Greetings Dinofans!

How lucky are we to have libraries?

I know we are also lucky to have Kindles and a wealth of online choice.. in fact Bradley and the Dinosaur exists out there far more in electronic downloads than it does in paperback - mainly because of the occasional ability to offer it for free in this format.

However - can anything replace that feeling as a young child, walking into a library, that first time you set eyes on a colossal WALL of colour and run to it, to explore the hundreds, if not thousands of books offered to your hands if you only reach out and pull one from the shelf?

A bit like pubs, and petrol stations and , well, some town centres, we think we can do just fine by using alternatives, and then one day we turn around to notice they are gone. Erm... can we put that back? Not likely.

I've already done one event at Paignton library, back in December, and it was a lot of fun. So really pleased to be going there again to read my stories... Libraries are just fab, aren't they? I'm also fans of Deepings Library, and Singing Frog Publishing has donated books to Totnes, the Scilly Isles, Buckfastleigh and Paigton libraries - and all copies of our books are now lodged at the British Library - so they will be around for perpetuity now!

What a fabulous service libraries give us. How great is that energy of kids running around and gawping wide-eyed at a book they've never seen before, or gazing intently at one they've read a hundred times already?

Anyway.. I'm sold on libraries...and hope you are too. I'm going to be going down to Paignton Library on the 21st March to read my stories and enjoy the atmosphere of our local library. They have a whole day of events. See our facebook page for the event details - come along, bring your kids and enjoy yourselves! There'll be plenty of things to do and the staff there are just wonderful.

While you're at it, why not bring a handful of change and donate it, and keep this wonderful library there for future generations to enjoy as well?

...and if you don't live near Paignton, why not take some time out this weekend to go visit your local library and get a book out? If you haven't done it for a while, it might rekindle fond memories!

Dinowishes,

​Julian

Good news Frog Fans!
 
Had a Roarsome time with @entertaininglydifferent 's Rob Pudner on his fortnightly show 'Artz4U' with SoundArt radio.

Along with Carrie-Ann (@carrieannoliveira_28) and Hannah Jackson (@hannahjacksonthenakedpsychic) I was very lucky to get my picture 'taken' by Kevin Rye of @rye_smile_caricatures.
 
Not just taken, but drawn hand drawn with speed and unfaltering accuracy by Kevin.
 
I tell you, in the time it took him to draw my picture, I would have probably got my pencil set off the shelf and just about managed to prize the lid off, spilling the contents on the floor.

By the time I would have picked them up, Kevin finished his work of art.

Kev's work is so good, he's often to be found a weddings and corporate events making people smile with his accurate portrait caricatures.
 
I was quite lucky too, as I'm only currently sporting a beard as 'Winter Sport'.. so it has now been immortalized in sharpie! Who knows, maybe the picture will one day make it to the inside flap of one of Singing Frog Publishing’s books, or the back cover.

Who knows?
 
Also joining Rob was Carrie-Ann, a very talented actor and singer studying at Plymouth Uni (you're going to go far, Carrie!) and the uncanny Psychic Medium, Hannah who had wisdom for us all.
 
The show was a blast, and maybe you heard some of it? Always worth tuning into Rob, he brightens any Monday morning with his fun and engaging show (well every other Monday at least!).

I was having such a good time, I even read some of my new story... what did you think??
 
So if you didn't hear Rob this time, why not tune in again on the 3rd Feb for more fun and thrills - and great music too!
 
Also, why not check out those other Instagram pages, they are some very talented and lovely people.
 
Julian

2020. Already!

A Happy New Year to you, readers and Singing Frog Fans...

This is great isn't it? 2020. Not only does it look great on the page.. but we are surely into the realms of Sci-Fi years now. If you think 2020 sounds futuristic, wait till we're saying, 'In Twenty-Twentyone I'm going to...'

But that's a way off yet. To now, for more immediate horizons, we're kicking this year off early, as I've been invited back on Rob Pudner's 'Artz4U' show. He always has great guests on there, so I'm really looking forward to meeting some new people, finding out what they do, and generally having a good time talking to Rob in the studio.

