Phew! Well Greetings Carpeteers and Singing Frog Fans everywhere.

My favourite (favorite) phrase of the moment is 'You may not think this is important, but it is so I'm bothering telling you so....'  (Courtesy of Dr Seuss)

So the important news for me is that I finally finished my refresh of Bradley and the Magic Carpet, including a new cover, a bit of relayout work, new endpapers, and a bit more info about Singing Frog Publishing and the other books in the new version. We're up to three books now. Whoo! Three's the charm.. so it doesn't feel quite like a fluke getting a book published anymore (and it feels a lot more like hard work.. which is fine.. because it's a labour of love.. and here I am at nearly 11pm on a school night writing about it - which you would not do unless you were keen, right?!)

Any road up. That's the last road block basically before all my energy can go towards the next book. Except perhaps the production of a Kindle for this which I'm still keen to do. 

As I've mentioned before, Jumbo Giant Sausages and Bradley and the Dinosaur are both well liked it seems (early days for the Soss yet of course) so it was just a tweak needed for the Carpet, to bring it into line with the new look Second Edition Bradley and the Dinosaur, and also 'JGS' and also to update the cover and back cover to reflect these changes.

Now that I understand book layout a lot better - Bradley and the Magic Carpet was supposedly laid out perfectly for printing but ended up with about three blank pages at the end. Well, now I know what's causing that, they won't be there in the new edition.. and it will have a more industry standard endpaper layout and front matter too.

Not that many will notice I suppose, haha.. but these things are great when they're done right. In the original book, the front matter was just a single page.. and now it will be a full, double-spread.

We've had a competition, first in a while on Instagram... for those who helped give feedback on the new cover...and there'll be another one soon via mailing list. So if you haven't joined the mailing list yet.. either email us to join, or fill out the contact form on the website.

Dino Wishes,

​Julian

P.S. Maybe it's also worth mentioning, that if you're the collecting sort, Bradley and the Magic Carpet - first edition will soon be retired, once the second edtion is published sometime in the next couple of weeks. So you still have a chance to get hold of what will become a 'rarity'. If you're not the collecting sort, hang on.. a new edition will soon be available, and it will not probably change again after that.

Happy Sundays....

Well this is a short one this week. I just wanted to give a quick update. I've finally archived my files for Jumbo Giant Sausages to clear the decks. This means that the book, the cover, the internals are finally settled. I'm really happy with how it is now, and I don't think there'll be any more minor tweaks to this edition. Tweaks such as they were were fairly minor anyway, and some may not have noticed them in any case. I just wanted to make sure everything was right, so I can pat the sausages on the back as they leap out the pan and into the world for their brief moment of fame!

There's a lot to do when you self-publish - I may have mentioned this before!

So now the good news is I will turn my new attention and focus to the next book. Really sorry I can't tell you anything about that yet.. but as a consequence there may be a bit less posting here for a while, while I ramp up momentum on that. I'm just very excited that before too long, a fourth book will be taking shape, and I'm keen to see how long that one will take and if I'll be able to improve on the almost two years that Jumbo Giant Sausages took from start to finish. I will be doing the illustrations for the next one.. but I have another story that I can imagine will work well with a skilled illustrator, so I hope you may well see something sooner than two years. Gosh I hope so!! Some authors knock 'em out every three or four months!

Jumbo Giant Sausages is doing really well, we're already up to 10 reviews, and I think 9 of them were 5-star on Amazon. It's been up in the charts in a few nice categories. (Still a bit of tweaking to do there, as for example it's not really for 'up to 11 years' as Amazon says currently!!) So a few emails to write yet to sort some of the classification.

The big news is, I've stopped worrying about it. A lot of people really like it.. and that's good enough for me and a sign that I can move on to the next one.

​I was in the Star Cafe in Paignton recently (who have a copy if you're passing) and the little girl who was reading it there while I was having breakfast came over to me and said 'I like your book, it's good!'. So there you have it.. if someone who is approximately four likes the book.. then you can relax.

Greetings Singing Frog Fans!

Where does the time go to? How many posts do I start that way I wonder??

We seem to be lurching through Sweltering Summer and on to Christmas from what I can gather!

So just enough time to stop by and say that it's great news we're going to have a quick radio interview on BBC Radio Devon tomorrow, 19th August at around 11 am.

Some of you may have caught my last interview last October some time with David 'Fitz' Fitzgerald. Well, they've invited me back, and this time I'll be talking to Pippa Quelch about the new second edition of Jumbo Giant Sausages and other adventures in self-publishing no doubt.

So hope you can join us in your coffee break.

In other exciting news, I've heard that two of my books (Bradley's Adventures) have been selected to take part in The Book Explorer project. They have a brilliant idea going here, and I'll probably write more about that another time as it's not launching till January next year.

