Exhibition opens this Thursday

The Illustrators Guild of Ireland collection of Book Illustrations opens this Thursday at The United Arts Club. We are thrilled that Laureate na NÓg Siobhán Parkinson will officially launch the exhibition at 8pm. Featuring lovely originals by PJ Lynch, Kevin Mc Sherry, Steve Simpson, Annie West, and lots more of the IGIers. It runs until February 13th open 11am-11pm daily. Do pop by!

Window Display

Here is a photo of the Dubray Window in Bray, it's the book of the month along with PJ Lynch's The Gift of the Magi.
Sorry I've been so quiet I have been keeping the head down trying to rough up my new book for Walker Books, trying to figure the ins and outs of photoshop!

Book of the Month

Cinderella and PJ Lynch's Gift of the Magi are the Dubray Books of the month for November. Myself and PJ will be signing copies next Thursday in all the Dubray stores.

Change

I spent the day with Conor my rep driving around all the Easons signing copies of Cinderella. It’s half price in all Eason Stores for one week only.
Here is a copy of the Argosy Christmas Catalogue, it was commissioned for Argosy who sell wholesale into Independent bookstores. I always try to support the independents. We have a lovely little bookstore in our Town Skerries Bookstore, run by Paddy. It's a great little shop and he is a great supporter of my books.
I also think that books are the best Christmas present and I am making my list up now so if you know me expect a book. So fantastic to curl up in front of the fire and read or sit your little one on your knee for a cosy read.
I know its credit crunch time but I still think that books are good value, for a night in just add cup of hot chocolate and warm fire!

Last night I stayed up 'til two in the morning watching the coverage of US elections but my peepers had to go asleep in the end. When we woke up this morning we all raced down to turn on the news. I was so happy and delighted that Obama is new president...what a monumental moment in time. The coverage was incredibly moving, it really was a young peoples vote for change and hopefully Obama will change the world for the better, to a happier world :-)

Winter Sun

All of a sudden it is real wintry, the light has changed to a grey white colour. I am much more relaxed this week after a mad October of visits and workshops, so it's great that I have some time back. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love reading and meeting kids they are after all why I write books. I always am blown away by the enthusiasm and the ease of the kids when I do a drawing workshop.
So I am getting back into my routine cup of tea, check messages and then sit down at desk to come up with ideas for my new book. I am also going to start doing some new work that I may exhibit in a little gallery in Skerries where I live for their Christmas show.

Easons are doing half price promotion on Cinderella for this week only, it's fantastic offer so if you haven't got a copy yet....

Mice and other stuff

A Cinderella review on Citv an interview in The Irish Word.
Tomorrow I will be in Drogheda as part of the Children's Leanbh Arts Festival.

A night to remember....

An amazing night was hosted by John Huddy at the Illustration Cupboard last Thursday. Lots of family and friends were there. John did an amazing job; the illustrations were beautifully displayed and glittered under the lights. David Lloyd said some words, about 'Poor Cinderella!' and lots about fishing...Thank you David :-) I also met Max Eilenberg for the first time, which was just lovely. After lots of sips champagne, and some yummy nibbles we tottered off to Cocoon to celebrate. Yvonne and Pauline stayed out past midnight but I heard the bells a ringing and hightailed it before my carriage turned back into a pumpkin!

The clock is ticking

Tonight I am packing my bags for London! Owen, Megan and my folks are going over for my exhibition tomorrow. Lots of people will be there all my Walker Books crowd and hopefully some friends too. Call by if you are near Bury Street it opens at six at the Illustration Cupboard. Or if you want to pop by on Saturday Max Eilenberg will be reading from Cinderella and I might draw a few mice!

This Week!

My exhibition opens on Thursday in The Illustration Cupboard! You are all welcome to swing by to see the art at Bury Street. I will be there with Max Eilenberg on Saturday afternoon for a family reading and book signing.

Invitations!

My invitations arrived this morning for my show in October in The Illustration Cupboard!

A date with Cinderella

Hurray! Today is the official Cinderella publication date!

OOPS! and now this

Sorry I seemed to delete yesterdays message, I never got a chance to reply to the invite from the girl in Leitrim. Oops can you can you post again?

When I was researching for Cinderella, I was allowed access to the Early Printed Books section of Trinity College Library. It was so amazing to be able to handle and make sketches of 15th and 16th century books. The Keeper Charles Benson was amazing. He told me that the collection was catalogued according to author, not by illustrator or content. It was his knowledge of the books and what was contained inside them that helped me so much. I told Charles that I would love to see books similar to the Les Très Riches Heures, a medieval manuscript that was painted by the Limbourg Brothers in the 15th Century. Charles would then disappear down into the vaults and come back with the most amazing illustrated volumes that were a wonderful inspiration to me. I spent many days in the reading room making little pencil notes in my notebook. You are not allowed bring in pens or ink to the reading room. After a few days of this Charles told me 'Why don't you bring in your digital camera and take some photos!' And so I did, the images are out of copyright here are a few little doodles from the drawing days.

Cinderella!

First finished copy of Cinderella arrived by courier today!

Its always really exciting to see the finished book. For this book I did research in Early Printed Books in Trinity College. I was inspired by Books of Hours:  I made sketches from original 16th Century manuscripts in the reading room. The hats, costumes and settings were inspired from original 16th century books. Here is a sketch from one of my notebooks that shows the early outfit that inspired the wicked stepmother's. Cinderella will be published in September by Walker Books and Candlewick Press in the US.

Amazon
Candlewick

Magic dust and fairy godmothers!

November 2007: I have just put the finishing touches to my new book Cinderella - retold by Max Eilenburg. After lots of research into early printed manuscripts in Trinity College and doodling in my notebook I started painting last November. A year later all the sparkle has been added to the fairy godmother, the pumpkin coach, and to Cinderella'a magical dresses. To be published by Walker Books in September 2008.

To pre-order Cinderella, visit Amazon