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!

They say there's safety in numbers... well unless you're a sausage and your name is a number!

"THREE did not want to go alone.. and so took number FOUR!"

Greetings Frog Fans...

Here's me thinking it's been a week since I last wrote.. and it's actually been TWO. Two weeks, not two sausages.. so apologies if you tuned in last week for the latest news to find none.

It's going to be a short one this one today as I've just had my birthday "Whoo!" yesterday.. and Father's Day today "Whoo-two!". 

I was rereading my last blog just now.. and yes..at the moment, there's more internal reflection on what comes next.. maybe also why it's been two weeks since I last wrote.... and I mentioned that one of those things was to reflect on promoting the book.

Looking at what other authors are doing is really useful for self-published authors... as we don't necessarily have agents and publicists and publishing houses directing our every move. I've been lucky to make friends with a few other authors and illustrators, these last four years..and quite a few more recently and I recommend looking to Facebook groups and Instagram to meet them. Here's one example.

Hello to any new author friends who are reading this - thanks for checking out my site!

Talking with others really helps for sharing ideas on what you've done and how it went and for seeing how other people came to their ideas.  This is so much easier to understand when you can talk to the author in person, and I hope to introduce you all to works of some of the people I've made friends with, perhaps via these blogs.

It is also such a relief to see that you are not alone in doing what you do, there are other people who love doing it - and you're not crazy for wanting to do it! I love children's picture books, and I can't imagine not doing this...

In the meantime this week I also managed to update the website a little. I fixed a Facebook link that wasn't working on the front page.. and also added twitter and email icons on the front page if anyone would like to get in touch - author, or reader.. we'd love to hear from you.

I've also expanded the Review section... making it a little bit easier to find out what other people have thought about the books.. with easy links to leave reviews yourself if you would like to.

Also good news - we got to #10 in Dinosaur books in Australia this week.. so very pleased about that too. A big thank you to all those in Australia who noticed and bought the book this week.

That's it for now...  keep smiling!

Julian

Greetings, Frog Fans... and good little sausages everywhere!

Not the naughty ones, obviously.

Great news.. the sausages made a bit of an impact on their release. They got to be a #1 in one of the Amazon charts on 'Tolerance'.. admittedly because they are something of a lesson on 'intolerance'. I'll be honest.. it was a fleeting moment... without a giant PR campaign.. or messages out there to "share, share, share..".

They are not yet an overnight sensation.. but they did get their 5-minutes of fame.. or perhaps for them it should be infamy!

It's a great lark.. this self-publishing...I can breathe a sigh of relief about that, now the book is done! I mean...I love the work, it's something to enjoy and to learn with and in many respects it's no different to learning a job or career. There is so much to learn.. and I'll bet any author friends who are reading this may well nod in agreement.

The thing is, before you ever publish a book.. you may be forgiven for thinking that the book is the goal.. that if you just get your book together, and finished, then that's it. Trouble is.. when the book is finished, that's when more hard work starts.. and I even remember reading someone say somewhere.. don't even worry about marketing until you've done your sixth book!

The point here is, it's not just about one book, or finishing a book.. it's about the journey. It always is, huh? Whatever you do in life.

So the publishing of the book marks a new phase.. "How do you get people to know about it?" Family and friends of course is a good start, and for this reason, the metric often goes... 'If you sell more than 100 copies of your book, then you're doing well'.. because that is basically everyone you know.

But after the buzz of publishing your first book.. you start thinking more about... how can complete strangers find your book as well? How can you introduce your work to new readers?

So this is where my attention will be shifting in the next few weeks/months... before moving onto .. The next one!

It goes without saying that I am so pleased and grateful to all of you who have followed my writings on this journey so far, and to those thousands of readers who have bought the books... If you haven't already signed up for a newsletter.. please do join the mailing list by popping your email address into us.. There will be exclusive competitions for subscribers very soon.. and you could win one of the first six ever copies of Jumbo Giant Sausages ever to be printed.  Signed too! Just enter your address via the popup - or click here.

Bye for now!

​Julian

Hello Frog Fans!

Well, what a week it's been.

Hardly a week since the release of Jumbo Giant Sausages.. and I heard back that it had been reviewed by Reader's Favorite. I had entered the book for their yearly awards competition, and normally you can expect to get a review from a reviewer on their site within about three months of submission - and before they announce the results of the awards in September.

