Mel Kent
Children’s Book Author
Q) What’s your link to Townsville?
Having grown up in Charters Towers, I moved to Townsville with my now-husband Michael in 2003 when he got an apprenticeship with Queensland Rail. We spent 13 years there, making a home, getting married, having babies (Lachlan, 9, Evie, 7 and Audrey, 3) and building our lovely tribe of Townsville friends. We had to move away in 2016 when our youngest child became chronically ill and we needed to be closer to her treating specialists.
Q) Where are you now?
We’re currently living on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It’s such a beautiful place to live with lots of natural diversity – both in the landscape and the people who live here. While I still have the same ‘day job’ I did when I lived in Townsville (as an online coach for Australian nutrition company Changing Habits), I’ve recently become a published children’s book author! My first book Broccoli Trees? Yes Please! was released in November 2017 and my second book is waiting in the wings to be published later this year. Creative writing has always been a passion of mine and I just feel so grateful that amongst the turmoil of living with a chronically ill child, my family gets to experience the excitement that comes with publishing a book and leaving a legacy.
Q) How did your time in Townsville set you up for success?
My Townsville friends were some of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters in both getting my book published and in supporting me when it officially went on sale. I’ve made many lifelong friendships in Townsville. It’s a community like no other!
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www.melissakentauthor.com