Apart from all the Turkey consumed at Christmas, and reading 'Oi Puppies!' the new book by the great Jim Field and Kes Gray (over and over again to Emma my daughter to wonderous delight). There have been stirrings in the Singing Frog Stables... mainly connected with working on a second edition of Jumbo Giant Sausages - so I'll be talking about that, and maybe some hints as to what the next book is going to be.

Not only that, but there's a psychic and a caricature artist on the show, so I'm looking forward to hearing all about their works as well.

Join us if you can. You can listen online at http://soundartradio.org.uk/ . The show only goes out live - but you can listen from anywhere.

Hope you can join us!

​Julian

Merry Christmas Dinofans!

​I just wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas at this most wonderful time of the year!

Christmas is a time for me to be grateful for all the things we have, so...

Thank you for reading and buying our books.

Thank you for all your support and likes of our Instagram and Facebook posts (nearly 1000 followers now).

Thank you to coming to our events and taking part in our promotions and competitions. Hope to see you again at more events in the New Year.

It really has been a magical December for the books, with I think our best-selling month on record, nearly a hundred books sold so far this month as we speak. Now that may not sound a lot, and I'm sure David Walliams can probably manage to sell that many in a minute! However for a self-published author, it's a dream come true. Bradley and the Dinosaur has certainly found favour with thousands of children, and it's great to think of all the copies out there being read at bedtime or whenever. 

Thanks again to all of you who have bought a book recently.

More books to come in 2020! ...and if you're wondering what wonderful Christmas present you could get us, then please remember to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads!

Merry Christmas - and a Happy New Year - see you in 2020!! 

Happy Fridays Frog Fans....!

...and Dino fans, and Carpeteers and good little sausages everywhere...

Well, I'm sure we're all busy with Christmas preparations. Goodness knows I've only written about six Christmas cards so far and bought about three gifts. So I've still got plenty to do... but before all that, I just want to let you know that I am REALLY excited about the last date in the calendar for 2019 for Singing Frog Publishing.. and that is me doing a Story Time event at Paignton Library at 11 am tomorrow.

It was funny, when I did the first one of these, because I was booked somewhere for, like two hours and I had just the one book that I'd written - Bradley and the Dinosaur. I kept thinking to myself before the event, 'How can you make a book that takes about six minutes to read last about two hours??' Do I just keep reading it again and again??

Well, anyway, I think only a handful of people turned up at that first one, so I needn't have worried. Anyway, three years later, I've got three books under my belt (that are published) and only half an hour - so if anything, I'll have the opposite problem. Too much to tell, and not enough time!

There'll be a competition for anyone who joins our mailing list, and free exclusive stickers for any little ones who 'stick' it out. I'll have books for sale too, if you're still thinking of someone who might like one in their stocking for Christmas, and happy to sign a dedication too.

So plenty of reasons to pop in and say hello. Where else can you get a signed copy of a children's pictuer book by a local author and support your local library?!

For any who've already bought a book, why not bring it with you to read along, and I'll happily sign it afterwards. 

Whatever you're doing this weekend, I hope the Chirstmas Spirit is with you and slowly but surely, you're getting in the mood for a wonderful Christmas!

And if you're not a Christmas fan, Happy Dinomas! Or Merry Sausage & Mash - take your pick...:0)

Where. Does. The Time. GO to....?

You know, it seems like two minutes ago I was designing a Christmas Doodle for this blog this time last year. I had recently been introduced to Instagram... and I was drawn in to its charm. Makes me think that I should be drawing another one soon... but they take a while to do, you know?

This year, I feel much less prepared... though with almost 1000 Instagram followers, I feel a lot of good feelings towards all the people who have taken a look at my page since it started. Yes. It started, like all things, with just a couple of friends and family. Hi Eva! I think you were one of the first follows.  It's funny, when you look at your Instagram account, and you have, ... 8 followers... and you think. hmmm.. I wonder what this thing is...? But thanks to people, strangers and friends, like #thehunterc a fabulous actor and stunt double, and other illustrators and artists.. I quickly got a feel that Instagram is a different kettle of fish to Facebook and exotic... and opens up a whole new world of friends.

