Edit Thyself?
Author J.K. Rowling signs copies of her book ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ (Getty Images)
You can ask J.K. Rowling, author of the wildly successful Harry Potter series, one question about publishing your first children’s book. What would you ask her?
Based on posts in LinkedIn’s groups for writers, many would use this golden opportunity to ask Ms. Rowling whether they should buy a block of ISBN numbers. Or which print-on-demand company is best. They might ask how to get their book illustrated on the cheap.
This is embarrassing to admit: Those were my first questions, too.
Four years and over a dozen self-published books later, the first question I would ask Ms. Rowling is: “Can you recommend a great editor?”
Some indie authors don’t think they need a professional editor because friends and family tell them their story is great. In a survey done by SellBox.com of 307 self-publishers, only 46% paid a professional editor to review their manuscript before they published it. 20% had a friend do it and 34% did it themselves.
In 2013, I decided to self-publish a children’s story I had written in 1995. I read Chloe and the Belly Beast to a few family members and friends through the years and always received positive feedback. I personally liked the story. So – there you go – ready to publish!
We all know the truth, don’t we? Our friends and family don’t want to hurt our feelings or discourage our dreams. Once my sister, an award-winning TV promotions writer, editor and producer, knew that I was actually going to publish this book, she started to get real with me. She provided – gasp! – honest feedback on the story.
Sketch from Chloe and the Belly Beast — still unpublished (Artist: Indrachapa Weerasinghe)
The story was confusing. She couldn’t tell over what time period it took place. Days? Weeks? Years? Some of the language sounded dated and vocabulary too advanced for the age of my target audience.
Most of us are not lucky enough to have an award-winning writer available to review our work. For free. But, she’s my sister, with all that history of sibling rivalry. I realized I couldn’t have her edit my work. The process transformed me from a middle-aged woman into a sullen teenager.
By this time, I had written several stories. Like many writers heading down the self-publishing path, I had no idea where to find an editor and assumed it was expensive. With online freelancing companies now plentiful, it was easy to find out. I posted a job on what is now Upwork.com.
After reviewing multiple bids, I hired two editors. It turned out that it was very reasonably priced. I had the first one edit the stories, then gave those versions to the second editor. Then back to the first editor. This was done a few times until I had a version of each story that I liked. They made some of the same edits my sister suggested. But, it was far easier to have strangers make changes to my “babies.”
Often, self-publishers assume they can’t afford an editor. But, if you don’t know how much it costs, how do you know you can’t afford it? (Tip: The most expensive editor is not always the best.) If your story is so important to you that you are willing to share it with the world, why are you not willing to put some money where your pen is?
Many indie authors wax poetic about their love and sacrifice for the written word. Prove it. Forgo take-out food, lattes, and quit smoking. Before you know it, you’ll have enough to pay a good editor. Should you ever run into Ms. Rowling, ask her for a referral. I’m betting she has a few great editors on speed dial.
Other Aviva’s Advice articles: Is Your Book Global? How Do You Market Your Books?
Aviva Gittle Publishing offers great stories for children in English and Spanish, including the Kitten and Friends / Gatito y amigos series. Aviva’s website, www.GoToGittle.com shares the stories of authors, illustrators and others who create books and creative media for children.
Elizabeth Gorcey – #10 on The Gittle List 2015
#10 on The Gittle List 2015
Elizabeth Gorcey earned the #10 spot on The Gittle List for Going to the Park ((Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? Had you ever gotten an award for any of your other work? It was great to be recognized by Aviva Gittle Publishing. We [also] just won the Newbie Author award from Royal Dragonfly.
What’s you earliest memory of drawing or writing? I used to draw and write poetry on the floor in my bedroom starting at age 4. I also used to make shoebox art utilizing all recycled materials.
What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? I love the illustrations in the Olivia series by Ian Falconer.
What is your favorite children’s book? The Olivia series by Ian Falconer, I also love Dr. Seuss as well as Mo Williams children’s books. My daughter Olivia’s favorite books are Books: Agatha Christie mysteries and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.
What inspires your work? I am most inspired by my daughter, Liv.
Elizabeth Gorcey’s daughter, Olivia, the inspiration for the “LOL” series.
What is your favorite color or color combination? My favorite colors are black and white.
