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Tuesday 13 November 2012

My Ta Dah lifetime achievement moment!

Hello there blog friends, well it's here, my lifetime achievement Ta Dah moment. I think it may be a wish of many Illustrators who mainly work on Greetings Cards, to Illustrate a Children's picture book. It certainly was one of mine. So when this arrived in the post yesterday, I was beside myself excited. To be honest it felt quite surreal, I remember working on the artwork, but seeing it in this book, WOW, it was/is amazing!It's just like those books you see in the shops, hey, wait a minute, It is!!

I shall post a few more images from the book today and then show you how I worked on this earlier this year. I started out by Illustrating the front and back covers. At this point I wasn't sure what the book was about. Obviously it was about bears, but I didn't have any of the words. The words are very gentle and simple, a lovely process of the bears getting ready to settle down and sleep.Margaret Wise Brown is a very well known author in America, (I'm ashamed to say I didn't know of her). I shall leave it there, as the pictures speak for themselves I think?







These aren't all the pages, just a few, I don't want to be a bore, but hope you like them.:)
Back page.
I have to say a big Thank-you to my agent, Advocate, who put my name forward for this book. It is quite difficult to break into the world of book publishing without going through an agent. So many thanks to them. Also to the publishers Parragon, who liked my first Illustrations enough to run with the whole thing, a major commitment. I feel like I may be sounding like a film star whose being presented some award now,and giving a speech, Ha Ha. I don't honestly, I'm just a bit overwhelmed at seeing this dream come true, still can't believe it. Hope you come back to visit and share in some of the work that went on to achieve this goal. See you again soon, thanks for visiting.

13 comments:

  1. Well, it looks absolutely wonderful, Julie! You have every reason to feel proud and happy. I think most every North American child has been read Margaret Wise Brown's book 'Good Night Moon' but maybe not her other work. This looks like a lovely story and your sweet illustrations, I'm sure, will delight child and parent alike. And, look, it's already on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/SLEEP-TIGHT-SLEEPY-BEARS-Margaret/dp/1445493284

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  2. Yeah!!!!! Congrats to you!!! *clap*clap*clap* !!!!! It looks wonderful!! Must be AMAZING to see your art in a book! :)))))
    How very wonderful for you!!!

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  3. Oh thanks folks, I feel very much like it's an achievement, but have to keep pinching myself to make sure it's real!

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  4. Bravo Julie, it’s wonderful! the book looks fantastic we are so lucky to get a peek into your beautiful work. and i was going to ask where to we get it? but Kathleen (above) already gave me the answer!
    i will get a copy, congratulations Julie :)
    x sandra

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  5. How lovely to see your beautiful illustrations. Congratulations.

    For me the book is reminiscent for me of the Nut Brown Hare story, Guess How Much I Love You.

    I am wondering whether it is Sarah who put the book together; I know she does work for the Paragon?

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  6. Congratulations - a fantastic achievement! The book looks beautiful.

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  7. Dear Julie was blog hopping and happened onto your lovely place. Congratulations on your wonderful illustrations. Your art work is adorable and I am sure children everywhere will enjoy seeing this book. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week celebrating. God Bless You!

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  8. Thank-you for your lovely comments, I haven't found the book on Amazon yet Sandra? I can only wish to be doing such lovely artwork as on 'Guess how much I Love You', I worked with a Kathryn at Parragon Bella, although there may have been more folks working on it? I am celebrating, because all you lovely folks have sent lovely congrats. Many thanks.:)

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  9. hey Julie, well i did not find it on amazon...

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  10. Oh you are a star for looking Sandra, I have the ISBN it's 978-1-4454-9316-9 I don't think it's made it out to Amazon yet? But I'm going to try putting it in and see if anything happens? :)

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  11. that is so amazing and wonderful! A huge congratulations to you. I know that surreal feeling from when I used to illustrate children's books.
    The format is so large which is perfect for bears but also it brings out your delicate use of watercolour. And the print run looks as though it was well attended.

    so happy for you

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  12. ohhhh it is beautiful Julie!! Big congratulations... this is an amazing first book!!! Just lovely :o) Hugs!

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  13. Hearty congrats on your achievement! Very nice.

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