Janette Brazel

Janette Brazel lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and an assortment of children and animals. She grew up in Canberra, but moved to Sydney when she realised she didn't want to be a politician.

Janette has had many interesting jobs, including working in all major fast food outlets and looking down people's ears. Janette now spends her time between her four passions - writing, hockey, audiology and motherhood, all of which give her inspiration for her stories. She hopes one day to be organised, but strange stories keep popping into her head so organisation will have to wait.

Janette writes mainly for children and has completed three children's mystery novels. 'A Slimy Secret' and 'Pea Brain', were released in 2002.

The Elephant Waits is her first Picture Book.

About the Illustrator

Gail was a late starter in deciding her career path. She's sure crazy paving and a thick fog disguised it! Despite always being top student for art at school, the thought of art as a career eluded her.

Besides drawing, some of her childhood hobbies included crafts, sewing and playing the piano. She wrote silly poetry and never perfected the art of writing short letters to friends. Verbal ooze seeped from her pen or typewriter. When she left school she qualified to teach horse riding and equine management. It was fun for a while, but not the career path she was searching for.

Gail married and with her husband and two children, moved around Western Australia following work for their earthmoving business. In the dusty outback on their sheep station, Gail was inspired by the colours of the Australian bush in all its diversity. Her experiences became a resource for illustration ideas and the children's stories she later wrote.

Gail went back to school to study children's writing. Finally the thick fog cleared and her career path was revealed. No crazy paving. Not even a path, but a two-lane highway with no speed limit! Now she combines her two loves: illustrating and writing children's stories.