Q&A: Jess McGeachin, Creator of Deep, High and Lost

Briefly tell us about your book.

Deep is an illustrated non-fiction book that takes readers on a journey to the deepest parts of our world. From the frigid depths of the Mariana Trench to the heart of the Amazon rainforest, from far under our cities to the distant edge of our solar system, the places that might seem far apart have much more in common than you think.

What inspired the idea behind this book?

I’m lucky enough to work at a museum, and I get to chat to amazing scientists every day. Often they’re the first to admit just how much they don’t know about our universe and how excited they are to learn more. It’s this fascination with distant, unknown places that inspired me to write and illustrate Deep.

What are you hoping readers will take away from your book?

Our world is so much stranger and more wonderful than you might think. There’s sharp-fanged fish that can never close their mouths, fungi that can turn ants into zombies and a trillion microbes having a party in your gut. And that’s just the stuff we know about!

Can you tell us a bit about your writing process?

For me, all writing starts with research. I spend as much time as I can asking questions, reading books, watching movies – anything I can do to immerse myself in the world I’m about to create. I’m really lucky because I get to both write and illustrate my books. This means I can kind of ping pong between the words and pictures depending on how I’m feeling. I normally start with a small thumbnail sketch for each page, and then move on to a slightly bigger one. As the book gets bigger (literally) more and more details reveal themselves until I’m left with something that looks like a finished manuscript.

What were your favourite books as a child?

Growing up, my favourite books were always the illustrated non-fiction ones. Dog-earred DK Eyewitness books littered my bedroom floor and I’m sure I had a deep sea poster on my wall. Even the fiction picture books I loved had a dream-like realism to them, like the detailed worlds of Graeme Base’s Animalia or nostalgic watercolours of Alison Lester’s Magic Beach.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors wanting to write non-fiction?

Writing Deep was a great reminder that you don’t have to know everything, you just have to find the right people to ask. I found subject specialists to be so generous with their time and knowledge – after all, it’s what they love talking about. Universities, libraries and museums will often be able to put you in touch with the right person, so just start asking questions.

What’s next? Do you have any new spectacular stories you’re working on/hope to work on?

Yes! Deep is the first book in a trilogy. High, which is out now, takes readers to the highest places on Earth to meet tree-dwelling creatures, high flying aviators and even the animals in our stars. Lost, the final book in the series, will be released in February next year and explores things lost and found in our world like giant, prehistoric megafauna and carefully camouflaged critters. I can’t wait for you to read it!

Buy a copy of Deep here.

Buy a copy of High here.

Buy a copy of Lost here.

Meet the Author

Jess McGeachin is an author and illustrator of picture books and non fiction who is inspired by the natural world, and who loves crafting stories full of hidden details that the reader can keep finding well after the first look. His debut picture book, Fly (Penguin Random House), was shortlisted for the World Illustration awards, Queensland Literary Awards and the 2020 Children’s Book Council of Australia Crichton Award. He is also the author-illustrator of The Lost Library (Puffin) and Colin Collects Colors (Little Bee Books). He lives and works in Melbourne, Australia.