After nearly five years of writing this blog, I'll be winding up the web-blog today.

Sniff, sniff. No, don't be sad! It's been fun... Wow..! Just look at all those posts over there. Almost every month covered from 2017 to 2022. You can read any of them. Just click at random to see the whole journey to here.

In fact, if you've read any of them, you'll know what a busy business it is for your friendly-neighbourhood children's author. Not only writing books, and hopefully successfully selling them.. but all the social media, blogs, posting out books, competitions, special offers, freebies and so on.

As I've been sending out an email to a mailing list for almost a year now, I've decided to send all the more detailed news, that would have gone in this blog, out via the newsletter.

So. More value for subscribers, more competitions, more in-depth look at the world of a children's author.

Of course, there'll still be Facebook and Instagram posts, but to make sure you get the best information and don't miss any offers, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter.

​Just go to the Contact Us page and enter your email address and name, or fill out a pop-up on the site if you see one!

Well, wow.. where did May go to?

I don't know what you've been up to, but I hope you're managing to crack on with some jobs as the year is now in full swing!

It seems like only yesterday I was posting a 'Happy New Year' post on Instagram that was only about three months late!

I'm sure you don't need me to be putting out content on social media every two minutes, and hopefully you can rest happily in the knowledge that your friendly-neighbourhood-mildly-famous-children's-author is just getting on with the business of developing new stories for you to enjoy while also looking to make existing stories available for children in other countries too.

Bradley Trouve un Dinosaure (the French translation of Bradley and the Dinosaur by Dimna Lamnabhi Géan) is actually very popular and has been at the top of some French Amazon charts - if briefly!

You may or may not know, but I lived in Paris for a couple of years, and so I'm also quite lucky to have also made quite a few French friends over the years and doubly lucky that some are helping me out with a new translation of the very popular Jumbo Giant Sausages.

Jumbo Giant Sausages is possibly my most successful book, in that it gets downloaded from Kindle Unlimited at least once or twice every single day! Including free offers I've done, there are about 3000 readers out there now.. not bad considering it's been around about 2 years.. and they say most self-published authors don't sell more than 100 copies of their book.

So there's definitely a market for those cheeky beggars! What they wouldn't do to your home, I don't know!

Fortunately for me a good friend, Muriel Van der Wereld is also a fan of the story and she has worked out an excellent translation which is currently going through 'beta testing'.

I think the French kids are going to love it.

If any of you out there also happen to be native French speakers and would like to give feedback on the translation, please message me via info@singingfrogpublishing.com - I'd love to make sure the story has been tested before it hits the shelves in France.

That's about it for today...have a great weekend whatever you're doing!

Hoppy Easter Frog Fans!

Well, it has been a while. I hope you've enjoyed the break from my pause on social media!

It was Christmas last year when last I wrote, and I spent pretty much all of last year in my spare time working on The Button and the Bean, so there was not a lot of time for much else.

I just wanted to catch up on the year quickly, by wishing you a Happy New Year, and a Happy Easter/Happy Holidays in one go.. and give you a quick and exciting update.

Firstly, this week we hit 200 reviews for Bradley and the Dinosaur. This is a fabulous personal milestone.. who'd have thought 200 people would read this book, let alone leave reviews for it! - All told, something like 7000 people have read this book now, and it grows more every day. Thank you if you have left a review already, it means a lot.

To celebrate, there's a competition running this weekend - one lucky subscriber to Singing Frog Publishing will win a signed copy at the end of Monday 18th April - picked at random. I'll even through in some exclusive stickers and a bookmark you can't get anywhere else.

​So if you haven't already signed up - there's still time!

Secondly, I've taken the opportunity to update the landing page for the website, to make it easier to find what you're looking for. There will be an overhaul of this website at some point, so if you'd like to send your thoughts and feedback about it to info@singingfrogpublishing.com I'd love to hear from you. 

Finally, I've been working on the story and sketches for a new book!

Hope to be able to make an announcement soon.

Dino Wishes,

​Julian

Merry Christmas!

With heartfelt warm wishes, whatever festivities you are celebrating this time of year, I hope this year is an extra special one for you.

In spite of finishing a book this year, things have been still remarkably busy - as I can see from how long ago the last blog.

Time for a quick catch-up then, as I'm sure we're all too busy to spend too long reading anything at the moment!

So, what's new? Bradley and the Dinosaur is available for free all weekend (3rd to 5th December) so grab a complimentary copy if you don't have one yet!

Just click here to get a copy.

What else? There's a colouring-in/coloring-in competition for the above picture on Facebook - closing date the 10th, with 2 free signed copies of my books to the winner.

Click here for details.

Plus, I've teamed up with a whole heap of authors to put together a bunch of competitively priced kindles for the festive season.

