Peter Carnavas: success from the slush pile

When Queensland schoolteacher Peter Carnavas wrote and illustrated a story for his wife one Christmas, he had no idea his simple tale of a girl who took toys to school to make friends would propel him into a career as a published author.

Peter’s first picture book, Jessica’s Box, which sold out its first print
run of 8000 copies within 12 months, was shortlisted in the 2008 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and recognised as a ‘notable book’ by the Children’s Book Council of Australia.

Peter's second book, Sarah's Heavy Heart was published in April this year.

Publisher Sophia Whitfield, from New Frontier Publishing, says Peter's talent was obvious the minute she plucked his manuscript for Jessica's Box from the slush pile.

“He has an ingenious ability to tell a story with heart, in few words. His illustrations do much of the talking,” she says.

It is this talent that has earned Peter the privilege of speaking at a number of writers' festivals. In June, he spoke at the Voices on the Coast on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, whilst next week (September 11) he will present a cartoon workshop at the Brisbane Writers' Festival.

“Because I have been to the Brisbane Writers’ Festival just as a visitor, to be presenting things is overwhelming and pretty exciting for me,” Peter says in his softly-spoken voice.

Peter's passion

Peter is passionate about creating stories, having written and illustrated many books for nephews, nieces and other family members in the past.

In 2005, he reduced his work hours at Clermont State School in central Queensland, where he taught music, to concentrate on refining his writing and illustrating skills.

“I went to part-time with my teaching work to just concentrate on writing picture books (and) I found (an online) course called Create A Kid’s Book, which is run by Virginia Lowe,” he says.

“I started off with a germ of an idea and she just worked with me throughout the year and… the end product was a dummy version of Jessica’s Box.

“It gave me a lot of time to improve my illustrations as well. The drawings I was doing a few years ago, I can’t even look at them now. I did a lot of practice and studying of the books that I love to develop a style that I like.”

The forgotten manuscript

Convinced his work was not of publishing quality, Peter sent off the manuscript to New Frontier and… promptly forgot about it.

“I didn’t consider it to be very good at all, so I forgot about it. I moved (house) and didn’t update my contact details,” he says, a laugh tinkering at the edges of the memory of how he almost let a book deal slip away.

“About a-year-and-a-half later, Virginia got in contact with me and said that Sophia was looking for me.”

Then, a few months later Peter had completed the final illustrations and Jessica’s Box was scheduled for printing.

Illustrating other people’s stories and branching out from picture books is something Peter aspires to, but for now he concedes his ideas and skills suit the picture book genre.

“I feel like they can be as meaningful as any other text, any novel or film,” he says, passion modulating his tone.

“I just feel like picture books are the right format for me. I love reading them and I love creating them. The creating process gives me a bit of buzz.”

Having what it takes to write a picture book

Now when Peter tells friends and acquaintances that he has published children's books, the common response is, "I would love to do that too."

However, he says there are some essentials that aspiring authors need to know before they can do this successfully.

“Knowing when to hold back on text and to think visually; to remember you are always going to have pictures telling half the story or more," he says.

"The more you do it the better you get at it. When I look at the first drafts of Jessica’s Box I’ve got three times as many words in the whole thing.”

Sarah's Heavy Heart

Peter’s latest release is poignant in its simplicity. On the opening page, there are a mere five words, Sarah had a heavy heart, accompanied by a beautifully-drawn picture of a small girl carrying her cumbersome, bright, red heart on her back.

She juggles her rosy, plump heart as she catches a bus, plays at the park and rides her bike.

The story continues, Sarah knew the heart would always be hers to carry. She just wished it wasn’t so heavy.

It is an emotive tale, even for adults, but when Peter thinks about the story – which he does often – he admits he is not sure if there is a single, definitive message he is trying to portray.

“If anything I would say it’s just about knowing to share your problems. If you share a problem the weight is lifted off you.”

But, quite simply, he says, “I just find it a beautiful, visual story.”

For more information about Pamela Wilson or WriteSmart, log on to http://www.writesmart.com.au/