“I don’t write for children… I write— and somebody says, ‘That’s for children!’ ” 

(Maurice Sendak, 2012)

It took me a long time to realise that I tell stories for children. I have a dozen bios proclaiming I write fantasy and fairy-tales. I work in fiction, animation, illustration and interactive media. I have a PhD in transmedia.

These are all aspects of my creative work but the underlying thread tying it all together is that I tell children’s stories. I explore transitory spaces. Growing up, coming-of-age, the transition from childhood to adulthood is a profound experience that is the source of my inspiration.

I was raised in a strict, Chinese family. My childhood consisted of snatches of play, sneaked in between the regimented, rigid and impossibly high expectations set by my domineering parents. The experience of fighting for self-expression, finding my voice, striving to reach my potential are questions I try to unravel in my story worlds.

 

AWARDS

2022 Longlisted for the Bath Children’s Novel Award (for my manuscript Apprentice Guide to Fairyside)

2022 Shortlisted for the Times/ Chicken House Fiction Competition (for my manuscript Apprentice Guide to Fairyside)

2021 Shortlisted for Aurealis Awards: Best Young Adult Short Story

2020 Winner of the CYA Conference Fiction prize

2020 Joint winner of the Wakefield Press YA Horror Anthology competition

2020 Shortlisted for the Affirm Press Mentorship Award

2020 Longlisted for the Queensland Stories, Songs and Rhymes picture book project 

2020 Shortlisted for the Book Links Mentorship

2018 Shortlisted for the Deborah Cass Writing Prize 

2017 Winner of the Conflux Short Story Competition 

 

PUBLICATIONS

Aug 2021 Hunger (short story) published by Wakefield Press

2021 The Last Bastion (short story) published in South of the Sun Anthology by Serenity Press 

2021 Queensland Quest (interactive fiction) commissioned by State Library of Queensland

2020 Evolved (short story) published by Space and Time Magazine

2018 If the Shoe Fits (short story) published by Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild for Conflux

2017 The Stolen Button (picture book) self published

2017 Masters and Slaves (short story) published by the Australian Fairytale Society Magazine

2016 Red May (short story) published in Talent Implied Anthology by Griffith University

2015 Donald Doing’s House of Verbs (picture book) self published

2015 Choose Your Own Death (middle grade fiction) self published