You can check them out here.

I wonder what the collective noun is for a heap of authors? What do you think? A quill, a book? A desk? A pad of authors? Hmm..I've no idea!

Beyond that.. like everyone else, I've got to get a shuffle on with Christmas preps.. not a single Christmas card written yet.. and we now have a 5 year old to think about... who is asking Santa for a jet-pac ... hmmm... erm... All ideas for handling this one gratefully received!

So just a line left to say I do have a new story planned for next year.. and will tell you about it when I can...

Have a great one - thank you for all your support throughout the year.

Julian

Hello everyone, and a very good weekend to you all.

I notice that my last message was posted in July. Apologies it's been so long!
Can you believe that? Almost a whole Summer away. Did you have a good one? I remember some fantastic weather back in July, and then the kids broke up from school, and then after that, the sun was fighting a bit of a withdrawal!

It wasn't all writing this Summer
I've had a very busy Summer writing, but in between there was the odd trip to the beach, swimming and dinners on the patio! As you will have probably already heard if you're on the subscriber list, or follow on social media, the new book is finally done. The Button and the Bean launches officially on the 15th October 2021, but you can buy paperbacks ahead of this date through Amazon.

How did you do it?
All in all there are 14 spreads in the book, and besides painting each one in original watercolour, I made no less than three more passes through the whole book adding further refinements as I went. Keeping the organic feel of the watercolour, but adding in little extra touches as I went. So it's as if there were 64 pictures, really!

Once that was basically done, I still had to do the front cover, and what's called the endpapers (in a hardback, this is the page at the end of the book that is actually glued to the cover - but we still use the term endpapers, even in paperbacks).

It just seems to go on and on! All in all, the first sketch for this was last September, so it really did take a whole year of my spare time to complete.

Still - I'm very pleased with the result. Hopefully, it's the best one yet that I've done, and I'm really pleased with how the pictures and story turned out. I hope you will like it and the kids like it too.  I'd love to hear what you think!


JGS for FREE and other books to check out this September
I've teamed up with some other authors, again to bring you news of other books, this time they are not for free.. but still they might be the very thing you are looking for.

Check out the link here.

As it turns out - Jumbo Giant Sausages is on free download all this weekend! So you can get one of that collection of books for free at least!

Radio Show
In other good news.. I'm back to talk with Rob Pudner of Entertainingly different for his Artz4U show on the 11th October at 12:15 - so be sure to tune in then for some fun and frolics.. and some great music.

https://www.soundartradio.org.uk/

I wish you all a very happy and productive weekend!

If you are feeling generous - we'd love an upvote on Reedsy today - and please share any of our FB and IG posts if you can to help get word of the new book around.

Lastly if you have bought the new book, please remember to give us a review on Amazon or Goodreads..  as every review really helps. Especially when you're in a children's book category with David Walliams.. and his book has about 12,000 reviews !

Julian

Good news Singing Frog Fans!

You may have heard already that Bradley and the Dinosaur is currently available as a free ebook when you sign up for the Singing Frog Publishing newsletter. This will be for a limited time, most likely until the new book comes out at the end of Summer.

However, today I can tell you that Singing Frog Publishing has partnered with about 20 other authors to bring you some fantastic other FREE offers.

There are books for colouring in, and books on letter writing practice. In short, probably something in this giveaway for anyone with children, or knows someone with children!

All you have to do is visit the following link and choose a book and subscribe to that author. You can get as many free books as you like, for the whole of July.

That's why they're calling it July Goodies Galore. Visit the link below:

​https://books.bookfunnel.com/julygoodies/rfglmliwpg

Dino Wishes!

​Julian

Great news Dino fans!

Although Bradley and the Dinosaur is no longer available on Kindle Unlimited, now I can offer it FOR FREE through the following link:

BookHip.com/DTRFPLG

Now. Why would I offer a book, that took me 10 years to get from idea to print, for FREE?

The answer is that I am so excited about my newest book, that I'd like to collect as many new subscribers as possible, so you can hear about it EXACTLY the moment it launches later this Summer.

I suspect, once the new book is out, this offer will expire... so feel free..tell your friends, anyone can get this children's book, that has over 180 reviews on Amazon for FREE!

Of course.. if you really like it.. feel free to help it gain a wider audience by leaving a review on Amazon... or buy the paperback!

So what of the latest book then? I can't reveal the title just yet.. but I'm close to being able to do so. Currently on finishing spread #11 of 14, I have the cover and endpapers to do. Then I'll put it out for review with a few trusted sources.. then we'll see where we're at.

