"I was thrilled with the news, especially because of the topic of the book.
"I used to sell my first couple of books in that lovely shop Apple Activities, which closed a few years ago, a worker who had been there for years asked me if I could write a book for children who had lost something, maybe a pet, or a friend who's gone overseas or maybe a death.
"I talked to Katherine White about it and she came up with a couple of pictures and the story developed from there."
Local author Gareth Ward made the finals in both the Young Adult Fiction and Best First Book categories for his story The Traitor and the Thief.
A book review described the story as "a steampunk adventure" with "shades of Oliver Twist, James Bond and Harry Potter in there".
"My heart and a small bit of my soul went into writing The Traitor and the Thief and so I'm absolutely delighted to be a finalist in two categories. The novel has been so well received by children and adults alike and it's an honour to be recognised among these other great authors," Ward said.
Te Tamaiti me te Aihe (The Boy and the Dolphin) by Robyn Kahukiwa, translated by Hawke's Bay author Kiwa Hammond is one of three finalists in the Te Pounamu Award for books written completely in Te Reo Māori. The book is about a boy who helps free a dolphin tangled in a discarded fishing net and they develop an unexpected friendship.
"Robyn and I have known each other for over 30 years when we were both learning te reo Māori at Kuratini (Wellington Polytechnic). She was already an established artist and I was just 15 years old.
"It has been a privilege to translate some of Robyn's work over the years including the LIANZA Book Award winning Matatuhi in 2006," Hammond said.
Mary-anne Scott also made it into the Young Adult Fiction category for her work Sticking with Pigs. Described as a hunting story, she said it was a favourite of hers.
"I wrote this book a while ago but I've been shaping and pruning it for years. One of my sons prompted the story by asking me, 'Can you write one of those books where you just keep wondering, will the boy make it home?'
"It's a thrill to be part of the book awards again; it's always a great occasion to be there with fellow authors celebrating books," she said.
The winners of the 2018 New Zealand Book Awards will be announced at a ceremony in the Te Marae at Te Papa in Wellington on the evening of Wednesday, August 8.