I've been posting regularly about my book and I'm so so close now and hopefully by next week I will know if this will go on sale. This week I received my first proof copy and although it was lovely to see my own story and drawings in a real life book, I hadn't quite aligned things right and had a few settings wrong, so I was left with an unwanted boarder on the cover as well as internally, so I've (hopefully) amended this now and I'm now awaiting the second proof copy. Hopefully this won't be a third time lucky situation as I really really want this second one to just work!
This is so much more than just a book for me, which although is an achievement in itself, the satisfaction I will get if this actually goes on sale and I can head into the kids school to read the story to my kids and their friends is going to be insane! The kids are very excited too and I really hope some of the kids will enjoy it and recognise some of the places in the illustrations, which just so happens to be right next to their school.
This first book is more about marking the fact that I'm over a bad phase in my life, one where I felt completely useless frankly. I feel so much happier, stronger and confident in my abilities. I don't have hopes of fame or fortune with this, I know I'll sell a few to friends and family if it gets the nod from Amazon and that'll be it, but it is so much more than that for me. This shows I can do things I set my mind to, I can finish things and it shows my kids that we can do things like this and that being creative can be great for us.
The story was inspired by things Alfie used to say when he was a toddler, he was so convinced he saw an eel in the arboretum one day and as Sophie grew up, the tale of the arboretum eel carried on and it's something they both adore and they love my drawings which makes it even more worthwhile.
Hopefully, my next update will include an Amazon link (to my book not just some random table or something), but even if it doesn't I know I've tried my best and finished something properly, which for me is success in itself. I hope it gets approved though as I think the more I share it, the more my confidence will build! It will also motivate me to get stuck into my next one as I have a few stories all ready to illustrate, all based on things the kids have said in our local area.
So, please cross your fingers, send me your happy vibes, hope, pray, anything that works for you that this second proof is perfect and I get the go ahead to list it for sale! It would mean SO much.
