Big Hug Books Blog Tour With Author Shona Innes

Today, I'd like to welcome picture book author Shona Innes to my blog. Shona is here, with a guest post, as part of her Big Hug Books Blog Tour. I love this idea! I'm thinking of writing a letter to myself. Thank you, Shona.

A Letter for Shona Innes

By Shona Innes

I’m a clinical and forensic psychologist working in a busy private practice in regional Victoria. The Big Hug series evolved from letters that I write to my younger clients after each session.  The letters help them to remember what we talked about and the things they should be thinking about, noticing or practicing. The letters also let their parents, carers or teachers know what they are working on as well. I guess it’s okay to say the letters are supposed to help everyone to (pun alert!) ...“be on the same page”.

I thought it only fitting that I set aside some time to practice what I preach....
 

Here’s my letter to me.

Dear Shona

This is a note to you from me to remind you of the things we have been working on.

It has been an amazing time for you with the Big Hug books set to launch. Who would have thought that your work with children would become so exposed? It’s no wonder that you’re a little anxious about the whole process. What started out as intimate letters to some of your little clients have now evolved into beautiful picture books – a much bigger audience than you intended. How lovely that your words can help reach so many more children, school and families!

The illustrations in “Life is Like the Wind” and “Friendship is Like a Seesaw” are truly beautiful. Yes, and they are much better than your attempts at drawing. It’s fun to look back and laugh at the children’s reactions to your pictures in sessions. It’s probably good that you show them that some people are good at some things, but not so good at others.

I know that the publishing world is not your usual pond, Shona-fish.The terminology is a little different, the peaks and troughs of busy-ness are a bit rough to plan around, and you don’t have many solid connections to anchor you. I also know that you can find people to help you to swim in this big new pond, too. Just give yourself time, ask for the help that you need and it will soon feel like you have always swum out this deep.

I’m glad that you are feeling proud and excited. Pride is the feeling where you want to say, “Hey, look at me and look what I managed to do – yey”. I know you are sometimes scared to have this feeling because you worry someone will tell you that you are boasting or “getting too big for your boots”. Excitement is the feeling where you are thinking about what is happening and getting prepared for it in a good way. It’s very similar to anxiety, except it’s about expecting good things rather than expecting bad things. Remember, you don’t need to travel in time with your mind to avoid new feelings. Time travel is best left to Dr Who. Be sure you embrace and breathe in these new feelings and this moment, right now.

I know that you are very grateful for all of the special people that you have in your life. These people are the ones who know you and love you, even if you don’t get your bed made, cook a nutritious meal from scratch or phone them every week.

Take care of yourself – eat well, exercise, sleep and laugh.....and don’t work too hard.

Shona       
          X

shonainnes.blogspot.com

Facebook – Shona Innes – Psychologist

twitter.com/Shona_Innes
 

Blog Tour Dates:

Mon 14th April
Writing Children's Books with Robyn Opie Parnell
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com.au/

Tues 15th April
Booktopia
http://blog.booktopia.com.au/

Weds 16th April
Children's Books Daily
http://childrensbooksdaily.com/

Thurs 17th April
Kids Book Review
http://www.kids-bookreview.com/

Fri 18th April
Buzz Words
http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/

Further Big Hug Books Links:

Big Hug Book - Friendship is Like a Seesaw
http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/new-releases/big-hug-book-friendship-seesaw 

Big Hug Book - Life Is Like The Wind
http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/new-releases/big-hug-book-life-wind 

Big Hug Books Blog Tour With Author Shona Innes - Coming Soon!

Blog Tour Dates:

Mon 14th April
Writing Children's Books with Robyn Opie Parnell
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com.au/

Tues 15th April
Booktopia
http://blog.booktopia.com.au/

Weds 16th April
Children's Books Daily
http://childrensbooksdaily.com/

Thurs 17th April
Kids Book Review
http://www.kids-bookreview.com/

Fri 18th April
Buzz Words
http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/

If you'd like a sneak peek of the Big Hug Books, please visit the following links:

Big Hug Book - Friendship is Like a Seesaw
http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/new-releases/big-hug-book-friendship-seesaw 

Big Hug Book - Life Is Like The Wind
http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/new-releases/big-hug-book-life-wind  

I especially like Life Is Like the Wind. 