Why did you decide to self-publish? Was it harder or easier than you thought to publish your own book? Self-publishing is hard, especially if you have high standards. I want my Liv On Life Book Series to have a very specific look and feel.
Interior illustration by Kajiah Jacobs
Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? I prefer to work by hand then get it digitally. I love the feel of paper!
Where did you get the idea for Going to the Park? Liv On Life (LOL) is a series of children’s books, inspired by my daughter, Liv. When my daughter was barely 3 years old I began to record the wisdom and advice that she would spontaneously deliver to anyone who was listening. I dubbed these “Liv-isms” and each book in the LOL Series I based directly on these utterances. For me, the message is crystal clear: In a high tech, past-paced world, kids are still the best teachers.
Tell us 3 strange and wonderful things about you.
- I love broccoli it’s my favorite food.
- I love my dog and he goes everywhere with me.
- I love yoga and do it wherever I am.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Do something that you are passionate about in life.
Director, producer and actor Elizabeth Gorcey has expanded her repertoire to book publishing with the Live on Life (”LOL”) children’s book series. The six-book series is written from the endearing perspective of Elizabeth’s daughter, Olivia, who shares her insights and observations on modern-day life. The message is clear: In a high tech and fast-paced world, kids are still the best teachers to remind adults of the simple joys in life. After a successful career acting in such films as Footloose, Teen Wolf, and TV series such as Highway to Heaven, Beauty & The Beast, and Max Headroom, Elizabeth dove into work behind the camera. She is currently working on a documentary she directed and produced call How Old is Old? with Tony Curtis, Doris Roberts, Judge Judy and Tony Bennett. Elizabeth currently lives in LA with her family. When not making films or publishing books, she works diligently on her non-profit art program for terminally ill children called the Caring Stroke Arts Program.
Visit Elizabeth’s website:
Buy Going to the Park on Amazon*
Aviva Gittle writes and publishes children’s stories in English and Spanish. Each year, Aviva runs The Gittle List contest to support her fellow indie authors. Oh, she also loves children’s picture books and is always on the lookout for great ones. The 2016 Gittle List Contest is in full swing: submission guidelines. Follow @AvivaGittle and signup for Gittle News (look right) to be the first to know when they are posted! 😺
Rhonda Paglia – #9 on The Gittle List 2015
#9 on The Gittle List 2015
Rhonda Paglia earned the #9 spot on The Gittle List for Grammy’s Rockin Color Rap-a-licious Rap (Illustrated by (Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? Oh my goodness, I’ve been so excited, honored, and grateful for winning a spot on The Gittle List. I kept thinking, “We GottaGittle, We Gotta Gittle – then I would laugh out loud! Nicole Resele, my lovely former student, illustrated Grammy’s Rockin Color Rap-a-licious Rap.
What’s you earliest memory of writing? 7th grade English assignment: write a fictional story that met a certain word count and learning components. My story was a total flop. I cried. My mother, an English teacher, completely red lined it, then rewrote it for me. Mom got an A – I got zero in writing confidence. [Fortunately], I married a newspaper writer and editor, my husband, Tony. He’s the one who finally helped me gain some confidence in my writing.
What is your favorite children’s book? For the little, little ones, I love all of Sandra Boynton’s books. I also love The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers.
Which writers most influenced or inspired your work? Author Bruce Coville has been a great inspiration. I loved his characters, sense of humor, and page turning stories. When Bruce’s book, My Teacher is an Alien, was first released, I read it to the kids. They went absolutely crazy. With permission from Bruce, I rewrote My Teacher is an Alien as a play that my class performed for the school and parents. Everyone loved it. Our PTO ended up inviting Bruce for an author visit. It was great and he stayed with our family while he was in town!
Interior illustration by Nicole Resele
Why did you decide to self-publish? I love the freedom of self-publishing. I love every aspect of it. I am the author, illustrator (for most of my books), layout designer, and publisher. These are MY books from cover to cover. I do hire a copy editor, but the only manufactured part of my books is the process of printing. I love the fact, that as a self-published author, if I decide to make a change in my book, I can do it. I own all rights to my books and its okay to make changes and make improvements if I find the need. I love the interior design aspect, it’s the illustrating that is the most challenging for me. I really just draw sticks.
