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The wonderful work of iCenizal

Posted on 25 January, 2014 by elsa Posted in Great e-books by self-published Children's book authors, Interviews .

 ”Oh the places you’ll go!” – Dr. Seuss

I have just returned from a six week vacation that took us to some wildly wonderful and unexpected places. We drove the vast and isolated deserts of Nevada, Arizona and California, and met some very interesting characters. Before we took the trip, I had been wondering about the direction of this blog, the questions were “How can I be helpful? What should be the focus?” This trip allowed me to realize that my love for meeting people and my passion for teaching can be combined.  I am in the learning process myself and would like to introduce you to the great people I meet along the way.

Today, I would like you to meet i Cenizal, a children’s book illustrator whose work I admire for being whimsical and fun. With more than 25 published children’s book, i Cenizal is a seasoned artist. It is no wonder then, that the layouts, designs and illustrations of her work are truly flawless. Her style is easily recognized for her like of pastels, round character heads and beautiful outdoor sceneries. Apart from being a skilled illustrator, she is a well-rounded gal with knowledge of video and animation editing,  photography, writing, painting and a love for cycling. She blogs about her passions and art over icenizal , a blog definitely worth a visit for your daily dose of cuteness. The blog has a wonderful collection of her different art styles as well as a generous portion of her first picture book- Mafi and her first bike ride Amazon.com: Mafi and her First Bike Race eBook: i Cenizal: Kindle Store one she authored and illustrated.

 

And now for an Interview with iCenizal:

How did you get started as an illustrator?

I have always loved art, as a kid I loved drawing and reading picture books. At some point I decided to blend these two through illustrating Children’s Book.

How did you find your style? has it changed since you first started?

In the past, I painted using oil pastels and it occurred to me that I could also use these colors for my digital illustrations.

How would you describe your work?

I would describe my work as “carefree, and child-like” Illustrations that appeal to children and can easily be understood by them. I do illustrate using different styles, when requested by the author.

How many books would you say you have illustrated in your career?

More than 25 published books.

What is the best/most fun part of your work?

Everything, from reviewing the story, making character studies, storyboarding, to illustrating and coloring.

What is the worst/most difficult part of your job?

Honestly, I have no idea. I am very fortunate to do what I love most and I appreciate every part of it.

What motivated you to illustrated and write Mafi?

There are a lot of Alleycat / Bike races here. I was riding my bike one time in the streets of Manila and I felt like everybody was moving, I felt like the vehicles were chasing me, I sensed the speed of light, as if  I were on a race. And that night, I felt like I needed to record it or illustrate that vision.

When you are not working what do you like to do?

Ride my bike just like Mafi,  and read books

What fonts would you recommend for the interior of a picture book? for the cover?

I use simple easy to read fonts, nothing too playful.

What advice do you have for someone looking to hire a children’s book illustrator?

I suggest for the author to really look through the portfolio of the illustrator, and see if their story will fit with the artist style of artwork.

How much do your illustration services cost?

I have no standard rate,  it depends on the story, number of pages, details of the illustrations, and numbers of characters.

Thank you i Cenizal! We look forward to more of your work.

abike race 0a coverpage08bike race 08climber6trialScreen Shot 2012-08-04 at 3.01.18 PM

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The Adventures of Zeppi #8 Castle Mountains Part 1- Trip to the Castle by C.K Omillin

Posted on 29 November, 2013 by elsa Posted in Great e-books by self-published Children's book authors .

The Adventures of Zeppi #8 Castle Mountains Part 1- Trip to the Castle by  C.K Omillin

I read The Adventures of Zeppi #8 Castle Mountains Part 1- Trip to the Castle by C.K Omillin

C.K Omillin is an author/illustrator of a series of Zeppi Adventure books, Zeppi is a penguin.  I read number 8 in the series,  and now wish I would have started at number one.

The book has beautiful water color and pencil illustrations,  but the word choice and narrative descriptions are so vivid that this book would be equally as captivating without them.  I have never been to a castle before, but if I ever did, I would open every door and peek in, I felt like I did just that after having finished the book.  Zeppi the penguin and his friend squirrel who he sneaks into the train in a suitcase, go on their first castle vacation. The two little creatures, get into a bit of mischief on the train ride, they behave like two curious young children, but have the advantage of being animals and therefore are given a lot of leeway in the human world. Being that they are little creatures they are also closer to nature  in ways that had the author chosen to make Zeppi a child would not have been possible. Zeppi the penguin uses expressions like “greenie” meaning to “care about ecology,” so yes this book has both brains and beauty.


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Now as far as passing the wholesome test… it did have a mention of a ghost which I do not read to my kids about, but I have yet to see if this is just a playful “Zeppi thought it was a ghost BUT…” for that I will read part #9 and let you know!

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Indie Children’s Author of the Week Shimrit Nothman

Posted on 14 November, 2013 by elsa Posted in Great e-books by self-published Children's book authors, Interviews .

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GIve it back! new cover

If you have ever read articles on “how to write for children”,  many will tell you to steer away from writing obvious lessons. The advice has merit and is true for most of us… but what do you do if you have a completely different perspective and approach of the “how” to  of dealing with common behavior issues in children? What do you do if you have a background in Psychology, a know-how in conflict resolution and an interest in helping children?  You take on a direct approach.

 

This is true of this week’s featured Indie Author, Shimrit Nothman, who has taken a straighforward approach with her children’s books:  Give it Back! , No it’s Mine!, and Justine, We’re Late!

The books aimed at children age 3-8, follow Justine and her brother Benjy, as they learn to deal with common childhood troubles. Problems such as: sharing, taking without asking, sibling rivalry and common arguments. The children’s toys will offer different approaches to dealing with a conflict, and the children are left to decide what advice to follow.  The books have a clever twist, Give it Back! is written from Justine’s perspective, while No It’s Mine! from brother Benjy’s.

I can imagine the nitpicking that would be done to this book by traditional publishers, but the reality is, as parents we appreciate a little help.  At the end of each book is a “Parents Guide”, and “Tips for Resolving Problems with the Little Ones.”  You get two books in one, and it might just be one of the best well-spent .99cents.

We sat Author Shimrit Notham to answer  a few questions as well as give us a little advice…

 

Tell us a bit about your academic background?

I received my BA in Psychology and Communication at Haifa University, where I was also elected as the president of my university’s Debating club.

After working for a few years in the ‘Debate Ltd’ company, I attended Tel Aviv University, where I received my Masters in Conflict Resolution.

What/who inspires you to write for children?

One of my most cherished childhood memories is my mother telling us bedtime stories.  Some were stories read from a children’s book and some were stories she made up on the spot. My love for stories never ceased, and when I found myself at the age of 30 writing children stories of my own, it felt just right.

Why write books that aim at teaching children conflict resolution?

‘Conflict Resolution’ may seem like a very heavy concept that only applies to grown-ups, but really it is a general name to any fight, argument or disagreement that we experience in our life. Children are no different to adults in that regard. They deal with several different conflicts at school or kindergarten, and at home everyday.
On top of that, studies found that adults tend to carry on using the same conflict resolution skills they’ve developed at childhood.

For both these reasons, I’ve written children’s books, on the basis that the effective conflict resolution skills they learn today will help them tomorrow and for many years to come.

What have been your biggest challenges in self-publishing?

The first big challenge that I had was figuring out the basics: Where do I find a good illustrator? How do I upload my book on Amazon? and How do I use the KDP free promotion days effectively?
The second biggest challenge that I’m facing is motivating myself. When it’s only you behind the wheel, you must wear many hats: you’re the writer, you’re the publisher, you’re the strategist and the promoter. You need to decide what portion of your time goes to what task, and there is no one pushing you forward and encouraging you to ‘keep up the good work’.

This is the reason why I’ve joined a few different support groups for authors, aimed at helping self-published authors tackle some basic self-publishing issues, and also offering mutual emotional support to all the group members.

What advice would you give someone looking into self-publishing a children’s book?

Find a good illustrator!  I guess it goes without saying that nicely illustrated books sell better than poorly illustrated ones. The problem is that generally good illustrators charge more for their work. Self-publishing authors have less funds available than big publishing companies, and so new authors normally look for every option to cut costs, illustrations included. However good your book is, the book’s cover is the first thing that catches the eye of your potential readers. Many times it’s the deciding factor for them whether to purchase your book and read it or look for something else.

Therefore, my advice is- find a good illustrator! It will pay itself back in due time.

where can we find your book?

You can find my books on Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Shimrit-Nothman/e/B00CESJVD8/

Are there plans for a new book?

I’m currently in the midst of writing a conflict-resolution themed book aimed at adults. I’m also considering adding another book to my children’s book series about little Justine who faces conflicts wherever she goes.

What is your advice for parents who deal with young children and sibling rivalry?

The short answer is – try keeping out of it! It may be the hardest thing for a parent to do, but has potential to yield the best results in the long run.

Here is an article I wrote for The Jerusalem Post about this exact problem just a few weeks ago:

http://www.jpost.com/LifeStyle/Sibling-rivalries-Interfere-or-not-interfere-328375

Also, each of my books available on Amazon contains a Parents’ Guide, with suggested methods of helping their children learn to deal with conflicts, through use of the books and in daily life.

Thank you Shimrit, Indie Author of the week for her theme choice, direct approach and great book reviews.

