My name is Natalie Halls-Jones.  I live in Adelaide, South Australia with my husband and 3 gorgeous children, Daniel 15, Joshua 7 and Molly 5.

I have a Bachelor of Education in Primary/Junior Primary Teaching, majoring in Children’s Literature, so have always loved to share a good book with my children.  My passion has been to write my own children’s picture book, but I wanted it to actually mean something, not only to me, but to the audience I write it for.

Joshua Luke Jones was born with a complex heart condition, called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which basically means he doesn’t have a functioning left side to his heart – he only has half a heart.

We needed to move interstate to Melbourne for Joshua’s birth and for the first 6 months of his life, for him to undergo lifesaving open heart surgery.  Joshua endured his first heart surgery at a tiny 2 days of age, then another at 3 months.  His 3^rd surgery was at 8 months and his most recent at 5 years of age.  When I think of all our gorgeous Josh has been through and how hard he has battled to be with us, I am in absolute awe of his strength, determination and bravery.   He has been through so much and despite this, is such a happy, fun loving person, who has the ability to light up the room just by walking into it. Although Joshua’s heart can never be fixed and eventually he will require a heart transplant, we try to take each day as it comes and make the most of every moment with our precious little man.

Our journey with Joshua has been the inspiration for writing my first children’s book.