Bradley and the Dinosaur has earned over 180 reviews on Amazon and was entered into this years Reader's Favorite Awards competition, it has already won a five star award and the following review from them:

"Bradley rushes outside to the garden to collect flowers for his mother. He’s having fun collecting all kinds of flowers when a loud noise startles him. Then he sees it: a giant dinosaur. It’s not frightening, but rather friendly and it takes Bradley on an adventure to a land full of all kinds of dinosaurs: Dinoland. Bradley shares his flowers with the dinosaurs and enjoys playing with them, even having a ride on one of the dinosaurs, a pterasaur, getting a good view of Dinoland from above. He loses track of time, but fortunately, he realizes when it’s time to leave. The only thing is, he no longer has the flowers he promised to collect for his mother. That’s what imagination can do to a child, or anyone, really: it whiles away the time so quickly but with effective creativity.

Julian Hilton’s children’s picture book, Bradley and the Dinosaur, is a sweet story about having creative, imaginative fun. There’s nothing complex about this story, no hidden messages. With a simple plot that follows young Bradley’s adventures in Dinoland, it inspires young readers to enjoy their own imaginations and not to be afraid to allow dreams to fill their time with simple pleasures. Told mostly in rhyming verse and with beautiful, bold, colorful illustrations, this story will appeal to the very young reader and perhaps those just learning to read. Young dinosaur enthusiasts will take special pleasure in the many dinosaur names listed and illustrated in this charming story. Wouldn’t you love to be a child again and visit Dinoland? The invitation to adventure is one’s own imagination."

So enjoy!

Dino Wishes,

Julian

Good news Singing Frog Fans!

Starting today 28th May, Bradley and the Magic Carpet will be discounted on Amazon for 99p/99c in the UK and US.

This will increase incrementally over the weekend, back to its regular price (£2.99, $3.49). So get it while it's cheap!

What fun can you have for 99p these days??

Happy Holidays!

​Julian

Greetings Dinofans!

Tomorrow is a great day for dinosaur fans the world over... as it's National Dinosaur Day!

Fancy that. You know, I've loved dinosaurs since I was a kid. You can see some of that story here. It was my dream to see one for real. Little did I know that years later I'd write a book about that dream.

Bradley and the Dinosaur has been published for five years now, and thousands of small children have read of Bradley's adventure since it was published.

To celebrate this five-year anniversary and National Dinosaur Day, Singing Frog Publishing are offering a 'Jurassic discount' on the Kindle version for Amazon UK and Amazon US customers tomorrow, the 15th May.

Here's a link  - just make sure the price shows 99c or 99p before you buy.

We'll also be running a competition tomorrow to win one of two signed copies, so check tomorrow on FB and instagram for details.

What dinosaur activities do you have prepared for National Dinosaur Day? Maybe you'll create a dinosaur collage, play pin the tail on the stegosaurus or make giant footprints in the garden?

I hope you'll get to read some great dinosaur books. Here is Amazon's current top 100 if you need some ideas. Bradley and the Dinosaur is quite often listed there (at #96 as I type). I'm a big fan of Tea-Rex and The Allosaur Who Lost His Roar. There are so many it's incredible. Bradley is in some fine company!

Feel free to share any of your dino activities on our Facebook page - and have a great weekend! 

If you like the book and would like to leave a review, that would be roarsome too!

Julian

Greetings Frog Fans.

Super news for you this week on three counts. 

Firstly, a reminder that Bradley and the Magic Carpet will be available for FREE tomorrow, 3rd April, for the first time ever on Kindle. Just check to make sure the cost is zero before you 'purchase' on Amazon. This link should take you there for most countries.

So make sure you grab a copy then.

Secondly, some very exciting news to announce that Jessica DeShong has done an absolutely amazing video, telling the story of Bradley and the Magic Carpet. This video has just been released on her You Tube channel Miss Jessica's World and I really think she's done a fantastic take on it. I LOVE the sultan ... exactly as I would have imagined him portrayed.

There's even a soundtrack and a Q&A session with me at the end. I think it's perfect for when you want someone entertained for ten minutes or so! If it comes to that, Jessica has many wonderful videos on her channel, I've seen quite a few.. so I think you will find plenty more to watch there, and she is adding new stories all the time.

Jessica is multi-talented, so you will also find her singing great songs of her own composition and doing educational material as well.

Finally, I'm very pleased to announced that I have finished paintings for all fourteen spreads of my new and fourth up-coming picture book. I've also done a rough design for the cover. This means that the end goal is looming in sight.  I will now start all the post-processing work to make sure all the images are crystal clear for printing and that the pictures snap and pop off the page. Well, that's my fervent hope anyway. No pressure, eh?  I'm pleased with how it's going, but there's still a mountain to climb.

Once these images are processed, then the book-build won't be far behind and I will start being able to at least tell you something about the story and offer some glimpses!

So it's just left to wish you a wonderful weekend and hope you have fun and games whatever you do...

Dino wishes,

​Julian