About Me

Hi, my name is Sian Turner – welcome to my website.

I’m a children’s book author and have five picture books published, three through Wild Eyed Press and two with Little Steps Australia. These are A Whale of a Day in Botany Bay, illustrated by Peter Ryan, Beyond Our Garden Gate, illustrated by Irene King and Can I Come Too, Eliza-Lou?, Wake Up Lionel! and Jessica’s Smile which are all illustrated by Rebecca Cool. I have also had a few of my short stories appearing in the NSW Education Department’s School Magazine and been involved in a project in the Great Southern interviewing First Nations Elders and recording their histories. Right now I’m working on a middle-grade novel. 

As a child, I spent many hours hidden away from my brothers and sisters in the branches of a Jacaranda tree, reading books. Growing up with four siblings also meant there was plenty of company to share in extravagant imagination games when the time allowed.

In Primary School, I entered stories in the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s ‘Make Your Own Storybook’ competition.  A couple of my entries won prizes, and this spurred on a love of being creative with the written word. I kept a diary in High School and turned my hand to poetry to process feelings and situations I found myself in.

A strong desire to help people led to a University degree in Physiotherapy. I loved being a part of a multidisciplinary team and working on the wards of a busy tertiary hospital. I enjoyed research too, and was able to combine my clinical role with the completion of a PhD in 2010.

It wasn’t until the birth of my children that I returned to writing fiction. I’m still in the thick of parenting three beautiful kids and love the high energy of this busy stage of my life. Writing is a wonderful release and creative outlet and I have an ignited passion to create stories that will entertain, encourage and inspire the next generation in the same way great books encouraged me when I was young.