Looking to other authors and illustrators... this week I'd like to make a special mention about Manuela Pentangelo, the very talented illustrator behind Sascha Martin's Rocket Ship. This is a fabulous story about a kid who's always inventing things.. and just what  happens when he takes his science project into school. Not only is the story a lot of fun, but Manuela picks out such great details in her work and moves the story along with such flow (literally when his rocket is taking off!) that it's a joy to read.

​She has a great page on instagram and I really recommend checking out her drawings and sketches there, there's always something great going on! Check out her other books too.

​That's all folks!

Happy Fridays, Singing Frog Fans!

I'd just to first of all say a big Thank You to everyone who voted for Jumbo Giant Sausages during it's launch week on reedsy. Check out the new books to see how it did on the link here.

I'd heard earlier in the week, that the books with the most votes will make it into the weekly newsletter - and we have! Hurray! So if you voted for the book and signed in to the site... you will no doubt shortly receive a copy of this week's newsletter with the book in.

Book promotion, incuding marketing is just one of the many hats to wear as a self-published author. So I'm really interested to see what results if any come of this fantastic event happening. Potentially, thousands of new readers may hear about the book now.

As I'm on holiday today..I'm also excited to say I picked up a paintbrush for the first time in ages..to start with the first spread for my new book. Haha.. no rest for the wicked!! But it's not wicked, it's a joy how much fun you can have with a paintbrush in your hand. I feel like I'm 9 years old again... and to be fair a lot of my drawings look like they were done by a 9 year old!

I really wanted to give Jumbo Giant Sausages the best start I could, before beginning the next one... so it's great, the number of people who've helped to give it a good send off. We had nearly 700 downloads of the new Kindle last weekend, and new reviews coming in all the time. I always love to hear what people think, so if you haven't yet left a review after downloading the book.. it would be great to see it.

The review on reedsy is also more than I could have hoped for. So with two reviews from professional bodies tucked under its arm (reedsy and Reader's Favorite) I feel like it's starting to take shape.

Talking of reviews. One page I'd like to draw your attention to this week is Ourbookishabode. This is a fabulous site, and I'm saying this not only because they've already mentioned and reviewed both Bradley and the Dinosaur and Jumbo Giant Sausages.. but just look at all the other great books they are talking about on their Instagram page.

Happy Fridays, Singing Frog Fans!

Here we are again... where do the weeks go to?  

A lot's happened recently to recap on.. so now we have a new cover.. and a new Kindle version available...  and lots of dots in this blog... because that's how my brain seems to work.

The good news just in is that now that the Kindle is available, some sales are happening in the US.. and as a result we find ourselves the #1 in New Releases for children's books about dogs.. AND #1 in New Releases for children's 'cartoon' books.  Whoo-hoo!

'Dogs' you might say. Where are the dogs?? All I see is a big fat, juicy, tasty sausage... leaping from a pan. Well, erm without going into spoilers, let's just say, if you're a big fan of scampy mutts, you may really enjoy how this story turns out. Of course if you're cheering for naughty sausages that are really badly behaved and intent on destruction... then you may not how like how things go. But at least you can wave them on while they have there five minutes of (short-lived) fame.

All that aside.. I really wanted to just tell you that I'm letting the book out for free this weekend.. to run wild. So why not gobble up a copy?

It's free to download from midnight on the 1st August (PDT - so if you're in the UK probably about 8am onwards) through Sunday.

If you download a copy and like the book.. leaving a review would be a great way to show any appreciation and certainly helps to let others know about the book. However, as a lot of people might be leaving reviews during the weekend.. it's also fine to wait a while and drop one in over the next week or two.

Hope you have a great weekend.. whatever you're up to.. and all that's left to say.. is that I am SO looking forward to doing some sketches and painting next week.. to kickstart the next book....as I have some holiday!

Greetings!

Have you heard that line in the title of this week's blog somewhere before?

If you haven't, I can tell you it's from 'The Sleep Book' by Dr Seuss... and I've read it enough recently to know at least part of it by heart! ('It's important, and that's why I'm bothering telling you so.').

Lots of great news this week. First off, you will notice a new cover design for Jumbo Giant Sausages.. my latest book. So congratulations to all you early-adopters who bought this with the first cover.. you now own a 'limited-edition' second-edition copy and there are probably not more than fifty of those in existence.

As for anyone who is yet to buy, what do you think? I really liked the first cover, but I think the image was so nice, that it just needed to be larger, so I've done away with the border and gone for some motion with the title text. I'm happy... and I think it will stay this way. 

The other great excitement is that the first kindle edition is also done. So it is now possible to buy this for tablets, phones PC kindle readers etc.

These are available today. So to buy now in the UK click here or in the US click here.

