Author & IllustratorOur chat with the lovely Lisa Stickley. What do you love most about kids books? I can’t get enough of them. Picture books are all kinds of wonderful. Starting with the basics, they offer all sorts of learning for little ones, and kids pick up on so much. From visual details that only small eyes can spot, telling the story through illustration and obviously great words to go with the pictures, essential in developing their communication skills, speech and vocabulary. Kids can understand so much before they are able to read or write, and books are absolutely key for this. I was always amazed when my girls started to finish the sentences in books from quite an early age, often correcting me if I wasn’t quite concentrating properly and read it slightly wrong! To fully reciting whole books before the phonics and abc’s kicked in at school. I love it when kids get really engrossed in a book. When it’s a goodie they want it to be read over and over again, so it’s great when it’s one that appeals to the grown ups too! A story with a twist at the end, repetitive bits, interactive elements (often creating much leaping about), anticipation and surprise is always going to engage them. At the moment we are reading Sam & Dave Dig A Hole (Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen), There’s A Shark In The Park (Nick Sharratt), and lucky for me The Wobbly Waitress (one of my latest books published by Tate Publishing). We’ve been lost in our own imaginations with the former, shouted the house down with the middle one and nailed our left and right with the latter from all of the wobbling the waitress does! To me there’s nothing better than curling up in a big armchair with the girls and a pile of books! Dreamy. Did you have a favourite childhood book? Lester And The Weeds, Angela Royston & Jill Coleman. I sadly don’t have the book anymore but can still remember the opening line (40 years later!) ‘Lester Squeak is a little great mouse...’ (I think! Don’t quote me!) and would LOVE to find a copy again to read to my girls so I’m on the lookout! What do you love most about drawing? I use a lot of different processes to draw and it’s great for bringing different characters to life by way of oil pastels, mono printed line combined with collaged pattern (often from my own stash of designs), pen and ink, paper cutting and paint. I quite like a blank sheet of paper and often doodle on older more worn out bits of paper I’ve collected over the years. It adds another element to the illustration I think. The first drawings of the day are always awful, and I’ll often make a number of drawings of any one thing until the right one comes along. At the moment I love drawing animals and have a particular penchant for drawing soft toys (old and new), building up layer upon layer of texture to give the right look and feel to the character. I love making them look a little bit wonky and odd, giving them their own unique personality. I’d always avoided drawing people in my work for years and years and only really started when I began illustrating for my books. It scared me to death! But with a little inspiration from favourite illustrators such as Mary Blair, Aliki and Saul Steinberg I plucked up the courage to have a go, and now find it fascinating that a tweak of a nostril here or a shift of an eyebrow there can completely transform the facial expression of a person. It’s hilarious! Drawing is so therapeutic. It’s a good day when it’s a drawing day. Does it take long to complete a book? Gosh, tricky question. Sometimes they can be fairly quick - just a few months from concept to finished if the mojo is with you (not including edits and tweaks of artwork). But mostly, ages! The Wobbly Waitress for example, was written in the autumn 2015, and went through a lot of revisits, tweaks and changes to the text before even pitching it to publishers or starting to build the initial visual concept. This was my first rhyming book and I LOVED writing it. It’s such a jigsaw puzzle to put together and really gets the cogs in the brain working. Once it was commissioned the text was tweaked again and again before being signed off (for this one I worked with the wonderful editor Holly Tonks/ Tate Publishing). I started on the artwork along side this stage focussing in character creation first (all painted for this book) and then roughs were made. Then onto the final artwork which working non stop on it (apart from dinner and the odd snooze) took around 3/4 weeks to complete. All in all the book was delivered ready for final tweaks and proofs in the winter 2017. It was published in September 2018. Sometimes I illustrate first and build a story around that, or sometimes the text comes first. I try not to be too prescriptive and just let the ideas happen when they want to happen (which writing wise is often when I’m walking along, or on the bus. I get a very sore head from lampposts if I’m really in the zone, as writing in ‘notes’ on my phone is my go to when out and about!). At the moment I have a