Do you prefer to work digitally or by hand? I prefer to work digitally. I don’t consider myself a “real” artist, but the illustrations I do create is in my “grammy” art style. I create it line by line, mouse click by mouse click, layer by layer. An example is the Meeda and Me series, the illustrations are only 2-dimentional, but it’s the best I can do using a mouse. It takes millions of clicks for me to create a book. I think my illustrations are colorful and kid-friendly. They are not professional by any means, but I think kids can relate to their simplicity.
Tell us about your latest project. I’m working on a sequel to Three Little Gnomes and a Boy Named Orion. Ratna Kusuma Halim will illustrate it. [I’m introducing] a new, scruffy character, Nibbles McGibbles, who enters the gnomes’ garden space, but that’s all I’ll share for now. I also have a couple more “Woozler” books in the background and one more Doonsey’s Beach Adventure book I’d like to complete. Busy, busy, busy!
Activity Page-illustrations by Nicole Resele
Tell us 3 strange and wonderful things about you.
- When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I sang and danced with two boys and another girl. Our little troop was called the Tiny Mites. We auditioned for the original Mickey Mouse Club TV show. We didn’t make it on the show, but it’s one of my “claims-to-fame”– ha ha!
- Twelve years before my first grandchild was born in 2008, he came to me in a very vivid dream. I didn’t know it was my grandson at the time, but the dream touched my heart so deeply, that it wouldn’t leave me alone. I wrote and illustrated the dream / story, and titled it, The Ball-Capped Boy. Twelve years later, I understood.
- I still sing and dance. I am a member of the “Toast of the Town Tappers” adult tap group. We perform two tap routines at our Mercer County Senior Follies each year. It’s great fun and wonderful exercise.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Just be yourself – no one can do it better!
Rhonda Paglia is a self-published author of 10 children’s books, 8 of which she has also illustrated. In a former life, Ms. Paglia was an elementary teacher. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband. They have three grown children, five grandchildren, and a little pup named Bella. “Grammy Pags,” as she is called, loves tap dancing, yoga, and writing stories for kids! She is thrilled to be a Moms Choice Award recipient for her Meeda and Me picture book series; an Inkspokes Select Book Award recipient for Three Little Gnomes and a Boy Named Orion, and a 2015 Gittle List Top 10 recipient for Grammy’s Rockin Color Rap-a-licious Rap.
BUY Grammy’s Rockin Color Rap-a-licious Rap*
Contact Rhonda
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Amazon Author Page
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Aviva Gittle writes and publishes children’s stories in English and Spanish. Each year, Aviva runs The Gittle List contest to support her fellow indie authors. Oh, she also loves children’s picture books and is always on the lookout for great ones. The 2016 Gittle List Contest is in full swing: submission guidelines. Follow @AvivaGittle and signup for Gittle News (look right) to be the first to know when they are posted! 😺
Julianne DiBlasi Black – #8 on The Gittle List 2015
#8 Gittle List Winner
Julianne DiBlasi Black earned the #8 spot on The Gittle List for Sleep Sweet, a book she wrote and illustrated. (Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? I was thrilled to be included in The Gittle List, I’ve won several other awards for my artwork and writing, but this was my first as a combined piece showcasing my art and text together. It has also been great learning about the other authors/illustrators that made the list and connecting with them through social media.
What is your favorite children’s book? My favorites growing up are still very much my favorites now- anything by Dr Seuss, Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson and A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein. Passing them down to my daughter and getting to enjoy them through her eyes makes them all new again.
Interior illustration by Julianne DiBlasi Black
Which artists or writers most influenced or inspired your work? I’m influenced greatly by the dreamy worlds of creative giants like Mike Mignola, Tim Burton and Jim & Brian Henson. The hyper-realistic details of the incredibly imaginative leave me in absolute awe.
What is your favorite color or color combination? It changes. Right now I’m really into Southwestern color combinations; crimson, rust, turquoise and bright copper.
Tell us about your latest project. I’m juggling several new projects right now that are already making my 2016 quite full! Sleep Sweet is coming out as an Augmented Reality virtual pop-up book, I have two new children’s books coming out this spring that I am finishing up the illustrations for, I’m continuing the editing on the two adult novels I wrote during 2015, and I have a solo exhibit at the Maturango Museum featuring my fine art work scheduled for November!
Interior illustration by Julianne DiBlasi Black
Tell us 3 strange and wonderful things about you.
- Hmm. I once spent the night in a sleeping bag on the Kalahari Desert.
- I’ve done most of my own tattoos.
