2025 Top Listens #19 - Angie Cui - Our Map & My Mum is a Bird

Celebrating 2025's Top Listens! Coming in at #19 is the amazing Angie Cui! Host Ky Garvey talks with Angie Cui about her 2025 picture-book year, focusing on Our Map and My Mum Is a Bird. They discuss the inspiration behind Our Map, Angie’s long drafting process, working with publishers and illustrators, and the challenges of pitching and making a story marketable. The episode also covers themes of belonging, heritage and identity, the role of illustration in picture books, balancing writing with family life, and upcoming launches and festival appearances. Angie shares candid publishing insights and practical advice for writers navigating conferences and submission decisions About the author:   Angie Cui, also known as Yanting Cui, is a Melbourne-based author passionate about children’s literature. Her work has been featured in ABC Everyday, SBS Voices, The Guardian, and Sydney Morning Herald. Born in Harbin, China, Angie moved to Australia at 18 and pursued a career in banking before transitioning to office manager for the Children’s Book Council of Australia VIC Branch. As an active member of CBCA VIC, SCBWI, Writers Victoria, and ASA, Angie is dedicated to promoting literacy and storytelling. She resides in Melbourne with her husband and two children, embracing their multicultural heritage of Australian, Bangladeshi, and Chinese roots. Angie crafts tales that celebrate diversity and cultural identity, empowering children to find themselves in the stories they read. www.angiecui.com Rhiza Press www.uqp.com.au Buy the books:  Our Map QBD Books Affiliate link: You can get your copy here - My Mum is a Bird by Angie Cui & Evie Barrow - 9780702268632 Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends.  You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc.  I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast