I've been quite the party animal this year: this time last week, I went to yet another publisher's party in London. I've never felt so loved! It was my first invitation from Andersen Press, who published my latest, Bears on the Stairs.
I met up with the Bears on the Stairs' author, Julia Jarman, at a pub round the corner to the party, so we could have a quick chat about new project ideas, then go together. I arrived first, but the pub we'd chosen was so full, I couldn't sit down. I felt a lemon just hovering on my own, so went outside (in the COLD!) to wait for Julia, and sketched through the window:
Luckily, she was only 10 minutes, but I had to draw wearing my fingerless gloves!It was a really nice evening. I met up with various other author and illustrator friends, like Mei Matsuoka, whose work I love. She illustrated the wonderful Great Dog Bottom Swap, written by Peter Bently, who also wrote my book A Lark in the Ark. Peter had come all the way up from Devon to be there. Luckily for all us long-distance travellers, Andersen Press provided a proper hot dinner for everyone too, with apple crumble & custard for pud (yum!)
Of course, I've only just come back from my previous jolly in London, but this time I also had the expense of an overnight stay in a London hotel, so I decided to help justify my extravagance by setting up a work meeting while I was there.
Remember that new story idea I began re-working for Gullane, when I got back from the SCBWI conference? Well, I filled 3
2 Comments on Partying at Night, Nail-Biting next Morning, last added: 12/21/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 12/9/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, Jane Cabrera, party, Christmas, Hachette, Gullane, Cassia Thomas, Add a tag
Yes, it's that time of year again. As always, I'm fretting about the Christmas presents I haven't bought, but I've also been looking forward to the parties. Yesterday, two of my publishers, Gullane and Hachette, had Christmas parties on the same afternoon, so I swapped my slippers and slouchy trousers for something a bit more flattering, put on some lippy and got myself off to London.
I had to jump between the two events, so missed half of each, but it did mean twice the fun and frolics for just the one train fare (I'm a well-know tight-wad). It also felt very showbiz: "Sorry, must dash, I have another party to get to..."!
It's so lovely to be treated for the day. The folks at Gullane brought their pink-nosed authors and illustrators back to life with mulled wine, in the wonderfully Dickensian setting of their offices, at the very top of a twisty stairwell, at the back of an old courtyard, behind Fleet St. It was lovely meeting the rest of the team at Gullane, and they had the great idea of creating a display of lots of our books, so when you met someone new, they were able to point to their book and say, 'This is me.'
At 4.30, I zipped across to Oxford Circus with new friend Jane Cabrera, who also works with both publishers. At the Hachette party we swapped 'gentle & intimate' for 'noisy & lively', so it was a fun contrast. At least a couple of hundred children's authors and illustrators were chatting, laughing and swilling their complimentary drinks in the semi-darkness of a trendy bar.
I have been to the Hachette party every Christmas for some years now, so by now I know at least half the faces, which makes it really welcoming. We all live at different corners of the country, so these dos can be the only chance most of us get to see one another, which means we generally get a bit giddy, especially since those lovely guys at Hachette are always really generous and keep the free wine flowing right through the evening too.
It was thinning out by the time I had to leave for my 9pm train home. As usual I cut it a bit tight, but it would have been OK, if I hadn't asked directions of a stranger on Oxford St. "Oxford Circus is that way," he said. But instead I found myself at Tottenham Court Rd, which meant changing lines, which added at least 10 minutes... You know what's coming.
My ticket was for that specific train only, so I had to act as distraught as I could, until the nice ticket lady took pity on me and franked my ticket for the next t
5 Comments on Party Time!, last added: 12/11/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 10/17/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: children, exhibition, competition, Hachette, Waterstones, Gullane, Add a tag
I'm all excited, as an interesting and rather different project has come my way...
I have the opportunity of a big window display in Sheffield City Centre. It's a great chance to showcase my books, just a stones-throw from Waterstones, and might also catch the eye of some local teachers and generate more school visits. The thing is, the space I've been offered is 16ft x 8ft - a massive area to fill with a few itsy-bitsy books. Mmmm... Then I remembered the vinyl stencils we got printed for my exhibition. How striking it would be to have huge cavorting animals all over the window! So, I emailed round my lovely publishers and asked for some dosh.
Gullane and Hachette have offered to split the costs between them (thank you!), so I've been deciding which animals would work best.
The vinyl comes in a 4ft wide roll and I have enough to pay for 12ft of it, so I've been creating a sort of animal jigsaw in Photoshop, trying to fit as many creatures onto the roll as I can, creating digital artwork, ready for the printer. Even at a much smaller scale, the file is still over 250MG!
I've also been thinking lately about ways to display the children's monster drawings from my illustration competition. I showed some to David, the Project Manager and window designer, and he had some interesting ideas about ways to use them in the window too.
I'll take photos when it's all up, so watch this space!
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
4 Comments on Animals on Glass, last added: 10/18/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 10/10/2010
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: interview, publisher, illustration, authors, publishing, talk, sketchbook, editorial, pastels, Gullane, The Show at Rickety Barn, hot tip, Add a tag
I'm still on the go: it's the Cheltenham Festival today so, while I'm away, here is the last of the short films I have to show you. It's sort of a prequel to the others, as it's me talking about how I came to be a children's book illustrator.
I talk about the textile designing and editorial work I did before I discovered children's books and how I got my first picture book commission. It lasts nearly 8 minutes:
If you missed the previous films here are links:
How to illustrate a book part 1
Keeping a sketchbook
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
2 Comments on From Impotence to Singing Cats!, last added: 10/11/2010
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By: Lynne Chapman,
on 10/9/2009
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, Gullane, co-editions, The Show at Rickety Barn, When You're Not Looking, Add a tag
Another post from the ether, while I'm on my travels (right this moment I should be in the middle of a talk at Euxton Library in Morecombe):
I wanted to tell you that a brand new, mini board-book edition of When You're Not Looking! has just been published. Hurrah! This title is a little bit special to me, as it's one that I not only illustrated, but wrote too.
I got the idea for the text at Centre Parcs, when a friend's child tried to feed bread and jam to a squirrel. The squirrel became a gerbil (can't remember why) and I changed the jam to 'marmalade on toast' (it had a better ring):
I am delighted that, though first published 5 years ago, Gullane are still promoting it and producing new editions.
Gullane were my very first publisher. They gave me my initial break in children's books, back in 1999, letting me loose on The Show at Rickety Barn (thanks Paula!).
I have worked with them ever since, and I can barely believe we've now done 11 books together. I love them dearly for keeping all my back titles in print: fantastic, especially these days. Thank you Guys x
see my work at www.lynnechapman.co.uk
0 Comments on When You're Not Looking! as of 1/1/1900
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Wow, Lynne! Sounds like you are becoming a real party animal :)
Thanks for sharing your day with your delightful sketches and exciting news. From the news we here on the other side of the world, the UK seems to be snowed in completel, so it is great to follow your wintery adventures!