Well blow me down, I wasn't expecting to get a review after a week... and it was a good one too. Achieving a 5-star review means that I can use the 'medal' in connection with promoting the book, and the review as well - now uploaded to the Amazon book pages. See below the product details on the US and UK Amazon pages to read the review.

It's not the first time we've had an award for Reader's Favorite, Bradley and the Magic Carpet was entered last year and won the 5-star seal too. However, this time, we didn't drop a single point in any of the six categories. (BMC dropped one point !).

Well, if that wasn't enough to make my week, there have been further goings on.. with @paigntonlibrary hosting a readathon event, with fabulous authors each reading their book. I particularly enjoyed Tracey Courderoy reading Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam. Which is your favourite? Check out their events page to watch all the videos, including Neil Gaiman who did an introduction for the event.

Well.. I was originally due to read my books at the library event back in March, but of course it got cancelled.

In the meantime, as you probably already know if you follow our pages, the Amazing Rob Pudner of @entertaininglydifferent has read our books several times and done such a fantastic job of it, that I asked him if he would mind doing a reading for the event.

If you missed it, here it is! Rob did such a great job, don't you think? Please post comments on the video if you watch it...

Whatever you're doing.. have a great weekend.. and don't forget Rob's Rise and Shine Show tomorrow morning.. if you're looking for something that's really fun to entertain the little ones.. and not so little ones!

Yes... finally!  The book I wanted the first time around.

Haha.. they say though, that love is lovelier, the second time around.

I am so excited and thrilled I could burst. Not to mention mildly ready for a rest!

But no.. no time for that.. the Sausages have escaped the drawing board (literally) and I just wanted to let you know, for those great die hard fans who follow this blog..(thank you all for following) that JUMBO GIANT SAUSAGES is actually finished. Yes, finished I tell you... and available to buy on Amazon right now.

For the US click here.

For the UK click here.

Now.. this is, strictly speaking, not the LAUNCH of the book.. oh no.. there's much work now that only BEGINS. I'm just letting you fans know early, that the book is live on Amazon and you can buy it .... and.....

I DON'T EVEN HAVE A COPY YET. (but it should arrive by next Wednesday)

What does this mean? Well, I've dotted every i, crossed every t.. painted every eyebrow and mouth, shaded every corner, wet sponged, charcoal lined and resized my brush a ten thousand times since this book was first published last July. To bring a second edition to the world.. and if you ask an author friend of mine.. this is probably what the first edition should have been.  Big thanks go to Jana Broecker of Cranky Cat fame.. because she suggested I may have been a little hasty with the first edition. Thanks Jana if you're reading!!

However in my defence... I had set myself a goal.. could I publish a book, just one year after writing it? Including doing all the pictures myself? Whoah.. that was a challenge.  Well I managed it.. but realised as well that I could achieve more...beyond what my original watercolours looked like.  So what is available now, has had almost another six months of work added to it. (Ok.. so maybe I should set the goal at 18 months next time, hahaha).

Now comes the good bit. Now I'm really proud of this edition. and feel I can say.. yup! I did this.. and "Take a look, what do you think?".  I did not really market the first edition, or promote too much, because I pretty much started on the second edition, the moment it was out there, I knew I needed to wait a little before promoting it fully.

I will say, to all those who bought a first edition - thank you for your support. No one left a one-star review at least! The story hasn't changed... but I think it looks a whole lot better now. You are very lucky.. there is less than a hundred of you.. way less. That first edition will not be available again.. unless you sell your copy! 

Anyway.. before I go, fans... a funny story... 

So I've submitted this story to Reedsy - a fabulous site.. and I recommend any of my author friends go join it now. But it's also for people who love reading books too. Perhaps a competitor to Goodreads... but their interface looks fab. Check out my page here where you can see some sneak peaks of the book. Nice looking, huh?

Anyway. I found a great article on launching a book on this site.. so I opened it .. and it begins..'What to do SIX months before you launch your book...'  , 'What to do FIVE months before launching your book'.

Er.. well...., the book's available NOW.. not in six months time..! But I will be following some of their tips...(and fortunately some of the stuff I've already done).

So, check out the sneak peaks.. or get an early copy (I promise if there are any small tweaks, I may have to change the file on Amazon again..) so you might have another collector's item on your hands if you buy now.

When you start to see adverts on Facebook or Instagram for the book, please share.. please tell your friends and family.. and lets see if we can hit a six for self-published authors!

The book is already entered into this year's Readers Favorite competition.. and awaiting reviews on Reedsy.. so fingers crossed people like it!

Dino Wishes...

​Julian