- I would be perfectly happy eating only sushi and drinking green tea for the rest of my life.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Attributed to Walt Disney is the phrase “Keep moving forward”. So many times I’ve hit dead ends on projects and had to remind myself to just keep moving forward. No matter how slow you go, you’ll soon gain momentum and be back on your feet. Works every time.
Illustration by Julianne DiBlasi Black
Julianne DiBlasi Black is an artist, poet and author influenced greatly by the dreamy worlds of creative giants like Mike Mignola, Tim Burton and Jim & Brian Henson. Blending life experiences and day-dreams through text and image, she draws in children of all ages with her whimsical story lines and mixed-media illustrations. Between writing and creating art, raising her three year old daughter Madison, and writing her popular mommy-blog, she also works as a freelance graphic designer. You may have already seen her work on international commercial packaging, national ad campaigns (Sears, Mitsubishi +) or political branding. Raised in Andover, MA she considers the world her playground and continues to re-locate and travel extensively, adding to her collection of environmental and social experiences. She currently lives out in the Mojave Desert.
Contact Julianne
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Amazon Author Page
Online Portfolio
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Aviva Gittle writes and publishes children’s stories in English and Spanish. Each year, Aviva runs The Gittle List contest to support her fellow indie authors. Oh, she also loves children’s picture books and is always on the lookout for great ones. The 2016 Gittle List Contest is in full swing: submission guidelines. Follow @AvivaGittle and signup for Gittle News (look right) to be the first to know when they are posted! 😺
Margaret Lowder – #6 on The Gittle List 2015
Margaret Lowder earned the #6 spot on The Gittle List for Amos Likes to Jump, a book she wrote that was illustrated by Ellen Davis. (Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? I was already proud of Amos Likes to Jump, and believed it to be a well conceived children’s book, but the validation of winning an award like The Gittle List 2015 meant so much. To know others thought the verse, illustrations, and quality of our collaborative efforts were worthy of being recognized was so rewarding. This is the first book I have ever authored and the first in the series of Amos Tales.
What’s you earliest memory of drawing or writing? I remember writing poems as early as the 2nd grade. My cousin would staple them together to make a very thin booklet! My favorite story I created was about a frog!
What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? The Winnie the Pooh books always had such lovely illustrations that captured my young imagination. The tone is so comforting for children, and the setting is pure magic.
What is your favorite color or color combination? Since Amos Likes to Jump is an action book about my real life dog 
Amos, the illustrator, Ellen Davis, and I decided to use vibrant energetic colors. Ellen’s illustrations are beautiful and bring the story to life. Her blue-hued combinations are my favorite.
Why did you decide to self-publish? I believed self publishing would be the easiest and fastest way to get my first book out to the world and, of course, it is the best way to have complete control over what is written and the illustrations. The best part of this was pairing such a gifted illustrator who understood my vision.
Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? Since I am not incredibly proficient in computer skills, I chose to do both. I write out my thoughts, scratch through, re-write, re-visit, and later enter the final version onto my laptop.
Tell us about your latest project. My latest project is in the illustration phase 
as we speak. We are aiming to be on bookshelves by late Summer 2016. Ellen Davis is once again bringing Amos and his friends to life in the second book of the series: Amos Bounces Back – A Tale of Too Much TV! I am also happy to announce that a soft, plush Amos toy (cape and all) is arriving in April to accompany the books.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? To see the spaces and not the trees! In other words, look for the opportunities in front of you and do not get discouraged by the obstacles. Believe in what you are doing and persevere.
For as long as anyone can recall, Margaret has had a passion for two things: children and dogs. Well, maybe three if you count 
sweets, but that’s another story. After years of dreaming Walter Mitty-style of the ideal children’s book and its characters, she focused her boundless energy and witty spirit on the Amos Series. Amos is Margaret’s trusty sidekick, her pal for years and now her inspiration for children’s books. She vividly describes the life of Amos in these books, from his imaginary travels to his secret super powers.
Buy Amos Likes to Jump – board book
Buy Amos Likes to Jump – Coloring & Activity Book (Aviva bought this for her grandchildren; adorable!)
