Sneak Peek!

Here's a sneak peek of the next children's book I'm working on! I hope to have all the illustrations drawn and colored by the end of this week. Watch for it!

Unexpectedly, an Illustrator

When I lost most of my sight in 2014, the last thing I expected to do with my suddenly copious free time was to start creating illustrated books for children!  I had made two while I could see, and had published them on CreateSpace: Colors and Numbers and Around the Color Wheel.  I thought my days of drawing were over, since I could not see the text on a printed page.

Then I remembered the days when I made some pretty cool chatroom avatars, back in the 90s, using MSPaint.  I could zoom in, and we had, after the first six months or so of my blindness, acquired adaptive computer equipment that let me see what I was doing, as long as I was patient with my own limitations.  After a few false starts, I created Five Green Speckled Frogs, using MSPaint to create all of my original illustrations, and using transparent pastring to place my images on a set background, which I had also drawn.  It reminded me of making pictures with those vinyl cling images and background boards we played with in my childhood.  I used the slightly altered version of the song preferred by my little cousin, who was then four.  Soon after, I rewrote Three Little Kittens, and used MSPaint to create the illustrations for that, as well.  I published both using CreateSpace.

At the beginning of this month, I was stuck inb the hospital for several days.  My husband brought me a small drawing book, some black Sharpie markers, and a couple of ten-count boxes of the wide-tipped Crayola classic markers that were on the back to school sales.  While the medications ran through my IV, I sat in bed and drew pictures.  I drew all of the illustrations for Debbie Draws the Alphabet, for How Many Bugs, and for Shapes We Eat, to each of which I later added text, using the computer, and published through CreateSpace.  At home (sparing the nurses the mess!), I cut shapes from colored construction paper, and added googly eyes, to create the animals, and a background page, which came together to become Farmyard Friends.  Yes, I published that on CreateSpace, as well!

Suddenly, as long as the lines are bold enough, I can draw pictures suitable for chuldren!

I've stocked up on more paper and markers, and added some colorful highlighters for variety.  I have several more children's books in my head, and I've already started drawing the illustrations for the next one!  Watch for updates as I see what a legally blind author and illustrator can do!

(I haven't stopped work on book 2 of the What Mother Goose Meant series: More What Mother Goose Meant!  I have the series outlined out to book 12, so I'll be writing on that as much as I can, and drawing in the evenings.  I've just finished the chapter for "I Had a Little Husband," nd I'm working on "I Love Litle *****.")

New Children's Books!

I was out of touch for a week or so, while I spent time in the hospital with an infection, but I'm back, and doing well.  I spent my days in the hospital writing and illustrating several children's books, using ordinary Crayola markers (the 10-pack of wide ones), a black Sharpie, and an ordinary sketch book.  Three of the books are now available on Amazon:
-- Debbie Draws the Alphabet
-- How Many Bugs?
-- Farmyard Friendes
Farmyard friends was actually done with simple shapes cut out of construction paper, and glue-sticked together, with googly eyes!
At least two more children's books will be coming out as soon as I finish putting them together.
Each of these books is great for preschoolers, with a little reading help from parents, siblings, or other caregivers.  Children will love the pictures, and many will quickly learn to read the books for themselves.

For now, I'm doing a few more chapters of book 2 of What Mother Goose Meant: More What Mother Goose Meant.  Some of the nursery rhymes in this second volume will be very familiar, while others may be new to some readers.  The research is fascinating, and I hope you all enjoy the results!