Let's Talk About My Book

Hello friends!!!

So, I don't think I've mentioned this project on my blog here at all since I've started it. Man, what a dummy I am!!! Yea, so as you already know (by the title) that I am finally writing my own children's book. It's not the typical children's book your thinking of, one that is only about 10 pages, with more illustrations than words....it's quite the opposite. This book is going to be one that you can read to you 'older' children, I'm writing it to be an experience you can share with your child. My target age range is between 6-13ish. It's simple enough to read to your younger ones, but interesting enough and has deeper meaning for your older ones. This is a book you're going to have to have a conversation about.

The idea for this story came to me on a drive home from college a few years back. It was fall and there's always a good bit of fog around that time of year. Being from Pennsylvania, I am no stranger to hills and valleys. On this day home from school, I was coming down from a rather large hill and towards the bottom I noticed a giant fog cloud just sitting in the middle of trees. There was such a separation between where the fog was and was not. And, this got my gears turning and ever since then (roughly fall of 2013) I have been dreaming up this world within the cloud. Something about seeing that weird little fog cloud instantly had my mind just swirling with thoughts and I couldn't shut it off. I tried a few years before that to write a children's book, but it ended up taking a turn for the 'sad' while I was writing it and I couldn't finish it. I was writing it around the time that my mom got really sick and I think that some how crept it's way into my writing. Since taking a few years to clear my mind, I'm back at it and I think this time around the story is really good. I've learned a lot in between then.

Let's talk about this book....I don't want to give too much away. I'm still writing and I haven't even started on the illustrations or layout yet. But, I'm really happy with where it's going so far. The main character, Helen, is thrown into a new life after a terrible family accident and decides to find a new path on her own. She braves the unknown to find peace and understanding that her new extended family is unwilling to give her. So, Helen runs away and eventually finds Cloud Town deep, deep in the woods where she eventually finds a community that is just as diverse and outcast as she is and they welcome her in with open arms!

I'm hoping to have the entire story, the illustrations and everything done, printed and ready for sale by next spring! It may even come out sooner depending on how quickly I get thru this writing process, that's what is taking me the most time. I feel like I can't really illustrate every thing properly until the story is finished. Now, I must admit...I am no professional writer, I'm a damn illustrator, but I'm doing my best to write the best story I possibly can. And, I have a few friends that are writers that I eventually plan to ask them to help me edit and make the story a million times better, or at least fix my spelling errors.

The story has a lot of under lying themes that aren't right in your face, things that you have to think a little extra about and have conversations about to really understand. A big focus of this project is to gently force you to talk to your kids and provide opportunities to have deeper conversations; instead of just reading a book where the morals are so blatantly in the foreground. I know those books are good for really little ones, but for the older kids, I feel it cheapens the meaning and is an insult to your intelligence. I want you to think and I want you to grow along with your children. Books are meant to be shared and talked about. And I hope this one helps open up more dialog between you.

If you would like to help me make this book and get first looks at the progress and a deeper look at the story, I invite you to check out my Patreon and consider becoming a patron. You'll get small snippets of storyline, first looks at character development and first looks at other projects I'm working on. You can pledge as little as $1 to help out with the book. Every dollar you pledge not only helps me get this book to where it needs to be but it also helps me bring you more content, and you get prizes! It certainly is not an obligation, but if you find it in your heart to help out please do. I appreciate all the support and love each and every one of you that have expressed interest in this project.

I can't wait to officially share this book with you, let you read it and have it just out in the world. This is definitely a passion project and something that has been in my head for a really long time. So, it is a wonderful feeling to finally see it becoming a real thing. Thank you for taking the time to read this incredibly long winded post, and thank you for your continued support and love! You guys don't know how much it means to me that people are even remotely interested in my project. Sending love your way!!

xoxo. holly erinn

Recent Project Round-Up

Hello friends, 

Since the wrap up of the book, I've been kind of floating around aimlessly on projects here and there. I honestly haven't been altogether that focused but I'm working on that. I've recently started putting together a legitimate editorial calendar, and thus far have been sticking to it. I'm only in the first week, but so far that's good for me. I'm writing this a little later that I had originally scheduled, but I'm getting it out on time. Being a self-employed freelance illustrator and shop owner has made me realize how much I need just a bit more structure in my life. I think I've talked about this before with you guys. First order of business is to get my office back in working order. I would be completely mortified if you guys saw the state it's in now. After the last two markets, I thoroughly tore it up! 

But, today I wanted to share with you some of the "inbetween" things I've been working on over the past few weeks. All of the projects in this post are works in progress, and are unfinished. Up top is a dress I started this past Wednesday. Eventually, I am going to do some embroidery around the neckline, arms, and waistline. Not sure what design I'm going with yet, but what ever I end up deciding I know it's going to be a lot of work. This dress will eventually be in the shop, but she's got a bit more work to be done before that can happen. 

Below are a few illustrations/sketches that I've been in the middle of for the past few weeks/months. There was a period of time where I was only drawing women with multiple creepy hands or witches with multiple hands floating in some mysterious mist. Recently, I've also been trying my hand at drawing more animals. Usually I only draw humans, mostly woman, and over the years that can get a little tired and boring. I find myself getting stuck in a rut with some style, and like to switch it up from time to time. I'd been researching my native american heritage and had several books on animals local to the Pennsylvania forests when I drew the woman with the doe at her feet. I'd like to either finish that sketch or revisit the idea. I feel like there's a story there that needs to come out. 

At the very bottom is a piece that I've been working off and on for the past year or so. It may actually be longer than that, I honestly can't remember. As most of you know, I have a very unhealthy obsession with Alice in Wonderland. It's one of those pieces that I started forever ago in pen, really ended up liking it just as an inked illustration, and then got scared to paint it. So, it sat in a pile of unfinished pieces forever. And there it sits, still unfinished. I will eventually finish it. I like is so far, and it's become such a heavy piece in my head that I can't bring myself to work on it most days. I still wanted to share it with you thou, even if it is so unfinished. It's one of my favorites, and I find myself looking at it a lot. Hopefully, you like it too. 

I hope you guys enjoy this post. In the future, I'd like to share more of these types of posts with you as I finish more projects. It's always kind of fun to see things in the middle of there process. 

Have you written about a project you've been working on? 

Share it with me down below in the comments!! 

xo. holly erinn