on February 24, 2021
GIVING BIRTH TO KATIE
I received some great news yesterday that one of the major suppliers of books to libraries nationally is including my book Creme and Caramels Big Adventure on their database of recommendations for libraries to purchase This really fits in with my target niche to see the book with its gentle antibullying message in libraries and primary school libraries across Australia ……So out of the stalls with that objective off and running …… good one
Now then to the book I want to do next which is one which I personally love and have had on the back burner for a few years now which I feel really deserves to be out there bringing enjoyment and inspiration and a little bit of fun and magic to kids.
Actually this one is nearly completed . With some beautiful illustrations by talented English illustrator Gemma Luker . I love her work. I find it whimsical warm and endearing. Gemma and I worked for about 14 months to create the 10 illustrations for this book hich celebrates the birth of a new little girl called Katie ….
I found Gemma through Elance freelancer site which is now called UPwork . I put up an add and short listed a few people to do a piece of sample art for me and Gemma was one of them and I remember when Gemma sent me something She said “Here Wendy I have something for you ” and when I saw what she had sent and my heart skipped a beat becuase I knew her style and interpretation was a good match for my project .. it had the light hearted slightly naive modern
style I wanted .so I hired her ……
Gemma and I worked together for around 14 months .Undertaking a joint creative enterprise can be like a marriage its like this synergy of artistic nuance and sensibility and when it works to produce something better than you could ever have come up with alone its a most wonderful feeling and when it works you are walking the tightrope with delight doing a little victory jaunt as you go .
It s a beautiful thing when you can ask the artist to add another eyelash or the extra shade of colour to add the bloom to a flower and they see what you want and send it straight back I loved this about working with Gemma .Not to say we got everything right first take Sometimes we seemed to be going back and forth for days on a picture and she probably thought me an exacting tyrant but we always got there in the end . 
We did have a falling out right at the tail end of the project .It was a terrible quarrel .Harsh words were said on both sides and I always wished we might have been in the same country so if we could have sat down face to face over a cuppa we might have got past the difficulties which ensued 
Its a hard thng when continents separate you and you cant sit down together face to face although these days with the modern technology like zoom calls it would be a lot easier . Thats part of the creative journey I guess you take the highs with the lows I did put the book away for a long time feeling deeply wounded and unable to go on with the project
However I realize now that to not move forwards with it not only negates and doesn’t honour the many creative hours of time and talent and good will and love and creativity that went into the project from both sides and would be a waste of considerable waste of my money and be a withhold from the world of what really is a lovely book that deserves to be out there
I hvae decided though that Katies time is now and I am delighted to finally feel confident to move forwards with taking this baby into development as a book and it may even be out in print and available for purchase in the next few months
WATCH THIS SPA CE