Contact Margaret:
Aviva Gittle writes and publishes children’s stories in English and Spanish. Her books are filled with beautiful illustrations from artists around the world. You can now order prints and mugs from all of the Kitten and Friends books, Nana books, and more! Each year, Aviva runs The Gittle List contest to support her fellow indie authors. Oh, she also loves children’s picture books and is always on the lookout for great ones. The 2016 Gittle List Contest is in full swing: submission guidelines. Follow @AvivaGittle and signup for Gittle News (look right) to be the first to know when they are posted! 😺
Cotey Gallagher – #5 on The Gittle List 2015
#5 on The Gittle List 2015
Cotey Gallagher earned the #5 spot on The Gittle List for Have You Ever?, a book she wrote and illustrated. (Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? Winning a Top 10 spot on The Gittle List was extremely exciting for me! As a small indie illustrator/author, it is really gratifying to see people enjoying my work. Friends and family always give support, but having another professional acknowledge my hard work gives it some validity. In college (ages ago), I had received a few scholarships for my illustration, but this is the first real award of my professional career.
What’s your earliest memory of drawing? To be honest, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or painting. When I was six I wanted to draw interior design, when I was nine I wanted to be a fashion designer, and when I was eleven I wanted to illustrate album covers. The latter career goal swayed my interest into the wide world of illustration vs. fine art. Why paint something to hang on one wall when I could paint something to be put into print and have a potentially huge audience? My writing was always that of a novice; the only real writing I did as a child was in a diary. I couldn’t necessarily get much feedback from that, but I always got a great amount of respect for my art from my family and peers.
What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? By far, The Book that Jack Wrote by has some of my favorite illustrations. I am a huge Daniel Adel fan. I have followed his caricature illustration in magazines for years, and found his ability to cross genres and illustrate children’s books as well inspiring.
Why did you decide to self-publish? My choice to self-publish came relatively easy to me. Prior to “Have You Ever?”, I illustrated a series of 4 books for a local author depicting the 4 seasons of Vermont. She chose to self-publish, and I found it a learning experience of what to do vs. what not to do when publishing. After finishing my book dummy, I did an extensive amount of research on which book publishers would actually accept un-agented submissions. They were few and far between, but I put my work out there to a handful of traditional publishers and waited… No response. I didn’t let it get me down; in fact it fueled me to learn more about self-publishing. I felt I had something really unique to share and was not willing to give up quite yet. I am glad I self-published, because I feel that I was able to have complete control over what I envisioned the book to be.
Interior illustration by Cotey Gallagher
Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? I am fully a “by hand” personality. From drawing, to painting, to my crafts, it doesn’t feel real unless I am holding it up on a piece of paper. There is something so much more genuine when you can see small flaws in a hand painted piece. I am not perfect, neither is my art. I do work digitally from a design perspective though. I find it easier to arrange a page’s text and sometimes the composition in a less “permanent” medium.
Interior illustration from “Have You Ever?” by Cotey Gallagher
Tell us about your latest project. I just finished my second self-published book titled The Literally Illustrated Collection of Idioms, Metaphors and Euphemisms. It is an assortment of common figures of speech we use in every day vernacular, but with the silly twist of taking the subjects literally! The illustrations are all highly imaginative, and all of the figures of speech have helpful definitions for the reader.
What do you do to market your books? Locally, I am very grassroots; I try to get my face out there by doing book signings, TV and newspaper interviews, and readings at local libraries. On a broader scale, I have done research into getting interviews with bloggers, and putting my book out to as many contests as I can. I use social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to create buzz and interest. Cross-marketing is something I have just begun doing, and am excited to see the results!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Make the mistake.” The worse thing that will happen is that you will learn from that mistake. If you don’t take the risk, how can you ever really be sure about the result? I have a tendency to play it safe, but any time I choose to challenge myself, I have found I have the reward of knowledge, no matter the outcome.
Artist Cotey Gallagher was born and raised in picturesque Vermont. She attended college at the Art Institute of Boston (now Lesley University College of Art and Design) in Boston, MA, receiving a BFA in illustration. Her main focus is editorial and caricature, but has always had a passion for children’s books. She is a self-proclaimed “Word Nerd” and has always enjoyed crossword puzzles and word games. Cotey resides in Salisbury Vermont with her husband, son and cat.
