Lockdown Hugs

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I don’t know about you but one of the things I’m missing most in lockdown is hugs. I’m isolating on my own and can tell you that my last hug was on Monday 16 March. I’ve been thinking a lot about that feeling of relief that sinking into a hug gives you. I mean a really comfortable, warm, kind hug that makes you feel loved and safe.

I started drawing hugs as a way to comfort myself. Drawing always takes me into a kind of reverie anyway but sitting with a coffee and good music, drawing these is becoming one of my favourite things about these strange times. I hope they bring you some comfort too.

Thank You NHS Printable A4 Poster

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A couple of weeks ago the UK took part in our first ‘Clap for Carers’ for the NHS and keyworkers. It was a beautiful, moving moment where we all opened our windows and stood outside our front doors, clapping, cheering and banging pots and pans to let our carers know just how much they are appreciated.

As always, in times of trouble, I turn to creativity. Inspired by the outpouring of love for our carers I created a downloadable, printable A4 poster which I wanted to share with you. Please feel free to print and share if you would like.

If you are happy to, I’d also love to encourage you to donate to the following causes or a local charity that means something to you.

NHS Charities Together - who are coordinating a national response to help over 250 NHS charities.

The Ambulance Staff Charity - who support the wellbeing of ambulance staff. Having had first hand experience of how phenomenal paramedics are in times of crisis, I would love them to be supported too.

For The Love Of Scrubs - who are a collective of independent crafters across the UK making hospital scrubs to help with the Covid-19 crisis.

Stay home. Stay safe. Lots of love.

World Book Day 2020

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I’ve been thinking a bit about perfection in illustration and wanted to draw something with a little less attention to detail to loosen up my style a little bit. World Book Day provided me with the perfect opportunity to scribble. I drew the book first with the idea of a little one so engrossed they were hidden by the pages. As I started to draw the little girl it felt right for her to be wearing a costume, as so many children do. I then liked the idea of her being the wolf in the story rather than little red riding hood, just to mix it up a bit. I like the different Kyle T Webster gouache brushes but they sometimes look a little blurry when printed. I’m going to try to divert into the more gritty, dry ones or even more inks to try for a more crisp finish when drawing quickly.

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Creativity As Therapy

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If you follow me on social media, you will know that our family has had a very difficult couple of years. As we try to navigate the grief and shock, we all look for something in the storm to help us to steady ourselves.

I find myself being so thankful for the solace of creativity. I find myself painting and writing poems. It’s not what I imagined I would be doing, I have never written poems or painted so much in my life but doing both feels somehow like a safe place to hide. It helps my mind to still itself, albeit briefly.

There is reason we tell stories. There is a reason we get lost in the flow. If you are coping with something overwhelming in your life, it may sound small but try to pick up a pen or paintbrush. Write a little something. Sweep a brush across the page. I hope it helps.

Illustration Advent 2019

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I’ve managed to get off to a bit of a late start with #illo_advent on Twitter this year but hope to contribute a few pictures to the loveliness of this hashtag. I tried out a different Kyle T Webster Photoshop brush for the trees and snow, it’s called Gouache Bonus Gritty Dry (snappy name!). I’m working on freeing up my drawing to be more scribbly and loose. For me, the key to this is not to overthink. I’m quite pleased with how the trees turned out!

5 Christmas Treats For Mini Bake Off Fans

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It’s been a few weeks since this year’s series of the Great British Bake Off left our screens but as the winter nights draw in, surely baking and reading are two of the cosiest ways to spend our time. At this time of year, I particularly like baking Christmas ginger biscuits and icing them as if they are baubles. A lovely thing to do with the little ones.

I also love buying books as Christmas presents and have put together a list of baking themed books that will make a cosy addition under any Christmas tree this year.

1. Little Mouse and The Big Cupcake by Thomas Taylor, illustrated by Jill Barton
This is such a cute little board book. Little Mouse finds a HUGE cupcake that is too big for him to carry home. He asks his friends for help and is happy for them all to try a nibble. Once they have each enjoyed a little bit of cake, it is small enough for him to carry. Such a sweet message about how sharing means everyone wins.
Click here to buy.

2. I Really Want The Cake by Simon Philip, illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti
I Really Love This Book! The rhyming text tells the story of a little girl who just can’t resist the cake that is sitting on the table. She tries to be strong. She tries to distract herself. But she just can’t help herself. (We all know that feeling!) The illustrations are so full of fun, movement and energy. You can really feel her frustration. You’ll have to read it to find out what happens next!
Click here to buy.

3. An Amazing Alphabet of Cake, written and illustrated by Kirstie Rowson
A little cheeky to include my own book but this is a super sweet way for little ones to learn their ABC. Full of fantastically fruity fairy cakes and incredibly impressive ice cream cakes, curl up to discover twenty six tasty tongue-twisters, then dream up dozens of your own delicious delights together! This is a fun, indulgent and colourful ABC picture book with 44 different characters including lions, tigers, cats, wizards, a mini dachshund, boys, girls, a flamingo, badgers, a bear, a fox and even Father Christmas there's a whole world of cuteness and cake to explore and enjoy.
Click here to buy.

