Sally's Blog
Blog
Sometimes it takes a very long time
26th January 2019
Creating a picture book (or any other book) and getting it published doesn’t happen overnight, at whatever point in the process we’re talking about. Whether it’s the writing of the story, the mapping out of illustrations, finding a publisher, the completion of finished artwork, the scheduling of the book’s publication,...
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Blog
What if it’s a rejection?
3rd July 2017
At what point do you give up on a writing project and accept that whatever you might think of it yourself, if it keeps being rejected by publishers then perhaps it just isn’t good enough? It’s a question I’ve had to ask myself a few times, because regardless of the...
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Blog
Breaking into overseas markets
12th October 2016
It was interesting talking a few days ago with a young Portuguese woman – in Portugal – about children’s books across the world and how different the book-buying markets are in different countries. I don’t think any of my books have been published in Portugal, though several have been translated...
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Blog
Goats, a troll and keeping it fresh
24th February 2016
I’ve just completed my take on the story of the goats gruff and their attempts to thwart a nasty troll and cross a bridge to fresher pastures. Called ‘It’s the Troll!’, it’s a follow-up to ‘Help!’, which was in turn a follow-up to ‘Keep Out!’ and my all-time favourite ‘Shhh’,...
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Blog
Spilled Water – a film?
9th September 2015
However much I try to keep calm and think of other things, I can’t help but feel a wee bit excited from time to time about the fact there is film interest in my children’s novel, Spilled Water. Nothing may come of it, I’m only too well aware, but it’s...
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Blog
On working with Peter Utton – part 2
3rd September 2015
I had more fun putting together my new book, HELP!, than any other book I’ve ever< written. I say ‘putting together’, because it was more like working on a jigsaw puzzle than writing; there were so many different elements to think about. And it was a further opportunity to collaborate...
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Blog
On working with Peter Utton
11th August 2015
Publishers are often very good at keeping authors and illustrators apart – something to do with preventing the author from unduly influencing and possibly inhibiting the illustrator. From what I remember, Peter Utton and I didn’t meet during the creation of our extremely successful book, SHHH! (published in 1991). I...
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Blog
On the creation of a picture book
14th July 2015
I have occasionally been asked by would-be children’s authors if they have to find their own artist for a story they have written that requires illustration, and whether it’s necessary to submit illustrations alongside their story. The answer is no. . In general, the author of a picture book comes...
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Blog
How Keep Out! came about
20th December 2014
KEEP OUT!, published in 2013, was a follow-up to SHHH!, published in 1991. Of course, KEEP OUT! didn’t take 22 years to write – it’s only about 250 words long! – but frankly I didn’t have in mind to do a follow-up. SHHH! was a one-off idea. It won the...
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Article
More Than Words
14th August 2014
From an article I wrote for Your Cotswold Family magazine... '
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