Interior illustration from “Have You Ever?” by Cotey Gallagher
Buy Have You Ever? by Cotey Gallagher
Contact Cotey:
Portfolio website
Book website
Facebook
Pinterest
Etsy
LinkedIn
Simone Wolowiec – #4 on The Gittle List 2015
 #4 on The Gittle List 2015 Simone Wolowiec earned the #4 spot on The Gittle List for You Talk Funny Too, a book she illustrated for indie author Lee Coulter. (Read my review.) How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? It’s always a positive experience to be given recognition. You Talk Funny Too, was my first children’s book collaboration as an illustrator. To be awarded the #4 spot on the Gittle List makes makes me very proud and certainly has encouraged me to illustrate more books! This is my first time I’ve ever received an award for creative work, and I love that there is a book competition for self publishers such as The Gittle List Contest which is so accessible. Which artists most influenced or inspired your work? There are several artist which have inspired and influenced my work. San Diego artist Grant Pecoff encouraged me to pursue my passion for art and to simply paint what I love, not what people want! Grant’s ability to capture light and vibrancy in his art makes you feel so alive! Vladimir Kush (surrealist artist) inspires my surreal mind, to think out of the box and challenge my creativity. American pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein inspire an element of simplicity, vibrancy and precision to my work. (Cool Kid’s Board Book based on Warhol art.)  Interior illustration by Simone Wolowiec What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? My favorite book of illustrations is Where The Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak. His illustrations are detailed beautiful artworks, so timeless and atmospheric. His use of line drawings in his art is unique! He captures so well the transforming power of imagination, the imagination of a little boy Max who transforms his bedroom into another world. What is your favorite color or color combination? I love red! It’s vibrant and for me it really represents adventure, and passion. It always makes me feel good. Color combinations are fascinating to me. I really go by the visual feelings the colors give me. I like to find a balance between the use of warm and cool colors. I love using red/pink and blue together. Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? I prefer working with my hands. At this point in my career I’m definitely embracing the love for painting and drawing with my hands, constantly learning and pushing my techniques as an artist. However I am impressed by the artistic effects digital work can add to a piece and would like to combine both hand and digital art in the near future. Tell us about your latest project. I am currently in collaboration again and sketching characters and illustrations for a new children’s book to be self published later this year. I am also working on my painting collection (oil on canvas) for my 2016 art show.  Interior illustration by Simone Wolowiec What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The best advice I’ve been given is quite simple, but very powerful. “If you don’t believe in what you are doing, why would anyone else.” What do you do to market your books? We’ve marketed extensively to social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn with enormous support. Local community marketing has, however, been a key to our success. This has included book launch celebrations, art show events, music events and the support of local art/gift shops who stock our book. Marketing to teachers and schools by offering class book reading days have also been a great way to share our book, and fun too!
Buy You Talk Funny Too on Amazon* *Please support my indie book business by clicking on the book covers or using the links posted in my blog to buy books and other products. This way, Amazon gives me a little commission that helps me continue the website for you and other readers. Thank you!
Contact Simone
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Bonnie Ferrante – #3 on The Gittle List 2015
Bonnie Ferrante earned the #3 spot on The Gittle List for The Amida Tree, a book she wrote and illustrated. (Read my review.)
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? Had you ever gotten an award for any of your other work? It’s always lovely to have someone recognize your work as worthwhile. I have won several writing contests and been awarded three Ontario arts Council grants for novels in progress.
What’s your earliest memory of drawing or writing? I can’t remember writing my first story but I can remember creating it. I was a puppet fanatic and used to entertain other neighborhood children with my shows on the back step. Thirty years later I met one of my previous audience members and the first thing she mentioned was how much she had loved those little plays.
What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? There are far too many wonderful illustrated books to pick just one: Zen Shorts, The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit, The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, Peppe the Lamplighter, Grandfathers Journey, The Eleventh Hour and more.
What is your favorite children’s book? This changes constantly as I become aware of new books. I do have a soft spot for The Jolly Postman or Other Peoples Letters by Janet and Allan Ahlberg.
The Amida Tree interior illustration by Bonnie Ferrante.
Which artists or writers most influenced or inspired your work? Eric Carle, Graeme Base, Beatrix Potter, Dick Bruna, Ezra Jack Keats, Maurice Sendak, C. S. Lewis, E. B. White, Bill Martin Jr., Arnold Lobel, A. A. Milne, and many, many more.
Why did you decide to self-publish? I started late in life, trying to get published after I retired. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough healthy time left to wait while a manuscript circulates through publishing houses for months or even years.
Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? I used to work in acrylic and pencil crayon but since developing Parkinson’s disease, I now work digitally. It is a huge learning curve. As my tremor increases, that is also becoming more difficult. So now I’m trying out photography (which is always been a passion), in my books.
Tell us about your latest project. I have several things on the go. I switch back and forth between projects, letting them lie for a while in order to come back with fresh eyes. My newest publication is Tell Me Where: Animals and Babies. It is a collection of humorously modified photographs that teach children spatial concepts.
The Amida Tree interior illustration by Bonnie Ferrante.
Tell us 3 strange and wonderful things about you. Not much pressure there! I am a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Lay Leader. I’m a seventh generation Canadian. I love doing all needle arts and am continuing to sew and stitch in spite of my tremor.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Make time to do what you love.
What do you do to market your books? I’m not very good about this. I am on word press, twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media. I do presentations at schools, libraries, and public venues.
Any advice for writers thinking about self-publishing a children’s picture book? Get it vetted by someone who is a tough critic and won’t spare your feelings before you publish. Pay someone if you have to.
Bonnie loves living in Northern Ontario, Canada even though she spends most of the long winter indoors writing. She chants, bikes, gardens, reads, stitches, volunteers, studies the Dharma, draws, photographs, plays/works on the computer, attends live theatre, enjoys being trounced in Scrabble by her husband, Fred, and is presently tackling decorating her new home. Her granddaughters keep her young. Once upon a time, she was a public grade school teacher.
Contact Bonnie:
Website
My Blog
Amazon Author Page
Facebook – Author Page
Facebook – Books for Children
Twitter
LinkedIn
Goodreads
Pinterest
YouTube
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Bev Stone – #2 on The Gittle List 2015
Bev Stone, earned the #2 spot on The Gittle List 2015 for The Red and Black Ladybug. Bev is a two-time winner; her book, They Told Us Something Wonderful Was Coming snagged the #1 spot in 2014.
How did it feel to win a spot on The Gittle List Top 10? I was elated! I thought it was quite brilliant to announce them one at a time this year. I know, I, and I’m sure many others, anxiously awaited each new day, and each time another book was announced, I thought, ‘Wow, that book sounds so great!’ Then of course I worried that mine might not make the list. I’m enormously grateful to Aviva Gittle for putting in the time and effort it takes to showcase and help all of us indie writers.
What’s you earliest memory of drawing or writing? My earliest and best memory of drawing and painting is in Ms Moscerelli’s 6th grade classroom. Teachers, please know that all the wonderful things you do have a lasting effect on your students. Ms Moscerelli loved art so her class started with an art project every morning. When it was time to put that project away and open our math books, she’d say, “everyone open your books to page ….. ; then she’d say, “Bev, you can continue with your art.” Now, I may not be great at math as a result, but she certainly made me feel very special and helped to start me on my art journey.
What children’s book contains your favorite illustrations? There are so many talented illustrators out there and so many illustrations I love. The Lion And The Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney has to be one of my recent favorites and one purchase I made from last year’s Gittle List, The Kings Dream, written by Harris Tobias and illustrated by Cathy Reene, has some beautiful illustrations.
What is your favorite color or color combination? I love blue hues. I 
usually work with a pretty small palette. Some people say they can recognize my art by the colors I use.
Why did you decide to self-publish? You know, I find self publishing very easy and a perfect fit for me. I’m very happy with the whole process because it allows me to illustrate my own stories and put out as many books as I’d like. The thought of self publishing is a little scary at first — just like anything unknown — but I’ve been publishing with Createspace for about 3 years now and they’ve made it a great experience so far.
Do you prefer to work digitally, by hand, or both? I illustrate all of my stories with watercolors on watercolor paper.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? The best piece of advice I was ever given was when my daughter and son were born and friends told me to ignore all the little things that really don’t matter and spend all that precious time with my babies. That wasn’t hard to do at all! Now I can apply that to things around the house that I don’t want to do so that I can spend my time writing and illustrating instead. That works, right?
What do you do to market your books? Well….Hmmmm, I have to admit I’m not very good about marketing my books. I think I’m getting better but I have to be honest, if I could just write them and illustrate them and not worry about marketing, I’d be happy. Actually, the best thing I’ve done, is to enter my books in the The Gittle List contest. In her prompting to get the word out for all indie writers, she’s led me in directions I wouldn’t have otherwise gone, Twitter, for example. You can follow me @Bevstone13. Thanks Aviva Gittle! Also, Melissa Crane, who is in charge of media at the gallery where I show my paintings, has been amazing at getting the word out locally.