4. Nadiya’s Bake Me A Story by Nadiya Hussain, illustrated by Clair Rossiter
A lovely treat of a book which combines the comfort of reading a story with the cosiness of getting in the kitchen to make one of the recipes together. Nadiya has such a homely style and the illustrations are really vibrant and entertaining. Any little baker would be pleased to receive this.
Click here to buy.

5. Cakes In Space by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre
Being of a certain age, obviously the first thing the title of this book makes me think of is the Muppets’ Pigs In Spaaaaaace and I can’t help saying the title in that voice. But! For slightly older readers, who are progressing on to chapter books this is so much fun. Astra finds herself alone on a spaceship infested with crazy cakes. Such a delightfully bonkers premise from a brilliant writing / illustrating partnership.
Click here to buy.

Be The One Who Brings The Light

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While work is busy, I like to give my mind a little break from working on any particular project and I find myself channelling my creativity into painting and lettering. I keep my paints, paper and water out on the coffee table to encourage myself to mess around and see what appears. It’s a good palette cleanser and feels like a treat. Here are a few things I’ve made over the last couple of months.

Picture Book Progress

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I’ve been taking a break from working on And So We Begin projects and in particular my third picture book while I’ve been helping to look after my family. I’ve been quite open on Twitter that my nephew received a stem cell transplant last year after he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia. Thankfully and brilliantly, he is recovering really well. Before this happened I had no knowledge of stem cell donation and now, I can’t talk about it enough and am encouraging everyone I meet to sign up as a donor with DKMS or Anthony Nolan.

I now find that I have a little time again to juggle creating with my day job as an event manager. So this week I revisited the illustrations that I had started drafting for my third picture book. I had been toying with two ideas and thought I was going in one direction. But when I came back to review the project I realised that actually I am more drawn to my second idea. And that idea features this little guy. He doesn’t have a name yet but he does have a story. So hopefully you’ll be seeing a lot more of him!

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🌟NEW TITLE!🌟 How I Independently Publish Picture Books Now Available

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I’m really excited to say that I launched my new book How I Independently Publish Picture Books this week! The book is available as a downloadable PDF on Etsy and as an ebook on the Kindle Store and tells you all about my own path to indie publishing my stories.

I’m entirely self taught and it has taken me several years to learn about the different steps and processes that are required to publish. I hope that sharing what I’ve learnt will help you to have a go at publishing your own picture books too.

I see the book as an ongoing project so please do get in touch and let me know what you think and if there’s anything else you would like to see included.

Meanwhile, I plan to share some excerpts here and am also currently working on my third picture book so will share some more insight into that too. But first I’m going to treat myself to a cup of tea and a mince pie to celebrate : )

🌟Free Download!🌟 Angel's Great Escape Make Your Own Decorations PDF

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I have a little Christmas treat for you! While you’re enjoying reading Angel’s Great Escape in the lead up to Christmas, you can now enjoy making your own decorations too.

Simply click on the picture and download the PDF. Print the pages out and colour the decorations in with your favourite Christmassy colours. I like to add a bit of sparkle to mine by sprinkling some glitter around!

Thread each character on a pretty ribbon and pop them on your Christmas tree to enjoy throughout the festive season!

Illustrations by Kristyna Litten : )

Folk Tale Week Update

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I’m chuffed to say I managed to keep up with the Folk Tale Week and produced seven illustrations for the prompts - forest, magic, witch, ghost, insect, mirror and animal. After a busy time working on my day job, it’s really helped me to get back in touch with my creativity and love of drawing. Seeing all the pictures on the hashtag has been so inspiring. Time to get back to picture book three!

Angel's Great Escape's 2nd Birthday!

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Two years ago today I released my first picture book into the wild! Angel’s Great Escape: A Christmas Story was an absolute labour of love for me & I did everything I could to get it published. It was an animation script & an app before the story became a picture book. I taught myself how to independently publish, worked with fabulous illustrator Kristyna Litten, learned from my brilliant book designer Sarah & muddled my way through the processes of CreateSpace & now KDP. It’s been a brilliant journey & I love knowing that each Christmas children will pick up my book & it will make them feel cosy & Christmassy just as The Story of Father Christmas by Ann & Dennis Mallet made me feel when I was little. Thank you for buying, sharing & reviewing, it really means the world to me.

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Folk Tale Week

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I’ve been wrapped up in a freelance event contract for the past two months which has made it difficult to find time to draw. When I finish a contract it takes me a couple of days to get back to my projects even though I find myself wanting to rush at it. To slow myself down, I absorb myself in drawing. Last week I spotted an illustration challenge that is perfect to transition from data (the events role I have been doing) back to creator. I’m not sure who runs it but the hashtag on Instagram is #folktaleweek. The ethereal prompts are just what I need to get back to creating.

