

As part of the recent National Education Summit (Diverse Learners Symposium ) held in Brisbane, Queensland's own award-winning children's author, Aleesah Darlison was invited to discuss diversity in Kids' Lit via the 'Portrayal of ADHD, Mental Health, Anxiety, & The Spectrums in Children’s & Young Adult Literature'. The role of a children's author is vast and varied but for me involves sharing and caring. To create stories that elicit emotional connections with young readers while still fascinating and entertaining them is a challenging mix to perfect. Luckily, these are just the sort of tales I love to tackle; ones often embracing difficult subject matter, that speak to different people from multiple levels and in so doing, echo and normalize real life situations.  Many of my titles reflect this premise, including Oswald Messweather ,   a picture book that focuses on the emotional aspects associated with the debilitating condition of obsessive compuls...

October marks a myriad of mental health milestones. And while the swirl of acronyms and dates, hashtags and headlines may set your mind tumbling into confusion, take heart in the solid certainty that now, more than ever before, the acknowledgement of and support for people in mental distress and decline is growing. And that is a good thing, too great to measure. Why? Because it allows people to recognise, accept and most importantly, REACH OUT for help when  they need it most rather than live in quiet shame and agony. This is an admission I myself am slowly coming to realise, as well... How though does this all relate to my advocacy to create Kids' Lit with heart, soul and purpose? Well,  occasions like: OCD Awareness Week, Mental Health Month , Disability Awareness month to name but a few, all serve as avenues for sufferers of mental illness or those whose peers and or family are afflicted with mental disorders and conditions, to explore and learn more. In short to become...

Dim and Ozzie. The subject of mental health can be blurred at times. The genesis behind a story is oftentimes as fascinating and alluring as the story itself. Understanding why an author chose to follow a character's calling, explore their anxieties, desires, hopes and dreams appeals to ones voyeuristic tendencies and makes the whole experience more sincere and substantial. This interview, conducted on behalf of Wombat Books explores my motivations for wanting to share Oswald's story.  Oswald Messweather is a picture book that I hope creates bridges between understanding and frustrations. The behavioural disorder of OCD is a debilitating condition for adults let alone children  to live with. The associated social fall-out that occurs from living with intense anxieties and perceived shortcomings is something very few of us successfully avoid. Perhaps sharing stories like this one will help lessen the gaps between stigma and support and provide children and their carers with ...

A book launch! I hear you exclaim. Where? When? What? Um, well, I regret to inform that you have missed that particular book party boat - the official book launching IRL event hoo-ha for Oswald Messweather took place in April. But wait! The good ship YouTube is still floating mine and Ozzie's boat and YOU can enjoy just about every riveting moment of the day right there, right now! Hurrah!  Brian Falkner with Dim and Ozzie Dimity Powell​ … seems to have the ability to touch on subjects that in other hands would seem worthy or didactic, and to make them heartbreakingly real and emotional, in a way that is accessible to both children and adults. It is beautifully illustrated by Siobhan McVey​. Brian Falkner,  children’s author, interview With very little professional help (the hubster filmed it all on his phone, phew!), a lot of excellent support by Yvonne Mes and the crew at The Mad Hatters Bookshop in Manly (thanks Laura and Isabel!) a brilliant creative cast of on-set extr...

My ability to draw is only slightly less inspiring than my ability to handstand. I can however, picture my stories as I write them with razor sharp clarity, in my head at least. Translating these internal storyboards to a real life illustrator is not always easy so I'm lucky that illustrators like, Siobhan McVey who provided the striking visual narrative for, Oswald Messweather , are adroit enough to create strong ' visual partners ' for my words without my input. I was fascinated to learn that when a storyline and language resonate powerfully enough with a potential illustrator, their creativity leaps into unsolicited action. In other words, sketches and images, characteristics and colours flow authentically and without hesitation. The organic way a visual narrative uncurls in an illustrator's head, eventually spilling onto the page to hug and caress my words is, for me, the most magical part of the picture book making process. To experience more of the magic, read thi...

Word's just in; a little fellow I've been spending a bit of time getting to know online had finally arrived in Australia. We've yet to set eyes on each other in real life but I'm told he's a stunner. I can't wait to meet him. Only a few more weeks to go. I wonder how I'll feel holding his story in my hands, knowing I had some part in its creation, accepting that it was demanding to tell but emancipating to share, feeling his exasperation and exhaustion and frustration...his fear, for real.  He's rather shy and reclusive but I know that together we can initiate ripples of greatness that might cause waves of change, acceptance, understanding and hope. We'd both like that very much. He sent me a little compilation of his story thus far and I'm allowed to share it with you. Ready? Here it is, the book trailer of Oswald Messweather , my next special little picture book - arriving 28 March 2021! We hope you like it. Let us know what you think. Ozzie an...