Oops!

Well, here's the new style - except it isn't. It's an early experiment at a possible new style that I decided not to continue; but it isn't what I was thinking of when I posted my last news.

Unfortunately it seems that I have only drawn and coloured the new style pictures in my head - I'm blaming my stinking cold! I've just spent an hour hunting for all the pictures that, I now realise, do not exist. I do have piles of sketches but I can't figure them out at the moment - hopefully it's just the cold & my scrawls will make sense once again. I think the moral of all this is not to do anything when you have a cold except wrap up in a blanket, eat chocolate & watch cheesy films.

Comic Strip Experiment

I've been experimenting with a comic strip book for children recently & it's given me even more respect for the writers & illustrators of this format. There's so much that you have to be aware of - page layout alone is a bit of a headache. And then there's the actual pictures, writing, etc.

The strip is based on a story that I've been working on for the last few years & this is a trial picture to see if it works or not. I can't help wondering if I laid on the murky atmosphere a bit too much & perhaps a bit more colour would help. But, on the other hand, it does let me play around with lighting and shadows.

Aesop's Fables Cover Design - Continued

This is the latest version of my cover design for Aesop's Fables. Also slightly re-working my web site so please forgive any weird spacings & other strange bits.

Finished my Web Site!

I've finished my web site at last! Hopefully it is now clearer to look at, easier to find your way around & faster to download, etc. etc.

Now I have to get on with some work. I can't say much about it at the moment because I haven't asked the publisher's permission - but the picture above is a clue.

If You Love a Bear

I had some very good news at the end of last year. Walker Books wrote to me to let me know that one of my books, called If You Love a Bear, was being republished & it came out this month. They've brightened up the cover by adding a stronger blue background & I'm really pleased with it.

It's one of a set of ten books all about bears, is called the Bear Hug Picture Book Collection, & sold by the Book People.

These are the ten books:
This is the Bear - Sarah Hayes & Helen Craig
You and Me, Little Bear - Martin Waddell & Barbara Firth
We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury
The Sniffles for Bear - Bonny Becker & Kady MacDonald Denton
Kiss Good Night, Sam - Amy Hest & Anita Jeram
Snow Bears - Martin Waddell & Sarah Fox-Davies
The Little Bear Book - Anthony Browne
My Friend Bear - Jez Alborough
Down in the Woods at Sleepytime - Carole Lexa Schaefer & Vanessa Cabban
If You Love a Bear - Piers Harper

Mess Monsters

More good news! The Mess Monsters (& At the Waterhole) books are going to be reprinted by a new publisher - Albury Books. I couldn't be happier!

If You Love a Bear

Had some very pleasant news this week. I received a letter from Walker Books letting me know that If You Love a Bear is being reprinted. It's going to be part of a collection of ten bear-themed picture books and will be available from January 2014.

Here's a sneaky peek at the new-look cover. I love the new font and stronger blue.

Viking Mice

Working on some new book ideas and this picture is for one of them. To be honest, it's actually one that's been knocking around for a few years. A friend prompted me to work on it some more - so I am.

The basic idea is Viking Mice, who go off to discover islands to find something - but I'm still deciding what exactly.

Card Designs and Aesop's Fables

My Blog

Sent off the latest card designs to Phoenix a couple of days ago and am working on some new ones already. Will post if I hear any news. I'm also getting on with the presentation samples for Aesop's Fables book idea. The picture above will be part of it - though I need to space the text better as it looks a bit cramped. Think that I might change the font too. Wish me luck!

Christmas is coming!

www.pandamoniumebooks.com

It's not snowing here but it feels cold enough to. I wish it would: I could do with some right now. I just love the stuff.

 

Christmas is coming! This picture makes me want to go out in snow every time I look at it. I like the idea of living in one of the houses too!