Here’s my first illustration for the prompt, forest.

Cover Reveal! How I Independently Publish Picture Books

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While I put the finishing touches to the wording of my new ebook, I wanted to share a glimpse at the cover with you. I use a similar image to this for all of my social media for And So We Begin and it felt right to use it to illustrate an insight into my journey so far. I hope you like it! The book will initially be available as a downloadable PDF in my Etsy shop but I’m working towards popping it on Kindle too.

I have a couple of readers giving me feedback and I’m adding a little more text and some more images. I’m still planning to release the book later in October so if you’re intrigued and you’d like to be the first to hear updates, please sign up for my newsletter on the home page of my site. 

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How I Independently Publish My Picture Books - Coming Soon!

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I’m excited to say that I’ve finally (finally!) finished the first draft of my ebook about my experience of publishing my first two picture books.  I love reading about how other creatives work so hope you will find my story interesting. While I’ve been working on my book projects for the past six years I’ve felt quite clueless at times (!!) and I’ve really had to work at understanding the process of independently publishing. I was always someone who had lots of ideas but was frustrated that ‘getting published’ was seemingly the only way to share my creations. Then technology started to open things up and the advent of being able to set up my own company and submit my own work to be available for print on demand has been incredibly liberating. This ebook talks you through my journey and I hope it will inspire you to maybe think about publishing your own stories.

My next step will be to edit and I’m then going to take some photographs to include. I’m planning to make the book available in my Etsy shop within the next month or so. If you’re interested in hearing more, please sign up to my newsletter by submitting your details on my home page and I’ll drop you a line when it’s available. I can’t wait to share it with you!

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Letters From A Hopeful Creative

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I've been devouring all of the episodes of this excellent podcast from Sara Tasker and Jen Carrington, Letters From A Hopeful Creative. This episode particularly struck me. Knowing our worth and not underselling ourselves as illustrators is important not only to us as individuals but to the industry as a whole. Creativity takes time and energy, just the same as any other job. It's taken me so long to realise that it's not frivolous or a luxury to create, it has its place like everything else and should be financially rewarded in the same way.

"Let's talk about pricing and knowing your worth" from Letters From A Hopeful Creative by Sara Tasker & Jen Carrington on Apple Podcasts

In this week's episode Sara and Jen respond to a letter writer whose business is doing well but they're still struggling to make it work financially because they're not charging enough. They dive into how to price your products and services in a w

Switching from Createspace to KDP

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This week I've been moving on to the next stage on my journey of independently publishing picture books and have switched my printing process from Createspace to Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP. Joanna Penn has been talking on her podcast recently about how Createspace is due to close down and recommended moving over to KDP. As my ebooks are already published on Kindle this made sense to me and means that my books are in the same place (with the exception of iBooks).

I looked for advice online to show me how to complete the process and found this very helpful video which describes the steps clearly. It was super easy and took minutes.

Once I'd received the approvals from KDP, I ordered a copy of each book to have a look at the print quality. I chose the gloss cover and matte pages and I'm really pleased to find that the finish is exactly the same as Createspace. I also love the fact my books are still print on demand which ensures I am not being wasteful and saves me from having an apartment full of boxes!

Switching will also hopefully allow me to be seen more easily on Amazon by using their marketing services. I’m excited to see what effect this will have on my sales and will write more about this in a future post once I've experimented a bit!

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A Super Helpful Podcast from The Creative Penn: How To Self-Publish And Market A Children’s Book

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As an independent children's publisher, I've had to navigate a lot of the journey myself. I've spent many hours trying to fathom out design and print processes and working out how to get my books listed and seen alongside traditional titles. I'm very passionate about my creative projects so have been interested to understand every step of the process and I feel a great sense of achievement (and relief!) when I work it out bit by bit. It  can, however, be a bit of a lonely world. So it was fantastic to see that The Creative Penn recently released a podcast on the subject, an interview with Karen Inglis who has been publishing her own children's titles for the past seven years.

I was particularly interested to hear how Karen has been using Amazon Marketing Services to boost her sales and to help her titles to be seen alongside traditional publishers. When I started this path, I remember asking a speaker at a self-publishing conference how I could distribute my own books and at the time, it just wasn't possible. It's amazing to see how far things have come in less than 10 years.

How To Self-Publish And Market A Children's Book

Self-publishing books for children can be challenging because of higher printing costs and difficulties in marketing to your target market. In today's show, Karen Inglis explains how she sells thousands of copies of her books for children and tips for how you can do it too.

#3000chairs

It took me a long time to realise the power of creativity to heal and help others. I drew this empty chair as a contribution to the #3000chairs project which is designed to highlight the plight of refugee children when they are refused help. The project is being run by Nicola Davies and Emma O’Donovan (also known on social media as The Book Sniffer). Lots of lovely illustrators, both professional & amateur, are contributing pictures that will be sold off for charity at a fundraising evening in September - see the link below for more information. I am so proud to be a part of it 💕

http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Events/Detail.aspx?eventId=3744

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