A new book also out this week to draw your attention to is the fabulous Adventure in Machu Picchu (I always have to pause to make sure I get the double 'c' the right way around in those two words!). This is by the new author Mildzy Mujica and illustrated by Hermanos Magia. I downloaded this book and read it with my daughter this week.

I really loved the sense of adventure in this book. I think it's great to see not only high concept adventure in a picture book (race around temple ruins, partnering up with temple guardians to save the land from an earthquake) but to see it done well with excitement in the storyboarding as well.

For me the whole feeling of an adventure in South America just conjours up excitement before I even turn the first page. Indianna Jones? Tales of the Gold Monkey? I think though, it's really refreshing as Mildzy is Peruvian herself and she is coming from a place of knowledge of Peruvian culture and lore when writing the story.

I'll say I think it's a little old for 3 years old.. but my daughter Emma did enjoy the pictures. I can imagine older children loving this.. and looking forward to more adventures... especially if they're fans of comic book adventure too. Enjoy!

That's it for this week!

​Julian

​

Greetings and best wishes for the weekend.

Another busy week in between, still working on a Kindle version for Jumbo Giant Sausages (not long to wait now I hope). Also been looking at advertising the book in the United States, that's coming along really well too.

Do you like the picture above? This week, it's taken from the 'endpapers' of Jumbo Giant Sausages, my new book out on Amazon. I had a lot of fun designing this, and unlike the other pictures in the picture book, it was created digitally. The story begins with six numbered sausages, named from ONE to SIX (a bit like Ten Little Dinosaurs) who escape from a pan. So it was fun to play with sausages in the shape of numbers. I love the tablecloth too. I posted it on Instagram this week, as I'd seen a great post on endpapers by Ashly Curren (who's book is also coming out soon) and promised I'd post what mine looks like. So, here you go, Ashly!

More news on other books this week. Colleen Brunetti has just released a lovely book, Share a Little Kindness and I got a chance to read it when it was available on a free promotion earlier this week. It's a lovely book, and I have great admiration for any author/ illustrators out there, it's a lot of work to do it all yourself! Colleen has created some beautiful illustrations and her book takes us on a journey all around the world with great insight on kindness and love for each other. You can check out my review on the product page for more details. Just click on the link there.

That's it for this week. have a great Sunday!

Happy Fridays Frog Fans!

Well this week's news is that I am currently working on a Kindle version of Jumbo Giant Sausages, as well as keeping up with social media and various book-launches of my author-friends. Whoo.. get me! Ahh.. the glamourous life of a self-published author.

I have also been doing some trial sketches for my next book. Thanks to Manuela Pentangelo the fabulous illustrator of Sascha Martin's Rocket Ship for her encouragement and advice recently. I've got my sketch books out, and I've done at least a few sessions this week!

Jana Broecker asked me this week what my 'system' is. Given the fact that I also have a day job, and not nearly the time I would love to have to devote to my passion for children's stories.. my answer was 'like a plate-spinner at the circus'. I think that sums up the gentle nudging required of all the aspects of self-publishing. While not forgetting to eat, drink, cook or other family duties. I'll be writing about Jana's new book next week (Pilot Ray - the Tale of a Snail).

I have to say, I am eternally grateful to my daughter Emma, who is three, and won't be reading this.. but having a three year old means I'm not just reading books for professional curiousity as I may have in the past. No. Now I'm at the coal face and really seeing how her interest in books is. Some she will want to see again and again, like Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets by Stacy C Bauer and Rebecca Sinclair. Though I think 'cavities' (covered in the book by a darling kangaroo who is eating too many sweets) is quite the concept for a three-year old, she takes it in her stride. I think mainly because she has such a big thing for ice-cream at the moment, and obtaining it!!

So that's it for now. Hope you have a great weekend!

Dino Wishes,

​Julian

Greetings Dino Fans, Carpeteers, Frog Fans and Good little sausages everywhere...

Well I'm sure I've mentioned before that being a self-published author can be a somewhat solitary affair. There's no one else to write this blog-post, for example, unless I get a LOT more famous. Also all those hours spent drawing sausages, and painting all their smiles and looks of astonishment, devilish smirking, or open mouthed awe, yup.. that was me too. All the Instagram posts, all the Facebook content.. and yes.. it's me that turns up to the author events as well.

Also.. in quiet contemplative moments, or rather, intervals of barely contained excitement when I get to sit and think up stories - that's me too.

However, let it not be said that the journey is a solo one, and if you've been reading the last few weeks, you'll have heard me talk about other authors as well. Indeed, my first notion of being an author, was when I met the very talented and lovely illustrator, Jacqueline East. We met in a boho cafe in Glastonbury as I recall (hello Jackie if you're reading!) and discussed my idea for the book and I showed her my sketches. So you see, the real journey proper starts with other people.