You'll find out more next Monday. See you then.

Love and Light,
Robyn Opie Parnell

Alison Reynolds and A Year With Marmalade Blog Tour

Congratulations to Alison Reynolds (writer - pictured left) and Heath McKenzie (illustrator) on the release of their picture book A Year With Marmalade published by The Five Mile Press.

Today Alison is visiting my blog as part of her A Year With Marmalade blog tour.

Hi, Alison, thank you for being here. It's great to have you as my guest.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog, Robyn. It’s a very comfy, happy place to be!

 Make yourself at home, Alison. Before we move on to my questions and your answers, here is a blurb about A Year With Marmalade:

A Year With Marmalade

This is a story about friendship.

It’s about losing old friends and making new ones.

It’s about change, which isn’t always a bad thing…

When Maddy’s family relocate for a year, she must leave behind her cat, Marmalade, and her best friend Ella. 

The story of the growing friendship between Marmalade and Ella is set against a backdrop of the changing seasons.  
 

And now over to my interview with Alison.

 

1. Can you describe the process you go through to write a picture book?

The last few picture books have been commissioned so I’ve been given a very vague theme to explore. In A Year With Marmalade, the publisher wanted a book to reflect the seasons.

My actual process begins with a visit to the newsagent to buy a couple of pens that feel right and a blank visual diary. It has to be blank and then I can scribble down random thoughts and lines. I find that ruled paper makes me feel as if I can’t fiddle around and play.

I always make sure that the illustrations have a lot of room to further the story. I even do terrible sketches that no one will ever see, just to make sure there is something different to illustrate on each page.

Picture books are the only genre that I tend to write the first drafts in long hand.

2. How long does it take you to write a picture book?

How long is the deadline? I am relatively quick, but during the writing process I tend to live very much with the story so I’m writing all the time in my head. A Year With Marmalade took about four days, but that is very much an exception. And they were very hectic days. I was constantly running down the hall to peck away at the screen once I had the first draft. 

3. On average, how many drafts would you do of a picture book?

Too many. Seriously, I draft and draft and draft. I have no expectation of having the story flow out first time. I really enjoy seeing a kernel of possibility and working on that. My final draft often looks like a totally different story than my first draft. A Year With Marmalade did resemble its first draft very closely, which is very unusual for me.

I had written a totally different story that I had drafted countless times and even sent off to the publisher. Then A Year With Marmalade floated into my mind. So I then sent that off and said, “Can you forget the first story?” Luckily she did. I feel as if the first version was actually part of the drafting process for me to find the final A Year with Marmalade. 

4. Do you ask other people for feedback on your picture books while you're writing them? If so, why?

I probably only show complete drafts of picture books. I’m conscious that it would be a waste of time for the people giving me feedback if I said, “Oh, yes I’m going to change that anyway.” I might send off a sentence in isolation if it’s really irritating me, but I usually only send the complete picture book. 

I’m extremely fortunate to have Dee White as my crit partner and she tells me like it is, which is a fabulous quality. I’ve got another friend, Maureen Edwards, who has a great eye for picture books . I sent A Year with Marmalade to her just before I sent it to the publisher. You are an extremely lucky writer if you have people you can trust not only to criticize your work, but also want your work to be as good as it can be.

5. What else would you like to tell us about Alison Reynolds or her books?

That’s a bit hard, Robyn! I don’t eat horse radish and ABBA gives me a tummy ache. I like writing in many different genres. For a while I was writing choose-your-own-adventure style books, which I loved. Then I wrote a compilation book for adults, called For you, Mum. Then I had a spate of board books. Recently, I seem to be concentrating on picture books. And I have a YA book, and adult novel itching me.

I love A Year with Marmalade, especially Heath McKenzie’s illustrations.

