My name is Fiona Levings and I am an author, illustrator and former geologist. I live in southern Tasmania, a beautiful place which inspires me artistically almost every day.
My first picture book, The Moonbow was inspired directly by the beauty (and fickleness) of the landscape around me and my second, Now and Then, captures a tiny piece of local history. Now and Then was recognised as a Notable Book in the Eve Pownall (non-fiction) category of the 2020 CBCA Awards.
People who knew me always said I should ‘write one about rocks’ which, whilst a great idea, proved to be a much harder task than it seems. I hold a PhD in geology, I know a lot about, it but it’s such a beautifully broad and complex science – squashing the story of the earth into a picture book felt like too big a challenge. After a long period of pondering I decided to tell the story of just one bit of our planet - Hobart’s beloved mountain and Before the Mountain had a Name came to be. I hope you enjoy it and love rocks as much as I do.
My first picture book, The Moonbow was inspired directly by the beauty (and fickleness) of the landscape around me and my second, Now and Then, captures a tiny piece of local history. Now and Then was recognised as a Notable Book in the Eve Pownall (non-fiction) category of the 2020 CBCA Awards.
People who knew me always said I should ‘write one about rocks’ which, whilst a great idea, proved to be a much harder task than it seems. I hold a PhD in geology, I know a lot about, it but it’s such a beautifully broad and complex science – squashing the story of the earth into a picture book felt like too big a challenge. After a long period of pondering I decided to tell the story of just one bit of our planet - Hobart’s beloved mountain and Before the Mountain had a Name came to be. I hope you enjoy it and love rocks as much as I do.