That's why this week I want to talk about other authors again. I've met a few more recently.. and it just brings it home to you how we're all going through the same process. Listening and talking and sharing information about yourself, you realise that although it's a new path to you, individually, it's not a new path, and there is much you have in common, and many of the same frustrations, tribulations and joys.

A big shout out to Jimmy Jute on Instagram today (who sells the most fabulous painted bags) because reading one of her posts, I realised that it's not just authors, but anyone who has a shared interest and meets others with shared interest has a wonderful opportunity to share that with other people, be it a facebook post or Instagram page.

So I think it's time to open up my blog a little bit wider. Yes it's for fans of Singing Frog Publishing and the stories, but I'll be widening the net to introduce you to other people and things out there when I can.

Anyway.. as said.. enough about ME. I'd like you to hear about another fabulous children's author out there this week, Joanne Hutchinson.

Joanne is already a published author and her first book is called Og and is about a fairy tale Ogre.. but not just any fairy tale Ogre, he has some special qualities..and a great mentor in a little girl called Lucy. But more about him another time! This week, I'm excited to mention Jo's new book released this week - Hagwitch.

Hagwitch

Is it just me, or are there not that many great books about witches out there? (please tell me, as I'd like to know!) Yes.. Room on the Broom is one that stands out, and Meg and Mog of course... but Hagwitch is going to fill the gap! She's perky, kind, brave and skilled with a cauldron and wand. Not only that but she has two beautifully drawn sidekicks, an 'eight-legged spider and a vampire bat'.

It's here you have to mention the pictures, the story is brought to life brilliantly by Kris Lillyman, who also illustrated Og, and there is so much to look at on every page, that I had to read it straight away again with Emma, my three year old daughter. Hagwitch is brilliant and she fights a Wizard who wants to steal the colour from the land (neat idea!) but I have to say, he's drawn so well, I was kind of drawn to him too! 

Will she vanquish the miserly magician?

The rhyming is slick and humourous and would give Julia Donaldson a run for her money. The effect of the whole is super charming. I'm sure lots of young children will be awaiting more adventures with this wonder woman.  That said, I think the aspect I like the most of Joanne's books, is that they hang together. There's a newspaper in Hagwitch, and it references Og... but there's even other characters there (my favourite headline is 'Hairy Fairy Rescues Canary') which will no doubt join this storyland at a later point. So I think she is going to create a world of characters kids will visit again and again through each book. Genius. 

Well, I've bought both books, one as a kindle.. so I'm sold... and no, I'm not on commission either! ​​

Greetings Singing Frog Fans!

Well, I hope you've all had a smashing weekend... we smashed into the Top 10 in Cooking Humour this week. Not so funny if you're a sausage though. So would like to begin this week by saying a big thank you to all those who have helped support the book so far. Just two five-star reviews out there so far... but it's a great start!

Please leave a review if you've recently bought the book, that helps more than you can know!

But this week it's not all about our books actually... As I said last week, I've been introduced to a few new authors.. and wanted to give you some information about those too.

Firstly, we'd like to mention Nellie the Narwhal, by Sarah Cullen, and Carmen Ellis, two wonderful people who run a whale encounters company Majestic Whale Encounters...so their book obviously comes from a love of the sea and the creatures within it.  Well, we were browsing their book, and my daughter was so taken with the cute picture on the front.. that we bought it and read the kindle version straight away.

Nellie has a series of encounters with her friends, but for some reason they don't want to play. How many children have experienced this? Fortunately Nellie is resourceful and comes up with a plan to entice each of her three underwater friends to a different game each. We must have read this book four times already since we got it this week and I think we love the cute pictures and the uplifting tone of the book - everything can be put to rights if you just try and find a way.  I think this is a good news story for children who may have experienced rejection in a playground at one time or other - Don't be discouraged! The rhyming is great and there's even a section with some great ocean facts at the end, sure to please slightly older readers.

We look forward to hearing more of Nellie's further adventures.

​Also this week we were talking to Katie's Readers an organisation set up by Angela Walker for "scattering the love of learning around the world". I won't try to paraphrase their mission, but it's based around the impact of a girl called Katie on the founder - I really recommend you look at their website and see the good work they are doing.

We've sent some Singing Frog Publishing books over to them, and if you work with a children's charity that uses children's picture books in your work, please get in touch with us with some details about your organisation.

Finally some major excitement for this week - drumroll - a very good friend of mine Jana Broecker is about to release her new children's book this week, "Pilot Ray - the Tale of a Snail". All about a small snail with a Big Dream... to fly!

Now you might think snails have about as much chance of flying as they do of swimming, but Jana's small invertebrate has a big heart and he knows that no matter how small you are, if you believe in your dreams they can come true!