 

 

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Teddy O’ Malley- Recommended self-published children’s book author of the week

Posted on 8 November, 2013 by elsa Posted in Great e-books by self-published Children's book authors .

You know the expression “Do not judge a book by it’s cover?”

Up until recently I was a  firm believer that this expression applied to everything and anything BUT books.

Readers, absolutely judge a book by the quality of it’s cover, it’s layout, and  illustrations. This is especially true of children’s literature. There is a certain stigma with self-published children’s books- the belief that these books are often  amateurish in both illustrations and writing.  One look at the FREE and  0.99 sections of most ebook publishers, and this opinion is difficult to dispute.

The misconception that children’s books are easy to write and easy to sell, may be behind the trend of poorly illustrated, poorly edited children’s ebooks.

These writers often fall into two categories:

  • Those who believe they can make a quick buck.
  • Those who have all of the right intentions, but simply make common writing mistakes.

The expression “do not judge a book by it’s cover.” can go one of two ways in children’s literature,  you can be pleasantly surprised by a book that is amateurish in appearance but has a great story, or be put-off by a book with great illustrations that do not make a poorly written story any better.

What has made me reconsider my tendency to judge ebooks, by their appearance?

This book

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Destiny and Faith’s Summer Adventures by Teddy O’Malley

At first glance, it is difficult to see how this book can be fit for “tween” readers, and the illustrations drawn out by Teddy O’Malley, are a bit on the amateur-side . What Teddy O’Malley, may lack in illustration abilities she makes up for in her writing.

Teddy O’Malley is talented in a way most writers wish we were.  Her writing is unpretentious, and takes on the voice and mentality of a child in a way few authors can. Her book is well written, fun and has embedded messages of acceptance, without ever breaking the laugh out loud moments of her adventurous characters.

Teddy O’Malley is going places, all this author needs is a chance, so if you come across her books remember “not to judge a book by it’s cover.”

 

 

 

Destiny And Faith’s Summer Adventures (Volume 2): Teddy O’Malley, Angie Dickens: 9781490986319: Amazon.com: Books 

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Talee and the Fallen Object – Fantasy Adventure Coloring Book

Posted on 28 October, 2013 by elsa Posted in Great e-books by self-published Children's book authors .

I came across Talee and the Fallen Object written by Jaquitta A. McManus, while trying to device a marketing plan for Goo and Spot and the Do NOt Wiggle Riddle. Author Jaquitta A. McManus, is a brilliant example of a well executed book launch.

I decided to take a peek at her book, hoping to introduce chapter books to my nearly five year old. I must admit- initially Yumi, showed little interest in the book and asked “where are the PICTURES?” There are beautifully illustrated pictures in this early reader chapter book, but being that Yumi and I still read only picture books she expected ALL pictures. Well if you know my sassy little lady, it was more like demanded. I put the book down and gave it a second try a week later, this time I had read the book previously and had gotten a feel for the style and the story.

Talee spelled T-A-L-E-E and pronounced (TAH-Lee), is an eight year old girl who introduces herself to the reader by teaching us the correct pronunciation as well as the spelling, which I thought was both clever and adorable. Yumi, can definitely relate, as she has recently shown an interest in spelling (her new favorite thing to do besides draw) and is quick to tell you her name is pronounced (YOU-ME) not YUMMY!

From the very first page the reader is engaged with the following… “I just came in from outside. The sun is warm. Can you feel it?” this sets the tone of the story about a chatty and curious little girl with a bit of sassiness, who lives in an extraordinary place. Author Jaquitta A. McManus, has created great balance by writing a fantasy adventure with a character who is charmingly relatable, and a planet that is equally magical.

The planet of Gala, “the best planet ever.” is composed of floating land masses filled with Calpas,” big friendly flying animals.” What I loved about the book was how believable the character of Talee, is- a spunky, mischievous little girl that is not much unlike my own little girl.

Although this book is not something I would have typically read to Yumi, after the first chapter she did not even remember her demand for pictures, she was engaged in the story and made two new comments “oh that Calpa is so cute!” and “that’s all you will read tonight?” (wanting to be read more of the story).
I do think it is a bit too difficult for younger children to follow by themselves but would definitely recommend it for children 6years old to 9years old. Or if you are looking to introduce chapter books to your young children by reading out-loud, start here and check out Talee and the Fallen Object by Jaquitta A. McManus.

Amazon.com: Talee and the Fallen Object eBook: Jacquitta A. McManus, Brian Hardison: Kindle Store

And the website with Free Coloring pages of the book and a bonus “write your own story” page that encourages kids to write!
» Talee and the Fallen Object Coloring Book Adventure: Preview Talee’s World
Talee_Cover_web

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Writing for children is a noble art. One that I love and support. I invite you to take a look around, and rediscover the love of children's literature. Elsa Takaoka

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