In the new addition to the Amanda Commander series, The Blues-day Tuesday, Coral Vass highlights the benefits of being kind when you feel insecure and overcomes the biggest challenges of writing a series.

What do you love about writing children's books?

I love writing for children. There is something special about children’s books. Children’s books are simple and yet so complex. They have the ability to entertain, inspire and educate all at once, with only a few words. And when specifically chosen text is partnered with amazing illustrations, magic happens.

What inspired you to write the Amanda Commander series?

My daughter actually inspired me with the name Amanda Commander many years ago. And over time, the character Amanda organically developed and grew. I wanted to write a series about a confident, kind, problem solving female protagonist, who wasn’t out of reach or on a pedestal, but instead I wanted to create a character who felt all the feels, who experienced the highs and lows of friendships in primary school and who understood what every young girl feels at times growing up.

What inspired you to write this newest addition to the series, The Blues-day Tuesday?

I remember as a young girl, missing a few days of school (due to illness or holidays) was detrimental to friendships; I remember feeling like I’d missed out on so much and having to work hard to integrate back into the friendship group. Having my own daughter go through similar things now, I realised not much has changed. Friendships can be fickle and tricky to negotiate at the best of times, but ultimately I wanted the focus of the Amanda Commander series to be about kindness, in the face of insecurity. When things don't turn out the way we want, or we are treated unfairly or feel left out, Amanda chooses kindness above all else, which surprisingly can help combat all our negative feelings.

What do you find exciting and challenging about writing a new addition to a series?

I think the challenge is always keeping the Amanda Commander books fresh with new ideas, but it's key to ensure the characters and the scenes are consistent without being repetitive. While each book is part of a series, they are also stand alone titles, which can be read independently of each other.

Do you have a typical writing process for new books? How did the writing process of this book compare?

I am a planner when it comes to writing. I plan out each chapter before I start writing, so each book follows the same format and I can see the overall structure of the story clearly. I planned out Amanda Commander: The Blues-day Tuesday in the same way as the previous titles, so I had a clear understanding of what Amanda would do in each chapter to ensure the story progressed.

What do you hope your readers will take away from The Blues-day Tuesday?

I hope my readers will feel seen, and know that everyone at some stage will go through a similar experience. I also want my readers to know that they are not alone. And yet, even in our struggles and hard times, when things are not fair, we can still choose to be kind, we can still choose to help others.

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

I love working with Heidi. Not only have we done the Amander Commander series together, but we partnered on a previous picture book- TWO BIRDS ON A WIRE- together. Heidi has the incredible ability to interpret text and bring next level illustrations to any book, which add so much depth, emotion and storyline through the pictures. She is an absolute joy to work with and I'm always blown away by her talent.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

As well as more Amanda Commander books set for release this year, I also have a few picture books coming out 2024, including a collaboration with the incredible Dub Leffler. Dub and I are super excited to partner again (previously with SORRY DAY) on a book based on the Uluru Statement of the Heart called WALKING TOGETHER.