number of different ideas whizzing around in my head and in various stages of writing (on blackboards, notebooks and iPhone notes). I never quite know which one is suddenly going to leap ahead to the ‘final’ written stage and be good enough to show to my agent for her advice! What was your favourite thing to do as a kid? Making things, be it cooking, colouring, sewing, painting, drawing... I’d always be creating something or another. Oh, and gymnastics! Are you friends with other authors? Yes, I’m very lucky to know some fab author folk including Fiona Lumbers, Lizzy Stewart, Jane Foster, Zehra Hicks and Becky Baur... it’s a very special world to be in. Have you ever read a book before, that you didn't like? Yes, a few! Rather not mention any names, that would be mean! What inspires you to draw? I have story ideas ticking away in my head most of the time which always inspires me to draw. Any chance I get to put pen to paper is most welcome. Even if it’s just 10 minutes! what do you love the most to draw? Hmmmmmm, I think dogs and funny looking horses. Although I did some deep sea divers last night and that was quite fun too! Pretty much anything really. Sometimes it takes AGES to make it look as I want it to look but that’s part of the creative journey. You never know when a happy accident might come along and give you a new angle to explore. Any new up coming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? Yes yes, Bake Like Mummy (Boxer Books) has just been published, all about Poppy and her antics in the kitchen as she ‘helps’ make cakes and things with her mum! And my next book with Tate Publishing (another rhyming book) comes out in September 2019. It’s called Bernard Makes A Splash and it’s all about high diving dogs (of course!) and overcoming shyness. www.lisastickleystudio.com twitter @lisastickley_ instagram @lisastickley_studio pinterest @lisastickley_studio Giveaway.
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Author & Illustrator Our chat with Matt. What do you love most about kids books? I love the imagination and sense of fun that exists in kids books. I also love what they represent for children: enlightenment, excitement, education, entertainment, escapism, empowerment, empathy. So many exceptional things! Did you have a favourite childhood book? I had so many favourite books as a child! I devoured anything by Roald Dahl, but was especially fond of Revolting Rhymes, which I memorised from cover to cover. Fungus the Bogeyman by Raymond Briggs was also on constant loan from the library. And I used to read the whole Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis over and over again. Does it take long to complete a book? Every book is completely different. Sometimes an idea bubbles away, slowly taking shape over decades, while other times words pour out unexpectedly fast. Depending on the style of illustration, it can take weeks or months and months to create the images. How many books have you done? I'm currently working on my 13th book as both author and illustrator. As just the illustrator? I've lost count! It's lots!! Do you love animals? I am completely fascinated with animals and could watch nature documentaries all day long! Do you own a pet? Unfortunately, due to a combination of allergies, small house and no backyard, pets haven't really been an option... aside from goldfish! What are your favourite things to draw? My favourite things to draw are birds and animals. I love working in coloured pencil and the short strokes of the sharpened tip of a pencil are perfect for capturing the texture of feathers and fur. Are you friends with other authors? The Australian children's book scene is filled with a lot of lovely, like-minded, creative people who are passionate about books and reading, and I'm lucky enough to call many of them friends (Although I still get very star struck and turn into a blathering fanboy around other authors and illustrators quite a lot!). Have you ever read a book before, that you didn't like? I will happily read anything but sometimes I've tried to read some of those worthy, classic 'literary' books, more out of obligation than interest, and haven't really enjoyed the experience. A reminder to read what you love! What inspires you to write? I'm inspired to write purely from a love of books. I relish the idea that I'm not just entertaining, but encouraging children to read and hopefully developing that same passion for literature in them that I have. Any new up coming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? I have a sweet new picture book out in April called Thanks, Mum! It's cute and hopefully funny and relatable, a celebration of just some of the endless things Mums do (just in time for Mother's Day!). The next Macca the Alpaca book, Macca's Makeover, is also done and ready for release sometime in the second half of 2019. There's lots more exciting stuff on the way (More Macca plus a bunch of different things) that I can't talk about just yet! Thanks Matt for taking the time to chat to us and