Radio Toni A Conversation with Kez with Kez Wickham St George

About the Guest: Lindy published her first book, Tinker Tailor's Toolbox (For Mending Broken Hearts) last year. She is passionate about kids' mental health. The book is about a boy called Tinker who so desperately wants to help his sister Emily-Belle through a traumatic life event and doesn't quite know where to start. He convinces her to let him help her set up a Happiness Toolbox which she uses to come back to a place of happiness again.

The book is presented as a children's picture book but can be read and enjoyed by all ages. Lindy presents it as a mental wellbeing resource for kids of all ages (from 5 to 105). The story comes with the Happiness Toolbox activity at the back of the book, which works best as a parent or teacher-guided activity, enjoyed together as a family or as a class.

The Happiness Toolbox is where the magic happens. Families can do this together and teachers can use it as a mental wellbeing resource in their classroom. It is an open-ended resource, but it increases feelings of gratitude, self-worth, connectedness, and resilience. Lindy illustrated the book herself using watercolor pencils (as I found illustrators a bit pricey for a self-funded passion project). Having a very particular vision for the book, Lindy chose to self-publish to maintain creative control of the project. She self-published it under her company Shine Anything Bright Press.

The happiness toolbox activity is explored in greater detail in the companion book "Tinker's Tool Book" due for release in September 2021. This follow-up title makes it super simple to set up a Happiness Toolbox and use it as a mental wellbeing resource.

The Colours of Me is quite a diversion away from children's books, which is why Lindy published it under another name, Lindy Wyse. Her story in The Colours of Me is entitled: "Letter from the Lucky One."

A favorite quote from the book is: "Promise me, Tinker," she said, "take your toolbox far and wide. Help other people mend their hearts, so they can be strong inside."

Goethe: “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace, and power in it.” It inspires me because I am such a dreamer. When I actually grasp a dream with both hands and honor it by taking action, that is when I have found that true magic happens. I have certainly found this to be true with writing. 

Welcome to the show Lindy we are delighted to have you here today!

Questions for Linda Jelliman (these questions are a guide only and we may ask other questions as the show progresses – we like the show to remain fluid)

• Kez. Hello Linda after writing your contribution for the book colors of me what was the feeling you were left with; it was certainly a story with a lot of depth to it.

• Toni. The Trauma you write about how that had affected you in later life.

• Kez. I see you are also a poet plus a children’s writer, what made you begin a poet’s journey?

• Toni. Your upbringing as a child in South Africa is a long way from Suburbia Brisbane Australia, how did the shift here affect you, the casual friendly way the Australians lived.

• Kez. Linda, you have also written a children’s book called Tinker Tailors Toolbox which you have published under your Name Linda Jelliman. Why a children’s book and when were you inspired to write this?

• Toni. What is the book about Linda is it a children’s storybook?

• Kez. Linda, you wrote you have an activity book that goes with this kiddies book how does that correlate?

• What is a happiness toolbox, Linda? How will the children benefit from this experience?

• Toni. Where do folks go to buy this book and how do they contact you Linda?

Guests Links:

The audience may purchase my book from my website: https://www.lindyjelliman.com at a one o rate of $12.99 using the discount code Toni21. I ship within Australia only. For outside Australia, Amazon is the best option.

https://www.facebook.com/lindyjelliman

https://www.instagram.com/lindyjellimanauthor/

ljelliman@googlemail.com