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Children’s Book Finished. Yay!
Over the last few (six-ish) months I’ve been working really hard on a children’s book I have written and illustrated. It’s the story of a bee that gets lost in a forest and meets a bird who helps bring him home with a few exciting adventures with other animals along the way. Cutting edge story telling or what?
I’m really pleased with the illustrations and delighted I actually finished it because it’s been touch and go several times with life getting in the way on a regular basis and I did go a bit blue in the face looking at the same stuff for long periods but I feel like I’ve achieved something good. But the REALLY HARD work continues – trying to get it published because that is, of course the aim.
That’s what I’ll be doing over the next few weeks, sending off copies of the book. I’ve finished all the pages rather than send off just one finished spread with the manuscript so I hope that will pay off. Here’s a few pages from the book. I’d love to post them all here being an exhibitionist and all that but then you won’t want to buy it when it gets published ; ) It’s aimed at 2 – 4 year olds, or any kid that like colourful pictures of striped animals.
If anyone has any tips for increasing the chances of getting published, I’m all ears. And if you happen to be a publisher passing this way … you’re very welcome here and would you like to see more? : )
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Looks great, where and when does it go on sale?
That looks superb! Hurry up and get it published now, so I can buy a copy for Lucy
Hi Jennifer,
Congrats on finishing, it looks really really cute. Would definitely be happy to buy it for my 2 year old, so good luck with getting a publishing deal!
Jennifer, well done you!
It looks fab!
Have you published it through Issuu or anything like that – the only issue is that it would be free to view online but you could always link back to a sales-in-print option?
Perhaps you can print a few yourself through Blurb or similar, sell them here and forward them onto publishers, they might pick it up that way.
Best of luck with it anyway and hope it will get picked up soon!
Beautiful work Jennifer.
Also massively impressed as I know this would indeed be months of hard work.
All the best with marketing it, I hope it does really well (it deserves to)
Let me know when published – I may have nephews/nieces of that age, would be good for Christmas!
Wow! Genuinely thanks a million everyone for such a nice response. I feel very encouraged!
Great post, and great work on the book. The illustrations are beautiful, have I said great work yet?
love it, want to hold the book and leaf through it… also want to know how the story enfolds.
thinking of the dutch version of the very hungry caterpillar, ‘lemniscaat’ was first publisher that sprang to mind (don’t know whether they would do english) best of luck, jennifer!
Oooh, that’s delightful! Congratulations on your tenacity, and I hope to see the book in print soon!
Congrats, it looks wonderful, your determination to getting it done is inspiring. These illustrations are beautiful and impressive!
I hope you get it published, I’d love to get it for my boys. I’ve worked in book publishing, but on the non-fiction side of things, so I don’t know much about the Childrens Book Market, but I would think studying the 2010 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market would be a good place to start.
As a last resort you could try something like http://www.lulu.com or xlibris and self publish; though that entails its own headaches and pitfalls, but then again what doesn’t? Congrats on the book, can’t wait to see it!
It looks beautiful, congrats! I will definitely be picking up a copy for my nephew when it comes out. Well done!
Heather, Devlin and Nathalie thanks so much for the comments and the kind words : )
Beautiful artwork! I love the way you have a bee as the hero, they’re far too often feared by little’uns.
I LOVE this story and the illustrations. Let us know when you’re published so we can rush out and buy it!
Well done, Jennifer, those illustrations are brilliant. I’ve thumbed through a lot of children’s books in recent years with my kids, and I think what you’ve displayed here shows a distinctive, charming style that works beautifully for storybooks for small children.
I wish you success in getting the story published. If you’re after advice from experienced children’s book illustrators, you might be interested in checking out #kidlitchat on twitter.
Congrats! The artwork is beautiful. I’m anxious to read it all! Best of luck with finding a publisher
really looking very cute and i will buy copy of this surely…..
Hi Jennifer,
These look lovely! Did you have any luck with Paul, my contact?
There is a good book, don’t know if you have it – the childrens writers and artist yearbook which lists agents and publishers in the UK and abroad
http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/2010/08/childrens-writers-artists-yearbook-2011-now-available/ .I hope you get your book published I know how hard it is. Something else you could try is offering to do a free piece for some of the kids magazines to try and get exposure. I had my characters in a few issues of Funtastic magazine. All the best
Tara
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I love the texture ! Nice illustration style
Thanks for sharing.
Wow! These illustrations look great! I love the vibrant colour, textures and shapes – its really lovely. I wish you nothing but the best of luck getting this published!
Thanks everyone for all the lovely and encouraging comments, they are much appreciated.
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Hey, Thanks for putting up cool design and kids here are loving it so much… Appreciate, they want this lion at home… LOL
Do we have this lion for sale, my kids are loving this like anything…
Keep up
Hi Jennifer, Excellent work! Any liuck finding an agent and publisher (it can be an incredibly lonely business, looking for them). Have you considered self-publication using http://www.lulu.com ? I use them to sell my children’s books. Take a look at my online bookshop to see how it pans out. The best of luck to you, from Gerrard
Jennifer- How did you DO the Illustrations? are they hand drawn in what medium? or are the Computer generated?
Why don’t you self pub? and then take orders?
I can get you into a couple of Shops over here…I love the Pic of the bird peering over the top.. you are SO talented.. Bev
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