answer some questions it has been great. So looking forward to the release of more Macca! You can find more about Matt Cosgrove www.mattcosgrovebooks.com Instagram @matt.cosgrove Facebook @MattCosgroveBooks You find Matt Cosgrove books at www.booktopia.com.au www.bookdepository.com www.amazon.co.uk www.amazon.com.au www.dymocks.com.au www.angusrobertson.com.au www.fishpond.com.au www.collinsbooks.com.au www.wordery.com www.thenile.com.au Illustrator Our little chat with Ekaterina TrukhanWhat do you love most about kids books? Playfulness and imperfection. Did you have a favourite childhood book? Many, actually. But I think the most favourite ones were books about Karlsson-on-the-roof and Moomins. Does it take long to complete a book? The process of illustrating a book usually takes about 3-6 months. But when I work on my own story, it can take years to develop it into a book! For example, I had been working on my book Apples for Little Fox for about 3 years. Are you friends with other authors? I keep in touch with some authors and illustrators through social media. But I don’t often get the chance to meet them in person, because we all live in different counties. What inspires you to write and draw? I mostly work as an illustrator, but sometimes I come up with my own stories which I want to illustrate. I’m a visual thinker and an idea for a book can come from everything I see. My main sources of inspiration are seasons, everyday life, people around me, travels and my dog! Do you have a favourite object/thing that you like to draw? Oh, there are many things! Cats, dogs, interior objects... If you could be a kid again for a day, what would you do? Haha, I don’t want to be a kid again! Any new up coming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? My second book about Little Fox called Little Fox and the Missing Moon is out this March! I'm so excited about it! There are also several new books in the pipeline, so stay tuned! Thanks Ekaterina for taking the time to chat to us and answer some questions, it has been great getting to know you a bit better. www.ekaterinatrukhan.com Instagram @ekaterinatrukhan you find Ekaterina Trukhan books at www.booktopia.com.au www.bookdepository.com www.amazon.co.uk www.panmacmillan.com www.amazon.com.au www.dymocks.com.au www.angusrobertson.com.au www.fishpond.com.au www.collinsbooks.com.au Giveaway
Illustrator Read out little chat with Sam below, thanks for your time! What do you enjoy about books? Firstly I love the pictures, the art work has to captivate me in some way. I like to be surprised and to really see the visual eye of the artist shining through. A good book also has to feel precious in some way. That you’ve bought a piece of someones creation and their mind! I love all my books and feel like they are my treasure in life! Do you have a favourite book? As a child I loved Richard Scary books. I loved looking for all the animals and learning about the jobs they had. Does it take long to complete a book? The Extraordinary Gardener took a year from start to finish. Although I was working on a few other projects at the same time. Generally once a books commissioned it takes 6-8 months to complete. How many books have you done? I've created 4 picture books to date with 3 more in the pipe line for this year. What inspires you to write/draw? Being outside in nature inspires me. Seeing new places and meeting new people. I'm always thinking about where the next idea can come from and piecing together elements that inspire me. I keep a wall of photos, scribbled notes and pieces of college paper for colours and textures that I hope will come together and form the start of a new project. Ideas can literally just pop in your mind one day, but having a constant reminder of things you find interesting helps! Do you have a favourite thing to draw? No not really. I love buildings and boats, but I love gardens and wildlife. So a real mixture! What do you do for fun? I love to walk with my dog with my husband. Especially in mountains. We can go on 7-8 hr treks and it's so exciting and gives you a feeling of freedom. I also like rock climbing. It’s very spiritual as you have to be in that exact moment. Your mind cannot drift at all so you stay totally present, connected to the rock and earth your climbing on. And it takes you to some incredible places that nothing else would. How often do you paint? Nearly everyday unless i'm on holiday! In the last 4 months i've been working towards an exhibition of paintings and prints so i've been working really hard in my studio. I’m looking to develop my fine art practice as it compliments picture book illustration by giving me an opportunity to create artwork outside of the constraints of 32 pages! I'd like to split my time between the two. This year i've enrolled on lots of pairing courses to inspire me! Whats your favourite colour? I love green, an olive shade. My house has this great colour in the kitchen. It's a rich olive. NICE! Do you prefer lollies or chocolate? Chocolate… I think! Whats your