Any advice for writers thinking about self-publishing a children’s picture book? All I can say is that it’s been a wonderful experience for me, so if you’re thinking about self publishing, definitely give it a try. I would caution however, have no expectations, accept to enjoy the process and the fact that you actually succeeded in getting that book you’ve been working on in print. Yay!!! Do it. You’ll be glad you did.
Bev Stone is an artist and indie 
children’s book author. Bev started painting and drawing at an early age and was first introduced to watercolor in elementary school. Today Bev paints in both watercolor and oil and continues to write children’s books while living in the beautiful state of Idaho, overlooking the Snake River. Many of her paintings and book updates can be found on her website, www.artbybevstone.com.
You can follow Bev on Twitter: @BevStone13
Credits: All illustrations in this interview post are created and owned by Bev Stone and come from her award-wining children’s book The Red and Black Ladybug.
Nancy O’Neill – #1 on The Gittle List 2015
#1 on The Gittle List 2015 was written by Nancy O’Neill and illustrated by children around the world.
Nancy O’Neill, author of the Guess What? series of books, won the #1 slot on The Gittle List 2015 for Guess What is in the Ocean?
How did it feel to win the #1 spot on The Gittle List Top 10? I woke up one morning and when I logged onto Facebook, I saw your post announcing the winners. I was completely surprised and honored that my fifth Guess What book won. This is the second time I’ve made The Gittle List but the first time I earned the top spot.
What’s you earliest memory of drawing or writing? I’ve been pretty 
creative since grade school. I used to enter the “Can You Draw?” contests that were in the backs of magazines. I never won anything but it was fun to see how closely I could duplicate their image. Writing was completely different. I didn’t really start writing creatively until my late 20’s. One thing led to another and here I am. Funny how things change over time.
What is your favorite color or color combination? As I age, my favorite colors seem to change. I like different colors for different things. I will never have a blue room in my house because it’s such a cold color although I do like the teals and sea greens. For clothes, I’m open to all colors. When it comes to designing book covers, I’ll use any colors that fit the look and feel of the book.
Why did you decide to self-publish? I had written and submitted several children’s stories to traditional publishers in the past. When I wrote the first Guess What book and then decided to feature illustrations from Kids Around the World, I knew self-publishing was the right option. It was easy to self-publish since I had already helped other authors self-publish prior to starting my own series.
Tell us about your latest project. After publishing five Guess What books, I decided I wanted to publish a coloring book to go along with the series, simply named Guess What You Can Color? However, this time I am drawing my own illustrations. The book will include the 13 objects from the first five Guess What books which will make 65 fun, simple pictures for kids – or adults – to color. It will be available this fall, just in time for Christmas gifts.
Madison A. Bolokowicz – Age 15
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? “Do it right the first time.” That has been my dad’s motto for as long as I can remember. He’s 91 years old and still running their own ranch so I value his advice. The second part to that is, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” I often pass this along to clients when they think self-publishing means doing everything themselves. The third piece is, “Patience.” Anything worthwhile shouldn’t be rushed.
What do you do to market your books? I’ve done everything from social media to book signings and school visits. Because of the uniqueness of featuring kids’ illustrations, I do a lot of promoting for my young artists since they are the stars of my books. With their parents’ permission, I send custom press releases to their local media and I also include them at events when possible.
Any advice for writers thinking about self-publishing a children’s 
picture book?
Since I offer self-publishing services to authors, the most common mistake I see is when they have the illustrations done before the manuscript is fully edited. This usually means they’re spending more time and money to have the illustrations revised in order to fit the edited text. The second mistake is not having it edited at all or not understanding the different types of editors. There is a big difference between a good substantive edit and just a proofread.
Click here to buy Guess What is in the Ocean?*
Growing up on a small ranch in the middle of North Dakota gave Nancy many experiences which she uses as inspirations for her stories. She has always gravitated toward anything creative but also likes tech-related challenges. She considers herself a techie geek girl even though she grew up long before the technology era. She believes that if you keep your eyes open, the best opportunities may be right beside you. Nancy lives in southern California with her husband. They have one son in college.
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