Written during a hard time in Matt Samuel's life, The Other Side of the Clouds explains the importance of accepting your emotions and believing there is always something special inside.

What do you love about writing?

I would have to say the thing I love most about writing is the ability to create. Create a character, create a story, create something that you will hope will resonate with people. I have always been a very keen reader. The more I write and the more I learn from my writing, the more I love creating. Now that I have a book published, it makes you realise the power in what you write and create. The ability it has to say something to others.

The Other Side of the Clouds is your debut picture book. What inspired you to write it?

The Other Side of the Clouds came about as I was walking one day. I was going through a very difficult time personally and I felt overwhelmed by it all. I recall the exact spot I looked up into the sky and one of the first lines in the book came into my head. I wrote it down as soon as I could, and the story built from there.

Did you have any personal experiences that contributed to this book?

As I was saying, I was going through a very tough personal time. At one point, I couldn’t see or imagine any respite from it all. That really made me think of what it must be like for a child feeling so overwhelmed. I’ve known plenty of kids who have struggled with their emotions. Navigating difficult feelings isn’t easy. That was what I always kept in mind while writing this story.

This story deals with some heavy themes, including despair and solace. What was enjoyable and what was challenging about writing these themes?

Yes, there are some very heavy themes. At first, I wondered if what I was writing was too heavy and there was too much emotion in it. But I think what makes this book so powerful is how as creators, Tam and I really leant into its depth of emotion. We didn’t hide from it. When I tell people what the book is about, I am constantly surprised how many people say it is the kind of book their kids need.

What was your writing process for The Other Side of the Clouds?

As with all my writing, I start with either a phrase or an idea. Once I get the skeleton down on paper, it was then a matter of refining it, over and over again. For The Other Side of the Clouds, I always knew what I needed to say, and I kept going until I got there. Rowena and I also worked on a few rounds of edits once the story was contracted, which was great, as it really sharpened Finn’s emotional journey and made the story even tighter.

Were there any things that surprised you about the editing and publishing process?

I would have to say, that thing that constantly surprises me is the time everything takes in publishing. The magic of creating a picture book doesn’t happen overnight. It is so worth it though. I would also say the end-result really surprised me. I always trusted that Rowena had a plan for how the book would all come together – but when I first saw the illustrations by Tam, I was blown away. They added depth to my words in a way that I hadn’t expected. It took the story to another level.

What do you hope your readers will take away from The Other Side of the Clouds?

My hope is that anyone who has ever had a bad day or who is feeling sad - for whatever reason, can find themselves in the journey that Finn undertakes. Growing up can be difficult. It can be full of difficult emotions. For some kids that can be all consuming. My hope for anyone reading this book is they know it is ok to feel those emotions. And no matter how sad they feel or how hopeless things seem, they realise there is always something special inside them.

What was it like to work with an illustrator on this story? Were there particular images or experiences that you were excited to see?

Tam’s incredible illustrations were all done without any discussion or consultation with me. So, I had my first look at them once they were all done. They were amazing. I suppose the thing I was most excited to see was what Finn looked like. I had no idea how Tam would create him. One of the most incredible things I think she has done is to never show his face. I love it so much, as it requires the reader to be even more active in their interpretation of his emotions.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I’ve got lots of other projects waiting to happen. Some are being currently reviewed by different publishers. Fingers crossed we might hear some good news soon.