favourite Holiday? I can’t decide between the Scottish Isle of Skye where we were rock climbing last summer, it was spectacular. The Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye is like out of Lord of the Rings. It's black and spiky and dramatic! Or Morocco, I've been twice and love the atmosphere and heat and colours. (But i'm desperate to go to California!!!) Any new up coming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? Two more books are due in the Hello Mr & Mrs range with Templar Publishing. They are lift the flap books. I have a book coming out in April with OUP called ‘Matisse' which was a collaboration with Tim Hopgood. That was such fun to make. Tim's got such amazing ideas. And right now I'm starting working on a book with the US Simon & Schuster which is a narrative non-fiction. Not sure of the release dates for this. You can find more about Sam Boughton www.samboughton.co.uk Instagram @samboughton You find books at www.booktopia.com.au www.bookdepository.com www.amazon.co.uk www.amazon.com.au www.dymocks.com.au www.angusrobertson.com.au www.fishpond.com.au www.betterworldbooks.com www.wordery.com www.thenile.com.au www.templarco.co.uk Sam has kindly offered to giveaway 2 of her books to two lucky readers/followers. (winners receive only one book each) Giveaway is open to everyone Worldwide. One copy of Hello Mr Dinosaur! And one of The Extraordinary Gardener. GiveawayPlease fill out details below to enter. Illustrator Our little chat with Lorian Tu. What do you love most about drawing? I love that it makes me feel like a kid again. I get to play, experiment and think up fun characters, places, and situations. It’s very therapeutic. What's your favourite thing to draw? I love drawing children the most, especially children at play, and especially illustrations that explore the dynamic between two characters. Where do you draw? Anywhere, really. I have a little studio/office space in my bedroom, which is where I do my most serious work usually, but otherwise, if I’m just sketching, brainstorming, or passing the time, I have my sketchbook with me most places. There have been times when an idea has hit me while I was driving, and I pulled over to sketch it out or write it down, and I usually sketch while winding down at night watching TV. When did you know you were good at drawing? I think every artist, no matter how successful or prolific they are, will always struggle with feeling that they could be doing better. I’ve always loved to draw since I can remember. I was “the art kid” in school. So, in a way, I suppose I’ve always known I had a penchant for it, but I still feel like I’m always growing and improving and besting myself with each new project I complete… and I think that’s an important part of the creative process. How many books have you done? I’ve illustrated three picture books so far, and I've done many illustrations that are part of reading curriculum materials. What is your favourite colour? Kids always ask me this, and I always say that I can’t pick just one color, I truly love them all. My yellow teapot, my blue jacket, my orange lamp, my red mittens, my violet toothbrush, and my green sketchbook are some of my favourite things. What do you do for fun? I love to cook and bake. I think being raised in a multi-ethnic household cemented my love of food and the social aspects that come with preparing and enjoying it. I also enjoy going for a good swim with my boys whenever the weather allows. My idea of a perfect day would include a trail ride on horseback, a good meal with friends, a swim with my boys, and a good book to end the day. Have you ever won a competition? I remember winning a prize for a painting I made when I was a little girl. A blue ribbon was hung on it, and I just remember feeling so accomplished in my 7-year old mind and heart. I’ve also won scholarships for my illustration and picture book work in more recent years, but I like to compete against myself more than others, to be honest, and all that takes is doing the work. What inspires you to write/draw? I think my time as a teacher and mother have inspired me a lot, but my own childhood memories also play a role in most of the things I make. I just love the world of children. I am also an avid science fiction/fantasy fan, though those elements have yet to surface in my professional work. How long have you been teaching for? I taught in schools from 2006-2013 when my youngest was born. After that, I taught small group and individual art classes for a bit, out of my home studio, but I haven’t done that in a while. My teaching these days has been whittled down to summer camps, really. I do miss teaching full-time in schools, but I love being able to work from home now as a professional children’s bookmaker. Any new upcoming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? Yes! In May, my latest project will be on shelves (it’s available for pre-order now)… Joanna Rowland has written a GEM of a picture book, which I illustrated, called Stay Through the Storm. It’s a sweet story of two friends who see each other through scary times. I was so happy and honored to have been the illustrator selected for this book, as it’s a theme that’s close to my heart. I’ll also have an author-illustrated book out in 2021 that I’m not allowed to talk about yet, but which I am very excited for. Thanks Lorian for taking the time to chat to us and answer some questions it has been great getting to know you some more.
