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Marina Hart was born and raised in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She migrated to Australia as a refugee and now lives in Sydney with her husband. She started writing poetry and short stories at the age 11. She graduated in 1990 from the Sarajevo's School of Applied Arts as a Graphic Designer for Book Publishing. Apart from writing she is also an illustrator, web designer and entrepreneur. She also worked and studied in London, UK, for 3 years. Her published work includes:
Marina has also finished Professional Children's Writing Course in 2001 through the Australian College of Journalism, as well as many other courses in DTP, interior design, photography, children's and youth ministry, small business management etc., and is actively pursuing learning in various fields that interest her. This is what she has to say: 1. Why do you want to write for children? I want to write for children as a way of leaving a legacy to the future generations and influencing their world for better. 2. What do you like to most about kids books? The world is not always the nicest place, so for me reading a book when I was a child was a way to escape and learn how to deal with the 'real thing" called life. 3. How and when did you decide you wanted to write kids books? I was a nanny for about 7 years in different countries, so kids I looked after inspired me. 4. What was your favorite book when you were a kid? Disney illustrated stories, from "Dumbo" to "101 Dalmatians", these were my first books! 5. What is your favorite genre and why? Fantasy and Science fiction. Because they let us create different world… 6. Where do you find your ideas and inspiration? I get ideas all the time, sometimes I dream the whole story, but if I don't write it down the moment I wake up, I forget… People and kids who overcome adversity inspire me the most… 7. When and where do you write? I have notebooks and paper everywhere, even in my bathroom, and I have a PC, laptop and palm computer… so I write wherever I am a couple of times a day, in train, during breakfast and dinner, until I can't keep my eyes open… 8. What are your plans for your writing for the next 5-10 years? That used to be a scary thought for the procrastinator I was, but now I sort of know that I want to step out into the "real" world of publishing… being the small biz and marketing savvy, I am hoping to have some of my work self-published, and also help others be published as well… Internet gives opportunity to everyone to try their "luck' in writing and publishing, so that's where I am heading at the moment. |