Thank you for hosting me, Robyn. And best of luck with all your current and future books!

Thank you for visiting my blog, Alison, and for being a great spot by answering my questions. All the best with the rest of your blog tour, A Year with Marmalade, and all of your books. I wish you every success!

Please read on for more about Alison Reynolds, Heath McKenzie and A Year with Marmalade.

WIN A COPY OF A YEAR WITH MARMALADE

Marmalade’s personality really shines through in Alison Reynolds and Heath McKenzie's  newest picture book A Year with Marmalade. Share your favorite picture showing your cat's personality to win.

The winner will receive a signed copy of A Year with Marmalade and a copy of the picture book Lighty Faust the Lion, a book about a much bigger cat.

Upload your favourite cat photo to https://www.facebook.com/alison.reynolds.524 or email it  as a low resolution jpeg file at alrey@msn.com.au and I’ll upload it on www.alisonreynolds.com.au

Alison can’t wait to see your purrfect photos!

Entries close on the 1st of September 2012.

A Year With Marmalade BLOG TOUR  

You can follow Alison and Heath on tour as they visit these great blogs:

Blog Tour Stops

7^th  August  Dee White

http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/

9^th  August  Karen Tyrrell

http://www.karentyrrell.com/tag/karens-blog/

11^th August  Tania McCartney

http://www.kids-bookreview.com/

13^th August  Pass It On

http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/school-magazine/

14^th August  Kathryn Apel

http://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/blog/

17^th August  Dale Harcombe

http://orangedale.livejournal.com/

20^th August  Peter Taylor

http://writing-for-children.blogspot.com.au/

22^nd August  Susan Stephenson

http://www.thebookchook.com

23^rd August  Robyn Opie Parnell

http://robynopie.blogspot.com.au/

27^th August  Sally Odgers

http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com.au/

29^th  August  Angela Sunde

http://angelasunde.blogspot.com.au/

31^st August Chris Bell

http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/

A Year With Marmalade Blog Tour With Alison Reynolds and Heath McKenzie

Congratulations to Alison Reynolds (writer) and Heath McKenzie (illustrator) on the release of their picture book A Year With Marmalade published by The Five Mile Press.

WIN A COPY OF A YEAR WITH MARMALADE

If you have a ginger cat or a cat with a jaunty attitude, send along a photo and you could win a signed copy of  A Year with Marmalade and a copy of the picture book Lighty Faust the Lion, a book about a much bigger cat

.

Upload your favourite cat photo to https://www.facebook.com/alison.reynolds.524 or email it  as a low resolution jpeg file at alrey@msn.com.au and I’ll upload it on www.alisonreynolds.com.au

Alison can’t wait to see your purrfect photos!

Entries close on the 1st of September 2012.

A Year With Marmalade BLOG TOUR  

You can follow Alison and Heath on tour as they visit these great blogs:

Blog Tour Stops

7^th  August  Dee White

http://deescribewriting.wordpress.com/

9^th  August  Karen Tyrrell

http://www.karentyrrell.com/tag/karens-blog/

11^th August  Tania McCartney

http://www.kids-bookreview.com/

13^th August  Pass It On

http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/school-magazine/

14^th August  Kathryn Apel

http://katswhiskers.wordpress.com/blog/

17^th August  Dale Harcombe

http://orangedale.livejournal.com/

20^th August  Peter Taylor

http://writing-for-children.blogspot.com.au/

22^nd August  Susan Stephenson

http://www.thebookchook.com

23^rd August  Robyn Opie Parnell

http://robynopie.blogspot.com.au/

27^th August  Sally Odgers

http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com.au/

29^th  August  Angela Sunde

http://angelasunde.blogspot.com.au/

31^st August Chris Bell

http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/

A Year With Marmalade

This is a story about friendship.

It’s about losing old friends and making new ones.

It’s about change, which isn’t always a bad thing…

When Maddy’s family relocate for a year, she must leave behind her cat, Marmalade, and her best friend Ella.

The story of the growing friendship between Marmalade and Ella is set against a backdrop of the changing seasons.