You can find more about Lorian Tu and her books at: www.loriantubooks.com Instagram @lorian_tu_books You find Lorian Tu books at www.booktopia.com.au www.bookdepository.com www.amazon.co.uk www.fishpond.com.au www.wordery.com Author & IllustratorHere is our little chat with Emily. What do you love most about books? I think what I love most about books is how diverse they can be. For a format that is so structured, it always amazes me just how different each book can be. I especially love picture books, because they rely on not just the structure, words and illustrations, but the child's imagination to interpret the story. Did you have a favourite childhood book? My favourite book as a child was John Vernon Lord’s Giant Jam Sandwich which is about a village invaded by wasps, and the plan the villagers come up to deal with the invasion. His illustrations, are so detailed and intricate that i used to pore over them for hours, and the text rhymes in a very satisfying way. Does it take long to complete a book? The time it takes to finish a book really depends on the book, and of course whatever else I am doing! My speediest book ( Orange Pear Apple Bear), I wrote as a student in 11 hours, the day before it needed to be handed in (it was a college project). I’ve never managed to replicate that, and it feels to me that I get slower and slower as time goes by! One of the slowest (The Rabbit Problem) took a year, which was quite apt considering it was based on the events of a whole year too. It was a complicated book, with a lot of different elements (flaps, pop-up) and hundreds of rabbits, that all needed to be in the right quantity, and traceable throughout the entire book. Are you friends with other authors? Yes I am. Authors and illustrators tend to bump into each other at various events, and we get talking. It’s nice to have other people to chat to about what is really quite a weird job when you think about it. We mostly work alone, often in our slippers, and mostly using our imaginations. There’s often no way of quantifying what you are doing, so having other people who are doing similar things to chat with can be great. Have you ever read a book before, that you didn't like? Of course! The beauty of books, is that there is a book out there for everyone, and just as we have different tastes in our lives, that extends to books too. There’s lots of books that I don’t like, but thats my personal opinion, and I’d rather shout about great books than be mean about a book that is probably just not to my taste. What inspires you to write? All sorts of things inspire me, but not frequently enough. I’m often stuck for ideas, and it’s a truly horrible feeling. There’s nothing nicer than when you are running with a lovely new idea. It’s completely absorbing. Do you have a favourite place to write? I tend to write in my studio, which is just a room in my house, but I have also written on trains, planes, in bed. anywhere is OK really. It’s more about being in the right state of mind. Unfortunately I’ve not quite worked out the formula for finding that state of mind yet. What comes to mind to you, when you think of reading as a child? Being snug. Being curled up with my mum and feeling safe and warm. I loved the books, but I also loved the feeling of closeness that reading brought. Do you have a big library of books for yourself? I have a wall of bookshelves in my studio that is stuffed with books, but I periodically have a clear out when I can’t physically stuff anymore in. Do you get time to yourself for reading a novel? I like to read before I go to sleep, so nothing too heavy. Any new up coming titles coming out soon, that we should be looking out for? Cyril and Pat will be publishing in paperback in May. Giveaway. One lucky reader will receive a copy of Emily Gravett's book, Cyril and Pat. What you need to do is comment on the post below and tell us if you have ever had an encounter with a squirrel before and what happened? Make sure you are following Instagram @emily_gravett Winner will be contact by me (Mel - Kids Books We Love) Giveaway closes on the 25th March 2019 Open to UK Residents only. Goodluck! Thanks Emily for taking the time to chat to us and answer some questions it been great. You can find more about Emily Gravett www.emilygravett.com Instagram @emily_gravett you find Emily Gravett's books at www.booktopia.com.au www.bookdepository.com www.amazon.co.uk www.panmacmillan.com www.amazon.com.au www.dymocks.com.au www.angusrobertson.com.au www.fishpond.com.au www.collinsbooks.com.au www.betterworldbooks.com www.wordery.com www.thenile.com.au |