You're getting published? Who's your publisher?

Firstly, let's take a moment to say Yes! Yes! Yes! I am getting published.

I was fortunate enough to get that magic email late last year from publisher Anouska Jones from EK Books accepting my picture book manuscript.

EK Books, the children's imprint of Exisle Publishing, is a publisher of children's picture books only. Its motto is great story, great characters, great message and its books are aimed primarily at children aged 4 to 8.

I first met Anouska at the NSW Writers' Centre's Kids and YA Festival in 2016, where I won a pitching competition that she judged. On the back of this, I sent Anouska an email asking if she would be interested in seeing my full manuscript and much to my delight, she was. The rest, as they say, is history.

EK is a small press, and fairly new on the children's publishing scene, having launched in 2013. Their books have appeared on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge list as well as the Children's Book Council of Australia Notables list and the shortlist for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award. I'm delighted that they will be publishing my first picture book.

EK's latest releases are The Fix-It Man by Dimity Powell and Nicky Johnston and The Leaky Story by Devon Sillett and Anil Tortop. Why don't you check them out and find out more about EK Books at www.ekbooks.org? Children's writers take note: at the time of writing, EK Books is open to unsolicited manuscript submissions.