2016 - IN 16 WORDS!
Fish Sticker, Chips, Pirate Drawing, Rotto, Radio, Singapore, Stars, Drafts, Inktober, Book Week, Bonjour, Mural, Website!
So this happened:
- My second picture book, CHIP, was published and launched. The reviews were great and my reading featured on Little Rocker’s Radio.
- Fish Jam was released in a new softcover edition.
- I was then shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year, Crichton Award for Illustration! This means Fish Jam now has a shiny new sticker on it’s cover.
- I spent a good part of 2016 illustrating 1, 2, Pirate Stew, which is currently being printed. We will hoist the 1, 2, Pirate Stew flag in March 2017. A mockup of the book sailed to the Bologna Book Fair where it’s cover was also featured in a lightbox display at the Bonnier Publishing stand.
- Thanks to Writing WA I attended the Asian Festival of Children’s Content in Singapore as a speaker in May. My books sold out, I met many fabulous, talented and interesting people, then indulged in an editing workshop by Sarah Odedina, editor of Harry Potter!
- The annual SCBWI Rottnest Island writer’s and illustrator’s retreat was wild as usual. Workshops by illustrator Craig Smith and editor Erica Wagner were greatly inspiring.
- I spent many late nights tapping away at the draft of my first 15,000 word chapter book. I then threw most of it out (after a manuscript critique at Rottnest Island) and began rewriting it into a series of 4 chapter books! I have now finished the first draft of the first book, which is only the beginning... I have a long way to go!
- Book Week was a whirlwind of author / illustrator visits to many Perth schools and libraries. Other events I blew my trumpet at included NaNoWriMo, The Reading Hour, Books From Your Backyard, Subiaco Primary Spring Fair, Bonjour Perth French Festival, and A Night With Our Stars. For the second year in a row I judged the WA illustration division of the Write A Book In A Day competition.
- In addition to my creative writing, I illustrated an Inktober half marathon (check it out at my Instagram page kylie_howarth), painted a Playgroup mural, and splashed a lot of paint around in the backyard creating more delicious textures with my children.
- And finally I built my author / illustrator website! Complete with teacher’s notes, free colouring in sheets, illustrator gallery, upcoming events, blog and much, much more!
So what will 2017 bring?
- Arrrrrrr, me mateys! I’ll be getting my pirate on in 2017. Watch this space for the release and launch of 1, 2, Pirate Stew!
- Ill also be presenting and painting at The Perth Writer’s Festival, details to be announced Jan 11th.
- Work will continue on my chapter book series and I’ll hopefully be able to begin pitching it to publishers. I also have a few picture book manuscripts that are awaiting illustrations before they can be pitched too.
- Book week will become book month this year as I am already booked out for the official week! I still have some availability during the weeks either side, but they are filling up quickly.
- And finally, I’ll continue to work on my brand new website updating book news, upcoming events, kid’s art activities, giveaways and other blogtastic posts. Be sure to subscribe if you would like to be kept in the loop!
The final word
I would like to say a humongous thank you to everyone who has supported me and my books this year. THANK YOU! You are all super and I hope you all have a super 2017.