![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sunshine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/tania.jpg?fit=768%2C1022&ssl=1)
I’ve always loved words – wonderful, bouncy words that feel delicious in your mouth and roll off your tongue. As soon as I was old enough to write, I made these words into stories. When I was training to be a teacher, I wrote a book for five-year-olds, called Mikki’s Bath.
It was based on the true story about my naughty dog and how he hated having a wash. My lecturer encouraged me to submit it to a publisher. I was so excited and sent it off with great hopes for my future as a famous author! Sadly, it was rejected, and that stung!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sunshine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/stewed_bugs.jpg?fit=1024%2C376&ssl=1)
But I still had a burning desire to write stories. I decided to try again, and submitted new manuscripts to Sunshine Books. Imagine my excitement when I discovered that Stewed Bugs and Onions and Are We There Yet? were chosen to be published! My husband framed the covers of these books. They still hang in my house.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sunshine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/are_we_there.jpg?fit=1024%2C376&ssl=1)
What I love most is writing stories for our smallest readers – tiny stories that still pack a punch. When I wrote Where Is The Sun?, I wanted to show how amazing our wonderful world is.
Writing is challenging but it is also a lot of fun!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sunshine.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/theSun.jpg?fit=1024%2C445&ssl=1)