I've had a page for Bradley and the Dinosaur on Facebook or, now, Singing Frog Publishing for some years now... and I do like Facebook.. (probably because I'm older than some).. but even now, we're only up to about 150 friends.. and probably most of those ARE friends! But Instagram is a whole other thing... and I really recommend any authors or illustrators out there set up an account, because Instagram is a great way to meet people in your line of work.  Authors like Jana Broecker (of Cranky Cat fame) and SchockoBart and many others... libraries and printers and cafes and publishing companies... (not to mention photographers and climbers and dental hygenists!) all of whom i would never have met were it not for Instagram. Even Rob Pudner, of Artz4U... I met through seeing his show.. and then following Entertainingly Different through Instagram.

Now it was a pleasure to be on his show... and I hope you caught it. Thanks Rob! We talked about the books some more, and the recent uptick in sales since being on the radio last time. Being on Rob's show is like being at a great party. He even had a snow machine! I was not expecting that!

Thanks to all who have bought the books recently... I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! We've sold more books in the last three months than the last two years I reckon. I hope you leave a review too, because it really helps us self-publishers! No million pound marketing machine here.. just word of mouth. But books like Wonkey Donkey show, that if people like a book, it doesn't matter who publishes it.. word gets around.

Merry Christmas!!

​Julian

Greetings Frog Fans!

Happy Frog Day Fridays.

Radio Show
I hope you've all had a good week. I'm writing to announce, that one of my favourite local stations, and favourite local shows (Artz4U) has invited me back for their Christmas Show.  Yes, the super talented Rob Pudner of Entertainingly Different has asked me to join him for his Christmas Cracker Bonanza on Monday 2nd December from 12pm.

This is really going to get me in the spirit of Christmas as I had a great time last time I was in the studio with him. His show is a breath of fresh air, and he usually has some fantastically entertaining and interesting local people on there.

I don't actually know who's on this time, so that will be a great surprise for me as well as you - but I intend to go armed with a box of mince pies at least.

This will be a good time to talk about the up-coming Story Time event at Paignton Library, a bumper crop of sales since last time I was on... and a generally good pre-Christmas vibe. Rob has such a great voice, I'm also hoping we might be able to do some recording of him reading one of the books.

Reviews
Thanks again to all those who have bought or downloaded the books recently. If you're reading this and have found your way to the website, then 'Hello!'. I would really like to encourage you to leave a review if you have bought through Amazon on the book page.

Also did you know, you can leave a review on Amazon, even if you bought through a bookshop? This works, it just doesn't show as a 'verified purchase'. Also if you don't want to leave a review on Amazon, there are also other places you can leave reviews, such as GoodReads.. or other book seller websites like Waterstones, Barnes and Noble etc.

So many sales recently, but sadly only a handful of new reviews in the last few months. As a self-published author, it really helps get the word out (no mega-marketing machine here folks!) when potential readers can see what other readers think of the book. Of course, I'm dead nosy too - and always enjoy what the kids (and parents) think of the stories. I believe something magical happens when we get to 50 reviews.. so that would be a great Christmas Present for me..!

Well, we can't officially talk about Christmas yet - it's still November... but hope you can join me on Monday on the radio - and we can kick start the festive season!

Happy Frog Fridays!

I've been busy, I'm sure we've all been busy! So apologies it's been nearly three weeks since my last blog. October was a very busy month, what with two radio shows and November has had me working on new projects in the background, whilst also managing promotions.

So firstly, let me announce that Paignton Library, that wonderful copper-gilded building, with SO many children's books, have invited me to do a Story Time on the 14th December at 11 am.

I will be selling and signing books after the event - there will even be a competition!

What better gift at Christmas than a signed copy of an original children's book from a local author? No purchase necessary though - you can also just come along to entertain the kids for a bit :0).

This place is a local treasure. I'm sure some of us remember the wonder of getting your first library card and being able to go to your local library -  and choose any four books you wanted to take home with you.

​I remember being so excited about some of them, that I had to start reading them there and then on one of the big desks (they seemed enormous back then). Even as I got older, if I wanted to know about any subject I was currently interested in, say astronomy or UFOs, or even sheet music... I'd just go and browse the entire section and take a collection home with me.

Yes, today you can look anything up on Google, but nothing can match that feeling of taking 'knowledge' home with you - or a good story! Stories mean excitement and anticipation and Imagination!

Yeah. I guess some of that stuck with me, huh?

So anyway.. I am really excited to be taking not one, not two, but now three of my own stories down to the local library and read them out to any excited faces. Who wouldn't love to meet a Dinosaur and make friends with it? Or travel on a magic carpet to a faraway land? Or find out what happens when sausages go Bad, not Bang??

Haha. I'm smiling just thinking about it - join me there and I hope you will too!

It has been a monster month (maybe that was Halloween) for sales - so a big thank you to any new readers who have just bought a book. If any of you are local, and you come to the library, then I will gladly sign or dedicate your book for you.

P.S. It's also worth reminding that you can currently buy signed or dedicated copies of Bradley and the Dinosaur through eBay (2nd Edition only). The other books will also soon be available on eBay too.

Dino Wishes!

Julian

Happy Fridays, Frog fans!

Or should that be Happy Frog Days, Friday fans ?!

Well the weeks seem to race by, don't they? October (or Funtober as we've renamed it in our house) was a complete blast. A holiday on Lundy painting watercolours, two radio shows, Jumbo Giant Sausages hitting the shops... and more.

It's well over three years now since Bradley and the Dinosaur was published - and although Bradley and the Magic Carpet was the first book to be published with the imprint Singing Frog Publishing in August 2018, 2019 has seen the birth of Singing Frog Publishing as a brand in its own right.

With dedicated efforts to republish a second edition of Bradley and the Dinosaur under that imprint, a hardback edition of Bradley and the Magic Carpet, and now finally Jumbo Giant Sausages released all under the same publishing name. A website, an Instagram and Facebook page all under one roof - Singing Frog Publishing.

This has taken a small amount of effort (cough) - with now nearly 1000 Instagram followers for Singing Frog Publishing, something like 150 followers on Facebook and an almost weekly blog on the website.

Small wonder that it has also been the best year for sales, with the number of paperback sales in 2019 totalling more than those for 2016, 2017 and 2018 combined! Bradley and the Dinosaur has made it on occasion to the #1 Best Seller slot in the 'Prehistory' books category and also #1 in the Dinosaur category when it's been available for free, see the image above.

Bradley and the Magic Carpet also made it to #1 in Middle Eastern Tales and Myths. Who knows where the Sausages will end up?? Naughty sausages. First sales are showing up for those.. so looking forward to the first reviews showing up too.

​Not got a copy yet? Check out our Get a book page.

I'm learning as I go... that is one of the prices of admission for self-publishing, but the journey is worth it - I've met lots of great people on the way, both online and in the flesh. Maybe you're reading this right now? If so, 'Hello!'. I just want to say to those considering self-publishing, that it is doable - and all you need is a dream (some stamina) and the will to see your dream become a reality.

I have also logged all the Singing Frog Publishing titles now with the British Library (if you're a self-published author reading this, remember - this is a legal requirement!) so it's also great to know, they will be around, long after I am.

Have a great weekend!

Greetings Singing Frog fans...!

Are radio shows like buses? Three years nothing, and now, two come at once!

After a very enjoyable time with Soundart FM courtesy of Rob Pudner, I was invited onto Radio Devon yesterday to talk to their fabulous daytime host and quizmaster David 'Fitz' Fitzgerald.

It was quite an experience, and quite different to the other show. It was still quite exhilarating to sit in the foyer in anticipation of what was about to happen, and what I would say - given that this is going to be a much shorter space of time to talk about things. In general, these radio interviews are about five minutes long. So not much time for relaxing! But still plenty of time to say a few words about the books and how it all started. Fitz was great, and the producer Jo Irving was absolutely charming as well. It's all very grand to be 'called in' when you're due to go on air!

​I hope you got to listen, but if you didn't, and you'd like to  - then here is a link for the show. Or if you go via the BBC website, look for Radio Devon and the David Fitzgerald Show and the 17th October.

I am on at about the 1hr 35 minute mark.  However, I also met the lovely Stephanie Austin while waiting to go on the show, and we had a good chance to chat in the waiting area. She has written what look like some fantastic murder mysteries that are based in Devon - Dead in Devon and her latest book Dead on Dartmoor is just about to released. So I recommend listening to her as well - from about 1 hr 15 minutes in. Check out her books too!

If you'd like to buy any of my books mentioned on the show, the links are all on our shop page here.

That's it for now... have a great weekend!

Julian