Maria BlackmanMaria Blackman is a writer from Perth, Western Australia. She is a lifelong bookworm who studied art at the Curtin University Department of Art, and then later education, which led her to a stint as a high school English teacher. Becoming a parent thn rekindled her passion for creating her own art and stories. Being immersed in the world of children's literature, she began drawing and writing again. Her work ranges from picture books for young children to short stories and essays on matters serious and not so serious. Maria's writing for young children includes subjects relating to the Australian environment and wildlife, and also the connection created between children and their caregivers by sharing stories. She believes that picture books are miniature, tangible works of art that can bridge generations.In the last three years, Maria has written and self-published short stories, book reviews and essays on Medium and the Reedsy Blog. In 2021 she was shortlisted for the KSP Writers' Centre Spooky Stories Competition and her short story was included in the anthology. She has participated in NaNoWriMo several times and vows that one day she will get around to editing and revising the NaNoWriMo projects. When she is not busy writing or drawing or working or parenting, Maria likes to spend time at Lake Monger and Herdsman Lake, either running or bird watching. Both activities are excellent means for mindfulness but also finding story ideas. Read More Read Less