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A Day on the Brine is a charming, rhythmic journey through the ocean’s wonders, seen through the eyes of a curious captain and the creatures she encounters on her voyage. What was the inspiration for your story?
My husband and I are bluewater sailors. We departed Adelaide, South Australia, in 2012 and sailed to Western Australia’s Shark Bay.
Cyclone season was rapidly approaching and still wanting to do more preparation prior to crossing the Indian Ocean, we chose to spend almost twelve months in the region. This is where A Day on the Brine takes place.
Except for the krill which are such miniscule creatures they’re difficult to spy with the eye, we were fortunate enough to see all of the creatures found in A Day on the Brine.
There is no freezer on board Gratis. Once our fresh meat runs out, we toss out the fishing line and wait. Tuna, wahoo, and swordfish are just some of the delicious fish to be found and cooked on the BBQ.
Albatrosses are curious creatures and, except for when a serious storm approaches, are always in sight, whilst squid find their way on deck when waves slap upon the hull and toss them about.
We happened to be sailing at the time of the humpback whale migration and experienced the wonder of having these behemoths breaching and playing all around us.
From these experiences came the idea for A Day on the Brine.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process of creating this story.
I love doing jigsaw puzzles and creating A Day on the Brine was no different to doing one. Placing the characters in the correct order was crucial, as was ensuring the rhyme worked. Moving from dawn to dusk, everything had to flow in a circular movement. Easier said than done, the rhyming was my greatest challenge, and there is nothing I love more than playing with words.
Many miss that there is a secondary theme – a food chain – running through the illustrations. Thinking back, this is the section I most enjoyed writing. A great deal of imagery was in the illustrations rather than the text, so there was a need to get the illustrations notes ‘perfect’ – if there is such a thing – in order for Emma to interpret them in the way that she has.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with the illustrator Emma Stuart?
Working with Emma was a dream. She loved that my illustration notes were detailed and provided her with a vision she could work with.
Within a short time, she had created the initial sketches and very little adjusting was required. I also loved the way she shared parts of her creative process. Watching the imaging as it came to life beneath her fingertips was the most exciting part of the whole process.
Emma is a talented wonder, I feel so honoured that she came on board this journey with me.
What is the next adventure in store for the Big Blue Boat, and when can your readers expect it to be out?
Several A Big Blue Boat manuscripts are ready and waiting for illustration. The question is, which one do I choose first? Will it be the one about the storm, or the fog, or maybe the story about an endangered bird?
At this stage, there isn’t timeline set for their release. I’m in the process of trying to work this out now.
I currently have two books set to launch in 2026. The first is a project I commenced with a special group of children in 2024 and is a prequel to the A Big Blue Boat series. We are aiming to launch this book towards the end of next March. If interested, you can follow this story at https://suseaspray.com/a-big-blue-boat-prequel/.
The second book has nothing to do with sailing or boats. It’s a rhyming story, has animals, and is lots of fun as twists and turns take place.
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When the captain of a big blue boat throws out her fishing line, what will she find?
The captain of a big blue boat is hungry.
She throws out her fishing line and waits …
As the hours pass, Captain discovers a world where albatross soar and whales play.
There is an ebb and flow to life out on the brine and Emma Stuart’s stunning illustrations bring to life this magical rhyming tale.
Set on the west coast of Australia, if you have a fascination with boats, sea life and the ocean, you are going to love this award-winning sequel to ‘A Big Blue Boat’.
A Day on the Brine
A Day on the Brine is a charming, rhythmic journey through the ocean’s wonders, seen through the eyes of a curious captain and the creatures she encounters on her voyage. With lyrical, repetitive verse and vibrant illustrations, the book flows from one sea creature to the next, capturing the natural rhythms of marine life from sunrise to moonrise. Set off the west coast of Australia, this tale speaks to the interconnectedness of life on the ocean and the quiet magic of the sea.
Right from the start, I was pulled in by the rhythm. The repeated structure—“And what do you think she sees?” makes it feel like a lullaby, or a chant you’d say to a child while swaying on a boat. It’s simple, but it works. I especially loved the line about the “squid pinkpink and shy” who “peeks at the sky.” That moment stuck with me, there’s something so soft and endearing about it. It’s playful but also poetic. The use of double adjectives, “whitewhite,” “pinkpink,” “greengreen,” initially felt unusual, but they started to feel like waves lapping: steady, repeated, calming.
The writing isn’t trying to be clever. It’s honest and kind. There’s a real respect for the sea here, and that shines through the gentle language and Emma Stuart’s dreamy illustrations. I found myself lingering on the page with the “whale large and greygrey” coming up for a play. That spread, both in words and visuals, felt alive. There’s no heavy lesson being pushed, but you still get this sense of awe for marine life and the beauty of slowing down to look at the world.
One thing I appreciated deeply is the circular nature of the story. It begins and ends with the big blue boat, creating a feeling of coming home, of completing a cycle. The moon watching the boat and captain at the end made me smile. It’s subtle, but it tugs at something warm in you. It reminded me of how, as a kid, I’d imagine the moon following me on car rides home. Also, the glossary and activities at the end are a nice bonus, educational without being dry, and great for curious young readers.
This book is a delight. If you’ve got little ones who love the ocean, or if you just want something calming and beautiful to read together at bedtime, A Day on the Brine is for you. It’s got heart, rhythm, and a soft sense of wonder. I’d recommend it to families, early educators, or anyone who finds peace in the sea.
Pages: 30 | ASIN : B0DXG9T3HK
LITERARY TITAN 