Christmas 2015 and Little Dog and the Christmas Wish

Christmas is such a busy, chaotic, joyful and yes, often sad time of year filled with all sorts of emotions, highs and lows and then back again. With Little Dog this year I’ve flown to wonderful places but, in spite of that, like most people, the sadness of other Christmases keeps knocking at the door.

The Myer Windows for me has been the greatest honour – to see my words and Robin Cowcher’s illustrations out there in such a public forum for all to enjoy, is pure bliss. The fact that this story, created out of something I imagined, has been brought to life in such a way, is exciting beyond words and Stage One’s dedication and attention to detail, in remaining true to the story is the greatest reward.

The sadness, well that comes from memories of my own childhood Christmases. Catching the green and yellow trams into the city, walking under the town hall canopy and along Swanston Street with my darling mum and my siblings, seeing Santa on the used-to-be Foy’s Corner, looking down upon us and then reaching the Myer windows where hundreds of thousands of children, including my own children, once pressed their fingers and noses against the glass, and are still doing today. I just wish Mum and Dad were here to see them.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and health and happiness in 2016 and this year, on Christmas morning, I’ll be thinking about all those children and adults who are turning the pages of ‘Little Dog and the Christmas Wish’ and I hope it brings them happiness.

Thank you to my friends and family for all your supp0rt and especially Maryann Ballantyne, Black Dog Books (Walker Books Australia), Robin Cowcher for those stunning illustrations and to John and Connie and everyone at Stage One and Myer for treating my words with such respect.

And to a Little Dog called Prince Harry and his owners Laraine and Mark and have traveled much of the journey with me.