Gill, Maria
IN BRIEF
Maria Gill writes books for children and adults that draw on her interest in birds and conservation. Her Bird’s-eye View: through the Eyes of New Zealand Birds was shortlisted for the Elsie Locke Award and was selected as a top ten non-fiction Notable Book for 2007 by the Storylines New Zealand Children’s Literature Foundation. Her other titles for children include: Operation Nest Egg, Dogs on the Job, Rangitoto and Save our Seas. Maria Gill is available for writer visits as part of the Book Council's Writers in Schools programme.
ProfilePlace of residence: Matakana, North of Auckland, New Zealand |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GILL, Maria (1961 –) writes books for children and adults that draw on her interest in birds and conservation.
Born in Auckland, Gill’s family immigrated to Australia when she was in her teens to tour Australia in a caravan. She is widely travelled and uses her experiences as inspiration for her writing. She trained as a primary teacher and taught at both primary and intermediate schools. She now writes children’s books and educational material full-time from her home in Matakana.
Bird’s-eye View: Through the Eyes of New Zealand Birds (Penguin, 2006) reveals how thirteen New Zealand birds see their natural habitat. It uses photographs and latest avian-vision research and offers children a new perspective on the way birds live. Bird’s-eye View was shortlisted for the Elsie Locke Awards by LIANZA and selected as one of the top ten non-fiction Notable Books for 2007 by the New Zealand Children’s Literature Foundation (Storylines).
Gill’s first book Homework Powerpack (Zenith, 2005) is a handbook for parents, giving an overview of the education system in all curriculum areas at the Primary level.
Two short stories for adults were published in the Cats and Jaws Anthology (Random, 2004) edited by Barbara Else.
Operation Nest Egg: Saving New Zealand's Kiwi (2007: Reed Publishing) examines the important work Operation Nest Egg plays in preserving New Zealand’s national icon. Gill explains the roles different institutions play in the Operation Nest Egg programme and how it came into being. The book contains information about the different species of kiwi, kiwi centres, island and mainland crèches, predators and pests of kiwi and what methodologies are being used to lessen or eradicate those threats. It also includes where you can see kiwi and how children can be involved in the programme.
Dogs on the Job (Puffin, 2008), Gill interviews dog handlers and observes dogs on the job in this engaging and fun-filled non-fiction book for children. Meet an acting dog going through the moves in an advertisement. See a mobility dog picking up the keys for his handler in a wheelchair. Find the search and rescue dog that can trail scents 12 hours old. Marvel at the therapy dog that triggers the memory of a rest home elderly lady who cannot remember her own daughter.
Maria Gill uses her Primary school teacher background to write for the educational market: Volcanoes, Under Our Feet, Amazing Water were published by South Pacific Press in 2009 and will be distributed throughout the United States; seven educational books were published by Learning Media (2009) for the American market, and two early readers for Red Rocket Publishing (2007) are called Let's Make Pancakes and Clever Camouflage.
In Rangitoto: Te toka tu Moana (Puffin, 2009), Gill tells the dramatic story of Auckland's most striking icon - it's volcanic birth, the kaka's connection to Tangitoto, the imprint of humans on its fragile wildlife, and how the islands's guardians are saving it today.
Save Our Seas: Continuing the mission of Sir Peter Blake (New Holand, 2009) is inspired by the environmental work achieved by the legendary sailor and explorer Sir Peter Blake, and told in the voice of Skipper L.B. Tross. It reveals exactly what's going on in the oceans around us and what we can do to help.
writers in schools information
Gill is able to visit schools outside her region and is happy to talk to school children aged 5-13 years, and will speak to high school classes if requested. She is happy to give talks on conservation of birds and marine life, animal welfare, working dogs, volcanoes, saving the planet and Operation Nest Egg. She is prepared to speak to groups of any size for younger children, but would prefer to limit the sessions to class-size only for high school students. She is prepared to run writing workshops on planning and plotting picture books, writing a reader’s theatre script and writing creative non-fiction, by arrangement.
KAPAI: Kids' Authors Pictures and Information
Where do you live?
Matakana, Warkworth (one hour north of Auckland).
What books do you read?
Science fiction, fantasy and adventure novels, nature books, picture books.
Who is your favourite writer?
Margaret Mahy for picture books; Anne McCaffrey for science fiction; Eoin Colfer for fantasy (and humour); Rod Morris and Neville Peat for nature books; Gerald Durrell for books about conservation.
How do you think up your ideas?
Often when I am driving on a long straight road a thought will pop into my head or I’ll see something that will trigger an idea or my curiosity.
What is the best thing about being a writer?
Meeting fascinating authors and interesting conservationists. Also, I love to read stories to children.
Questions from Primary School students
What sort of pets do you have?
5 ducks, 5 sheep, dozens of chickens and one rooster, 1 cat and 2 guinea fowl. Plus, I can’t leave out the greedy wild ducks and pukekos who steal our pet ducks’ food.
What is your favourite colour?
Green/blue (the colours of bush and the sea).
What is your favourite food?
Ice cream, Italian and Thai food.
What is your favourite movie?
Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang when I was young. Billy and Chicago – because I love dance movies.
What is your favourite game?
Cluedo.
What is the most fun thing about being an author?
Writing about gorgeous animals and birds.
How do you make books?
Usually I start with a theme or idea. I collect notes and do lots of research. I’ll interview people and then go over all my notes to see if I have a pattern. Then I’ll set up a template (form) on the computer to order my information. I leave spaces for photography and illustrations because I like to picture how the book could look as a finished product. I spend months editing the manuscript and get feedback from my critique group. Once I am happy with it I send a copy (with photographs and all laid out) to a publisher.
What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?
In my last year at Southport State High School on the Gold Coast in Australia, sometimes my friends and I would wag sports. We used to play softball all summer and I hated being bitten by the big ants and standing under the scorching sun. When the school changed the programme to include learning how to surf, sail, bowl etc. I didn’t miss a lesson.
Questions from Secondary School students
How did you get started?
Once my daughter turned three and became more independent I began a children’s writing course by correspondence. After that I joined a writing group, but what I really wanted was a children’s writing group and there were none available in Auckland. In 2003, I began a group called Kiwi Write4Kidz with some writing friends. It is a group just for people who write stories for kids. We’ve arranged for some wonderful authors to come and talk to us. For example we’ve had Margaret Mahy, David Hill, John Marsden and Kate De Goldi for weekend workshops. We’ve also arranged for authors to talk in the evenings such as Gavin Bishop, Paul Jennings, Brian Falkner, Pamela Allen, Jennifer Beck, Sarah Ell…
Who inspired you when you were getting started?
Hearing those talented writers talking about their early experiences and giving us tips on how to improve our writing.
What advice would you give an aspiring young writer?
That you most probably need to serve out your apprenticeship by reading and writing most days, going on courses, hearing authors talk and learning from your mistakes for several years before you might get your first break. If you are dedicated and passionate about writing you will make it.
Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand?
Absolutely! Until your books have sold internationally and you have a best seller, don't ‘give up the day job’ or you need to diversify what you do. I’ve chosen the latter. I relief teach at my children’s school and write freelance articles for magazines and educational journals.
What were you like as a teenager?
Because we moved a lot (especially when we lived in a caravan travelling around Australia) I was a little bit shy. When I got over my shyness I made friends easily with all types of people. It also made me very adaptable to new situations. I was always very determined and passionate about things that mattered to me.
Is there anything else you could tell students about yourself?
My family were a bit like gypsies. We travelled around Australia in a caravan for three years. It was a bit cramped living in a caravan and being a teenager I needed my escape. I achieved that by reading and writing. With no friends or television with us on our trip to amuse me – the environment was my muse. The Australian outback had plenty to offer; snakes, scary spiders and reptiles. We also had lots of adventures: fossicking for gem stones in places that four wheel drive cars could only access, swimming in rivers that unbeknown to us contained crocodiles, meeting miners who told tall stories and stopping to fish in any bit of water that had not dried up under the harsh Australian sun. My imagination couldn’t have asked for more...
Media links and clips
- See Gill’s webpage to download educational resources to compliment her books.
- Kiwi Write4Kidz Author Page
- Gill reviews (along with four other Kiwi Write4Kidz authors) the latest New Zealand children’s books being released
- Interviews with NZ Children’s Authors
- Storylines
- Beattie’s Book Blog
- Penguin NZ
- Gill's Ecorangers Blog
