Last week, the Children's Bookshop in Wellington hosted the launch of the first children's book by new small publishing house, Hinterlands.
Wairarapa couple Walter Moala and Johanna Knox have worked independently in the publishing industry for nearly two decades, Walter as a designer, Johanna as a writer, editor, and reviewer. They often dreamed of running their own venture together, and last year finally took the plunge, putting their skills to work on a children's mystery-adventure series for 8-12 year olds, The Fly Papers. Walter says, 'It was basically now or never.'
Both set aside other work in order to dedicate as much time as they could to the project. They printed the book in New Zealand which enabled them to maintain more control over the project, as well as build relationships with local businesses.
Since its release last week, the first book in the series, The Flytrap Snaps, has attracted plenty of praise, and has worked its way onto the shelves of independent bookshops around the country. Johanna will be appearing at the Storylines Free Family Day in Wellington this Sunday 21 August.
Carnivorous plants are a central feature of the book's plot, and Hinterlands has a blog dedicated to The Fly Papers series, where families can find out more not only about the books, but about the amazing world of carnivorous plants.
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