Publications Editor Lisa Dick has launched her debut children’s book, The Baby Sleeps. Lisa, in addition to her day job of managing the University's flagship publications like the Otago Magazine, He Kitenga and the Annual Report, will also graduate in December with a Diploma for Graduates in English.
With remarkable simplicity, Lisa Dick turned a handful of words into a heartfelt story about love in her debut children’s book, The Baby Sleeps.
“The Baby Sleeps is a short book, but has its depths,” Otago’s Publications Editor Lisa says.
“My intention was to place the baby in the geography of the world – zooming all the way out to space, then to pivot when she wakes, then return to Earth from her perspective, gradually in steps, until we can see that while she is a tiny person on a huge planet, that’s irrelevant to her – what she needs is right in front of her – and that’s love.”
The Baby Sleeps began its life as a “flash of inspiration” 18 years ago.
“When the idea for The Baby Sleeps came to me, I was pushing my oldest son in a pram.
“I felt like this idea had merit, so I wrote it in a notebook and put it in my bedside drawer.”
Flash forward 10 years, and she started taking steps to make her dream of writing children's books a reality.
“I was sitting in the Port Chalmers Library’s children’s section with my kids, and I remember thinking to myself, right, if you’re going to write children’s books, you’d better get serious. So, I enrolled in a creative writing paper at the University of Otago.
“There I met the wonderful Nicola Cummins. She began as my lecturer, then we organised the University’s creative writing competition Writer together and she became my colleague and now she is my very dear friend who has encouraged me on this writing journey.”
Through her studies, her story sat waiting patiently in her bedside drawer.
Serendipity played a part in what happened next.
On the side of the football pitch, at her son’s game, Lisa caught up with Jo Pearson, mum of one of her son’s best friends and a writer-illustrator who works for publishing group Allen & Unwin.
“We were talking about Jo’s work and I mentioned The Baby Sleeps to her. She encouraged me to send it to her, and she sent it on to the publisher.”
On receiving her story, Allen & Unwin got back to Lisa the very same day, agreeing to publish The Baby Sleeps.
Choosing the illustrator came next and after looking through a list of talented New Zealand illustrators, Lisa chose Laura Bee.
Laura has done an exceptional job, Lisa says.
“Through her work, The Baby Sleeps has taken on more meaning, exploring the idea that there is a big world for the baby to learn about, but right now is oblivious.
“I’m so grateful to her for the way she has brought this little story to life.”
While writing a book is mostly a solo activity, Lisa acknowledges the wealth of support and encouragement she received along the way.
“Without Nicola, and without Jo, I wouldn’t have a book to launch. I am incredibly grateful to them both.
“I’m also incredibly grateful to my writing teachers for the care and support they have given me. My studies at the University have given me skills and confidence in my writing.
“My five children are my inspiration and my wonderful husband Matt, who has backed me 100 per cent always.”
The Baby Sleeps was launched on 6 August, at the Port Chalmers Library.
“It was so wonderful to see my colleagues, friends and family who are so enthusiastically thrilled for me about this book.”
Now that The Baby Sleeps is out in the world, Lisa has a couple of ideas up her sleeve, stories that she began as part of her Graduate Diploma in English – which she finished this year.
“The work I did in my graduate diploma was focused on children's writing.
“In one creative writing paper, when I had to write the first 4,000 words of a novel, I made it a children's book. For another paper, I had to write the first 6,000 words of a crime novel and I started a children's crime novel. So, I have a couple of ideas I will return to.”
Till then, she’s got the modern-day version of a trusty notebook to jot down her ideas when inspiration strikes.
“I send myself text messages,” Lisa laughs.
“In between items for the weekly shop, you’ll find ideas for stories!”
~ Kōrero by Sandra French, Adviser, Internal Communications
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