Book Chat: Suzanne Patterson

I'm very excited to welcome Suzanne Patterson to the blog. Suzanne is an exciting new talent on the Australian picture book scene, and her debut title, Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day, is already winning hearts and inciting chuckles across the continent.

Thanks so much for swinging by for a Book Chat, Suzanne! Congratulations on the publication of your wonderful debut picture book, Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day. It’s a beautifully written and illustrated work, and an absolute barrel of fun.

To begin with, would you mind sharing a little of the journey that has brought you up to this point as an author?

In my early years, I spent time writing short stories and letters and I was always an avid reader. As a youth and an adult travelling around the world, I loved to keep journals, even with some scanty illustrations. When I gave up a career in cartography, I was finally able to pursue my love and passion for children’s literature.

My sister was an artist and we spent many hours chatting about stories we could do. But life throws you curve balls and changes the game plan. I have done multiple courses and masterclasses to hone my skills and keep abreast of industry trends.

Was there a particular spark of inspiration that inspired the story idea for Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day?

The spark of inspiration for this story came about from a family cat called Mooshy that belonged to friends of mine. He was a ginger cat with a face that was so unique that the image embedded itself in my memory.

The original Mooshy!

When I’d pop in to visit my friends, Mooshy was often tenacious and mischievous with cushion fillings strewn everywhere. Often, he could be found riding on top of the robo cleaner. When he needed to be reprimanded, he was invisible. His big personality was the clue to him being the star in his own story.

I’d love to know a little about the drafting process for Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day. Did you finalise the story before writing the text, or leave it space to find its own form as you started writing?

As an author, I float between being a ‘pantser’ and a planner. The early drafts were scribbled lines on paper, with a rough structure, then fleshed out into paragraphs with the story finding its own form. When the word count was over 500 it was time to look more closely at word choices, structure and line edits. After many redrafts, I sent it for a professional assessment.

One of the things I found most refreshing and entertaining about Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day was that Mooshy doesn’t learn from the mistakes he makes throughout the story, and that the story doesn’t try to moralise. Was this an approach you intentionally set out to take?

When I dropped the character into a family situation, it came naturally to me that no matter what you do or don’t do you are still loved and supported by your family. This being the case, I did intentionally set out to make Mooshy’s character mischievous and fun and really not learn anything at all from his mistakes despite the constant berating from family and friends.

The illustrations for Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day are hilarious and full of fun detail. Was there a close collaboration between you and your illustrator, Maia Batumashvili?

Maia was contracted by the publishing house because her illustrative style suited the manuscript. I had several illustration notes on the manuscript as well as a few suggestions. There were early line drafts to view, followed by colour drafts and then the final spreads. Maia has captured the essence of Mooshy using vibrant colours, facial expressions and lots of small details. Her work was a delight.

Mooshy is such a lovable and memorable character. Is there any chance we might get to enjoy more of his adventures and mishaps in future?

After Mooshy’s debut into the picture book world and the fun and the joy his character has brought to many readers, perhaps more Mooshy mayhem will be on the way. I don’t have anything penned at the moment except for some scribbled ideas.

What’s next for Suzanne Patterson?

I have three more picture books in the pipeline, one to be released in May 2026 called A Splash of Colour about a little girl with JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis), who discovers a talent for painting, Juniper Jackson- Bug Detective- A Festive Find – a Christmas story where she is searching for the Xmas beetle, and The Crabulous Escape – about two mud crabs who want to escape from a tank so they won’t be eaten.

I have lots of stories written that need attention and a small chapter book half-penned, where I am waiting for a light bulb moment. I would also like to do a non-fiction picture book on how to read a map.

Where are the best places for readers to find out more about you online, and to get their own copies of Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day?

On Instagram, I can be found at suzannep_books and I hope in the future to have a web page.

Copies of Mooshy can be purchased on line from Dymocks, Angus and Robertson, Readings Books and Amazon.

Many thanks for your time, Suzanne. I wish you and Mooshy every success, and hope to chat again soon.

This post is part of a blog tour for Mooshy Crackerjack's Big Day, presented by Books On Tour PR & Marketing. Please keep following Suzanne's journey on all of the fine blogs and sites below.