When physiotherapist-turned-author Leesa Allinson saw a media release from the Australian Koala Foundation about the plight of koalas, it sparked an idea that would change the course of her writing life. The result is her debut picture book One Koala, One Hundred Trees, published by Wild Dog Books.
“I have a devotion for Koala conservation,” Leesa says. “Re-reading the release combined with these facts sparked my imagination. A family started to emerge … [they] encounter an injured Koala and feel compelled to take action.”
Leesa’s story was inspired by the Foundation’s Koala Kiss Project, which aims to link fragmented koala habitats along Australia’s eastern seaboard. “Each Koala needs, at least, one hundred trees to not only survive but to thrive,” she explains. “We have destroyed their home and continue to live on cleared land that was once Koala habitat. Therefore, we are all collectively responsible for building the corridor to ensure the Koala’s survival.”
Her book supports the Foundation’s fundraising efforts for the project. “I wrote the book for them and now I ask all Australians, if you are willing and able, to purchase a copy so together we can make their vision a reality.”
From physiotherapy to picture books
Leesa’s career began in paediatric physiotherapy, where she worked closely with children and their development. But while completing a PhD in neonatal and neurodevelopmental physiotherapy, a personal tragedy set her on a new path.
“Towards the beginning of my PhD, my dad passed away. It was sudden and stressful,” she recalls. “I came across a short course in Writing Children's Novels. I enrolled with the goal of getting myself out of the house to be with people, even if it was only one night a week.
That decision reignited a creative desire. “The course re-ignited a long-held desire to write children’s picture books that was buried and forgotten,” she says. “My dad’s death made me realise life is short and unpredictable. Against all advice and my own better judgement, I heeded the call. I walked away from physiotherapy and into the Associate Degree of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT.”
Still, Leesa wanted to learn more about picture books specifically. “My heart and head needed more picture book instruction, so I looked for another short course. And that’s where the Australian Writers’ Centre comes into my author story.”
Building a writer’s toolbox
Leesa completed both Writing Picture Books and Writing Picture Books Masterclass at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Leesa found the AWC’s practical focus especially valuable. “The Australian Writers’ Centre writing courses provide a practical foundation guide to the literary techniques for writing manuscripts and then insider knowledge on getting those manuscripts published,” she says. “Your courses demystify the world of publishing while highlighting the realities facing authors seeking publication.”
One of Leesa’s biggest takeaways came from learning how to storyboard her picture books. “In Writing Picture Books, I discovered how to storyboard. Cathie Tasker’s storyboard template changed how I approach a new picture book idea. It’s brilliant,” she says.
Revisiting older manuscripts with this new skill gave her work fresh life. “Using the storyboard revealed what wasn’t working. These manuscripts have been given a new lease of life now I’ve rewritten them.”
Dreams realised
When One Koala, One Hundred Trees was finally accepted for publication, Leesa’s reaction was pure joy. “I screamed! Did a happy dance in my living room. Then, I cried,” she says. “You have to let the built-up emotions out, right? For me, this had been a long time in the wondering, dreaming, believing and creating stages. And now I have succeeded!”
She had pitched the manuscript several times before securing her publisher. “It was during the third pitch, at KidLitVic 2024, that my publisher, Maryann Ballantyne from Wild Dog Books, said, ‘Yes.’”
Seeing her book on shelves was a dream fulfilled. “One of my author career goals was to walk into the children’s section of a bookshop and see my book sitting on the bookshelf next to Pamela Allen’s,” she says. “In the first bookshop I visited, my goal was achieved! It might seem a small, even silly, goal to some but to me it means I’ve arrived in the world of publishing.”
For aspiring writers, Leesa offers one simple message: never give up. “The number one reason writers don’t get published is because they give up,” she says. “Rejection is heartbreaking but it’s part of your immersion in the creative arts pool and it builds resilience.”
Her guiding philosophy continues to drive her forward. “My motto in life is: Wonder, Dream, Believe, Create, Succeed.”
Leesa Allinson’s debut picture book One Koala, One Hundred Trees is out now through Wild Dog Books.
Website: leesaallinson.com.au
Courses completed at AWC:
- Writing Picture Books
- Writing Picture Books Masterclass
- Writing Children's Novels
- Presenting to Kids
- Writing Chapter Books for 6-9 year olds
- Your Author Website
- Laugh Out Loud
- Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation
- Inside Publishing
- Reinvent Yourself
- Historical Fiction
- Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder
