Creating kids’ books is a gamble. A gamble that the idea is any good, that we can make it work, that publishers will contract it and readers enjoy it! We do it because we love it, even if it feels like driving into a foggy night.
Join editor, Vishali Seshadri from Penguin Random House, author Lucie Stevens and illustrator Mateja Jager, as they share their experience of nurturing ideas to bring them to life, facing down rejection and doubt, and creating stories and art that makes hearts sing.
Program
6.00pm—Arrival, Mingle and Nibbles
6.20pm—Welcome
6.30pm—What makes a kids’ book engaging? with Vishali Seshadri, Editor, Penguin Random House
Discover what makes a kids’ book engaging, touching on topics such as voice, narration, plot and pace.
7.00pm—Finding a way through rejection and doubt to reconnect with creativity with author Lucie Stevens
All creators can experience seasons of low-confidence, doubt, self-criticism and fear, especially in the face of rejection. Having experienced several painful set-backs, Lucie made it her mission to create a kit of tools she could use to sustain herself through challenging periods. Tonight, Lucie will share one of the most useful and powerful techniques she’s learned – one she practises each time she sits down to write – to overcome creative barriers and access flow. This is an interactive session, so please bring a pen and an open mind!
7.20pm—From First Sketch to Final Art with illustrator Mateja Jager
Mateja Jager will take us on a journey through her artistic process, from first sketch to final art, sharing lots of insights along the way.
7.40pm—Book babies - Bring along your new publications and share your news
8.00pm—End
Bookings
$10 for SCBWI Members
$15 for Non Members
Presenters
Vishali Seshadri—Editor, Penguin Random House
Vishali Seshadri is an editor in the Children’s Publishing team at Penguin Random House. She works on a range of brands, including Bluey and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and with authors such as Jacqueline Harvey and R. A. Spratt. Vishali is passionate about discovering new voices and loves reading crime, thriller, horror and literary fiction.
Lucie Stevens—Author
Lucie Stevens is a children’s author and freelance editor living and working on Gadigal land. Her debut children’s novel, R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins, was published by HarperCollins in June 2025 and was long-listed for the ARA Historical Novel Prize (CYA category). Its sequel will be published in 2026. Lucie is the recipient of two ASA Mentorships, a Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship, a Varuna Residential Fellowship and has recently been awarded a Vaucluse House Creative and Cultural Residency.
Mateja Jager—Illustrator
Mateja Jager is a Slovenian-Australian illustrator with a background in fashion and graphic design, as well as a deep passion for picture books. Her Australian debut, Paper-Flower Girl, written by Margrete Lamond, received the Honour Book award in the 2024 Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year awards. Mateja’s second Australian book, Tiny Dancer, written by Patrick Guest, was published in 2025.