It is with absolute pleasure that I welcome Dani Vee back to Kelly’s Writerly Q&A! Dani is an author, podcaster, and also now works in publicity and acquisitions at Larrikin House. Today we are talking about her latest picture book My EPIC Dad! Takes Us Camping, the first in the EPIC Dad series, but Dani has so much more on the go, you are sure to be inspired by her literary talents!

Hi Dani, thank you for taking the time to chat with me again. Congratulations on the publication of your second picture book. What’s My Epic Dad! Takes us Camping about?

My EPIC Dad is about an engaged, adventurous and optimistic dad but the world is against him! He takes his two kids camping and comes up against a wild boar, a snake, ants and fire! Through it all he remains optimistic that everything will be okay! He is the epitome of resilience!

It’s the cutest story! I absolutely loved this dad character and how he interacts with his kids, it’s so wholesome and adorable. He reminds me of Phil Dunphy from Modern Family. Your last book was about how mothers are more than just mums, inspired by your own experiences, what prompted you to write this story?

James, my publisher had said during a Zoom meeting that he always wanted a manuscript with an unlucky dad character. I asked him a lot of questions and wrote the manuscript to brief. It was fortunate that I had a dad who was always injuring himself at soccer, water skiing and whatever else he got up to, so the inspiration was close to home. 

I’m amazed at how well you handled stepping up and nailing that brief, although, it does sound like you found great inspiration from your own dad being so accident prone. You said the first draft of your last book took approximately one week to write, how long did it take you to write your second?

It may take one week to write but then 15 weeks to edit! So the one week thing is likely just the first draft. I read my first draft to James and he didn’t laugh as much as I would’ve liked, so I went back and did a major rewrite and took it back to him. So overall, maybe 2-3 weeks not including editing. 

That’s still pretty quick in my humble opinion. Wow! Did you feel any pressure while writing My Epic Dad! Takes us Camping to brief for Larrikin?

I feel a lot of pressure all the time when reading my manuscripts to James, it’s literally TORTURE (all capitalised!) especially when it’s someone’s vision, you want to honour that because they’ve trusted their idea with you. As a publisher and writer we are very much in synch. 

I’m actually glad to hear you feel that pressure, but what I love most about your answer here, is that you push through that pressure and it motivates you to keep working until you get that perfect reaction. That shows on the page. Some writers say that every time they sit down to write a new story, they forget how it’s done; are you more confident with your writing process now?

I’m very hard on myself. It’s always hard but I like hard. I also think that being hard on myself is one of the reasons my manuscripts get signed because I don’t let the publisher read a single word anymore unless I think it’s going to be on brand and enjoyed! My process is a lot of thinking, many false starts and persistence!

Yes to persistence! My determination is something I’m very proud of. Has your typical day of writing changed?

I have a day job, kids and a podcast, so there is no writing day unfortunately. I prioritise it in the cracks of my life, planes and airport lounges are where a lot of my writing gets done these days. I’m always somewhere between Sydney and Melbourne. 

I don’t fly much but when I do, I agree, writing on planes is the most amazing thing. No wifi and what-do-you-know, the words flow! How does it feel when someone rates your book five stars?

Hahaha! I feel like a fraud but then stoked of course. You put a lot of time, tears and love into your books so when someone likes them it’s a kind of magic. 

I’m so glad that nasty imposter syndrome gives you the space to enjoy those magical moments! Do you have any new tips for unpublished writers?

It’s hard. If it’s not hard, it definitely should be! I read a lot of manuscripts for the work I do at Larrikin House and I highly recommend only submitting manuscripts you have laboured over and edited every single word. Know your publisher, accept feedback and know that rejection is part of the process. 

Great advice! What are you currently reading and loving?

I’m re-reading The Picture of Dorian Gray because I’m obsessed by it. 

“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.” - Oscar Wilde. I know you have 5 more Unlucky Dad books to write and a crime manuscript that you’ve been working on, so what can we expect from you next?

My EPIC Dad Takes Us Fishing is due before Father’s Day this year, then the third book is about dad trying his hand at Parkour with expected results. I’ve just finished a junior fiction book which will hopefully be released in 2024. I’m also getting back into crime fiction and have started a new manuscript which started as a short story. No idea if it will see the light of day, but I can’t seem to let go of crime fiction!

That’s exciting and sounds hilariously awesome! We have so much to look forward to from you, and I love following your blooming career as an author on Instagram! Thanks again for chatting, it’s been wonderful to hear about how things are going 7 months on. EXTRAordinary and EPIC!!

My EPIC Dad! Takes Us Camping is available now!

Take a look back on my first interview with Dani.

Thanks for reading,

Kelly