Juliet Williams and her partner Bill live on 10 acres in country Victoria with their two daughters, and an assortment of animals.

Juliet grew up in the southwest coastal town of Warrnambool, with fairly equal passions for writing, social justice and horse riding. This social justice interest lead to a combined Arts/Law degree, followed by fifteen years working in the community sector, mainly as a community lawyer and educator.

The Giggle Gum Tree is her first picture book to be published, and was inspired walking through the bush with her daughters. Inspiration also came from managing out of home care programs, and witnessing the resilience displayed by children living in foster care. She is donating royalties from the book’s first print run to Community Connections. www.comconnect.com.au

Elizabeth Botté works long hours in a lofty Melbourne studio but spends far too much time gazing out her window at the birds and the trees.

The illustrator of many titles including Lost in the Rain, Sorrow, Murder Weekend, The Touché series, The Right Team, Racing the Tide and Gone! She was the Extensive Reading Foundation awards finalist in 2008 for River of Dreams.

Also a painter, consistently selling artwork over the years and exhibiting in many cafés and galleries, just recently at the Ballarat Gallery of fine Art.

The illustrations for The Giggle Gum Tree were inspired by the style of sweet and luscious images in 1950s children’s books. Books bought on sale for 99c when she was a little girl during the 1970s remain precious favourites in her collection today.

Sample

Links

to Juliet William's website

to Juliet's interview on ABC Southwest Victoria Radio

to the Teachers' Notes for The Giggle Gum Tree

eNews 42: Interview with Juliet Williams and
Elizabeth Botte