Hi kids looking for things to do?
click here for free colouring pages.
Help me write the story and design the characters, click here to do The Cheeky Challenges.
Free colouring Christmas picture to download, just click on the download link and print or right-click and 'save link as' to your computer to print later. Happy colouring.
At the end of November I went to Writers Day in Winchester It is run by the scbwi, Society of children's book writers of illustrators and was a very useful day. There was a very inspirational talk by children's writer David Almond, I now have to read his award winning books, I am starting with Clay. I went to two brilliant talks by Dianna kimpton the writer of The Pony-Mad Princess, which I brought and read, when I was little I would have loved it, it was very well written. I have stated reading with a vengeance, if I am going to be a good writer i need to devour books like i devour art, shame you need more time for this. I have started reading when my little boy is in the bath but sometimes I have to clean the toilet instead. I went to a writing characters for a series talk. There were lots of different topics but unfortunately there wasn't time to go to them all. There were editors talking about why they publish what they do and a brilliant talk on using the web by a very funny lady called Candy Gourlay. The day also offers the opportunity to have your manuscript critiqued by a real editor. I did this and found it was very useful but not quite what I expected (It put me in a temporary bad mood but once I had time to reflect I realised it will prompt changes that will make the book much better which is the main aim even though a bit of ego stroking would have been nice.
So here goes changes, unfortunately Rabbington the Magical rabbit has been canned at least for now, I really liked him because he lived in a very roomy top hat, a brilliant idea given to me by my nephew, I think I will have to bring him back but there were too many characters for a first book.
Ollerina's getting a make over, she is too old fashioned, the kids won't appreciate my love of vintage clothing. My niece has suggested she should have cool boots and pink pig tails, possibly inspired by her latest love Mew Mew power, when she grows up she is going to be a Manga artist (how cool).
The book will now be a chapter book with black and white illustrations making it cheaper to produce and i can expand on the writing which surprisingly is better than I thought.
I would defiantly recommend the scbwi for anyone interested in a career in Children's writing or illustrating, the nice thing about it is they support and encourage unpublished writers and illustrators. There is a really nice vibe, very impressed.
A sketch of Ollerina's bed room. Once it is painted it will be a page on the website so you can nosy around the characters bedroom.
You'll never work in this town again.
Dandy Monkey paws bosses lady.
Dandy Monkey used to be a Vaudevillian star back in the 1920s. His career spans five whole days from rise to fall. It's not in the book because it's not long enough but is a back story for the website when I get everything ready. Here are some sketches for it.
Audiences go nuts for Dandy Monkey.
