Community
26 June, 2024
From rainforest to world stage
JULATTEN author and founder of publishing company Bowerbird Publishing continues making waves in the literature world after taking two international awards at the Telly Awards and the Women Changing the World Awards.
Having won a large array of awards in Australia for her books and work through Bowerbird Publishing, Ms Leonardi is now breaking into the international industry taking bronze among entries from around the world at the Telly Awards in the book trailer category for four book trailers published through Bowerbird Publishing and Woman in Literature at the Woman Changing the World Awards in late May.
The Telly Awards based in New York highlights work in the advertising and marketing space while the Women Changing the World Awards held in London recognise the work of women around the world.
Ms Leonardi said this was the ultimate nod to her hard work.
“I was so shocked, not winning one award but two, that were one week from each other and I’m very excited to see where this takes my business and having a new platform to promote my authors and my own books as well,” she said.
“On May 4 I also released another book – ‘My Mate Jed’– with Nicola Baker from MoyaMoya Australia and raised money for the Stroke Foundation and the Moyamoya Foundation, and we’ve been reading the book to children at schools.
“I’m still pinching myself, I can’t believe that my little home office business in the rainforest of Julatten is being noticed on the world stage. I’m producing these books from the farm and they’re being celebrated around the world.
“I’m especially proud of the Telly Awards because the advertising industry is so difficult to break into but also people are looking for new and exciting ideas all the time so it’s really humbling to think that my book trailers were noticed among 1500 entries – which is amazing.
“Women in Literature has got me to think that I’m making an impact on a world stage, and again is very humbling but also very unexpected because I started writing books and publishing other people’s books to help the writer go through that cathartic moment and I’ve grown and healed from those experiences.”
Ms Leonardi shows no signs of stopping with eight more new titles of authors under Bowerbird Publishing dropping during the second half of the year and she’s hoping to start planning the first ever Bowerbird Publishing tour around Australia for 2025.
*Rectification: Bowerbird Publishing is not FNQ's only publishing company, Jabiru Publishing based in Cairns and Seashell Publishers in Trinity Beach are also publishing companies in the Far North. We apologise to Jabiru Publishing and Seashell Publishers for the inconvenience caused.
