The Outside World

Owl in flight

Before Christmas I was asked to illustrate a second book featuring Pippy and Dippy, two little mice who have previously made an appearance on my blog. The book, Pippy and Dippy, The Outside World, is written and self-published by Jim Bartley, who wrote The Adventures of Pippy and Dippy - released last year and for which I also created the artwork. These are some of my illustrations for the new book. 

Pippy and Dippy in their new home

As it's a small budget production the books are on sale in Fermoy (where the author and myself originally hail from), for the most part in The Book Shop and Fermoy Books, although other local shops have them as well. I believe Eason in Cork also have a few copies left too and Jim takes orders (and general comments and inquiries) at pippyanddippy@gmail.com, in case anyone is interested! 

Pippy, Dippy and Rory the Rooster

I'm working on a story of my own at the moment and so hopefully I will post some bits and bobs from that in the near future.

Mice to meet you!

A little while ago I mentioned that I was illustrating a children's book for someone. Well I'm delighted to report that it seems one or two publishers are interested in it! All very tentative and nothing may yet happen but fingers crossed and raise your mugs to taking a chance!

This is another of the illustrations so far - more still to be completed! In the story the two main characters (the mice in the middle) bump into two pretty ladies... but unfortunately they turn out to be dolls belonging to the little girl of the house! They sit down and have a cup of tea anyway - which is what I'm going to do now!

Hickory Dickory Dock...

For the longest time, I've wanted to write books. All kinds of books - children's books, adults' books, magical books, serious books, life-changing books, life-lamenting books, heart-warming books, heartbreaking books... Many ponderings of my inner monologue begin "when I write my bestselling, Booker-winning novel I'll..." 

But that's the bigger picture, the happy-ending if you will, when I have already toiled long and hard, and my fingers are worn away from bashing the keyboard, and I'm bleary-eyed from absorption in a world of my own creation... At the moment though, my writing is a long long way from a Booker Prize, and I must content myself with little ramblings and doodles.

However, as I mentioned, I want to write all kinds of books, and besides my much acclaimed, life-changing novel, I also want to write and illustrate children's books. In fact I do, what I mean is I want to get some published. One or two lie in various states of completion hidden in notebooks and word documents and sketchpads, strewn (I say strewn, but it's more for effect, I'm actually more of an organiser by colour, alphabet, size...) higgeldy piggeldy around my studio (ehem... by that I mean two shelves in my bedroom).

Anyhoo, here's the point.

I was asked to illustrate a fully written children's book by another author! I said yes, as any opportunity to add to and widen my portfolio is a good one. The stories are very sweet, featuring two little mice, and are for the bedtime-stories reader/listener. Obviously I can't put up the stories as they are not mine (and it would spoil the surprise!), but here is a little sneak peak at one of my illustrations so far. 

I'm quite excited about it today as the first section of the book has been printed to conduct a bit of market research (5 year olds are harsh critics, wish me luck!) and to send to potential publishers. So far I think it's looking pretty good though and hopefully I will be posting more about this project soon!