8th of May, 2012

Tips for aspiring creators

I've got some new talks to prepare for over the next few months- talks about how I got to where I am, and what advice I might have for aspiring children's writers and illustrators.

To clarify my thoughts, and to hopefully provide some help to you out there in cyberspace, I've posted these up in the tutorial section of my site. There's two articles:

• How I got into picture books
• Some tips for those wanting to break in

If you want a meatier resource, I recommend Hazel Edwards' webpage for aspiring writers.

2nd of May, 2012

Last Viking flying high

My first picture book The Last Viking (written by the great Norman Jorgensen) has won the 2012 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' (SCBWI) Crystal Kite Award.


This is a members' choice award. Writers and illustrators from each region voting on their favourite title for the past year.
Congratulations to all the other Crystal Kite winners around the world! And many many thanks to all the Australian and New Zealander SCWBIans for choosing our book; it's very humbling to have your support.

18th of April, 2012

Janet Shaw is A Bit of a Superhero

Here's the cover of Janet Shaw's new book, 'Bit of a Super Hero'. Janet is a Perth-based author, social worker, medal-winning ex-paralympian and motivational speaker. As well as these achievements, she has faced blindness and cancer. She is a definite hero.

I was very happy to get to work on the cover of Janet's book, and to share the duties with two illustrator friends. I did the linework, Briony Stewart did the colour, then Shannon Melville did the layout and design.

'Bit of a Super Hero' is available online now.

14th of April, 2012

Interview on 95.3fm, Perth World Radio

Yesterday, Peter Jeffery from 95.3fm interviewed myself and talented fellow Perth artist Sean E Avery about making a living as children's book illustrators. Click below to hear the interview.


Audio courtesy of The World of Art, 6EBA 95.3fm World Radio (Perth, Western Australia)

3rd of April, 2012

Children's Book Council of Australia Awards, 2012

Brilliant brilliant news...

The Last Viking, written by Norman Jorgensen and illustrated by me, has been shortlisted in the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards 2012!

We scored two mentions:

• Notable Book, Picture Book of the Year category
• Shortlisted Book, Early Childhood category

I'm very surprised and very chuffed. It's one of those cliches... ever since I was a kid, I dreamed that one day one of my books would have the shiny CBCA sticker on the cover- and now it's happened, hooray! It's a great honour and a great affirmation. Congrats Norm! And thanks to the CBCA :)

31st of March, 2012

another sneak peek at 'In The Lion'

My next book, 'In The Lion', will be released by Walker Books in August 2012.

Here's another sneak peek...

20th of March, 2012

Last Viking shortlisted for 4 awards

Norman Jorgensen and I received great news this year regarding our children's book, The Last Viking. It has been shortlisted for 4 awards!

• the 2012 Western Australian Young Readers' Book Awards
• the 2012 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature
• the 2012 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Crystal Kite Awards
• the 2011 Aurealis Awards for Australian fantasy, science fiction and horror creators

It's a great buzz to be nominated with Norman, and also to be nominated alongside illustrators that I look up to.

27th of December, 2011

New illustrations finished

I've just finished the illustrations for a new children's book that I wrote a while back. It's called 'In The Lion' and will be published by Walker Books in the second half of 2012. It's a black comedy for kids and that's all I'll say for now... I'll put some more info on the homepage throughout 2012- in the meantime, here's a little sneak peek.

All the best for 2012! May your new year be filled with happiness, growth and creative fun times.

23rd of November, 2011

Top marks for bookmarks

As part of this years Premier's Summer Reading Challenge (supporting the Multiple Sclerosis Society), students from across the state were invited to design a bookmark. The judges included Bosko the Reading Challenge mascot and myself. As it was Movember, I was sporting a 3 week-old moustache at the time of judging.

We had many many entries to get through...
...but we eventually decided on two winners- Kaden Prowse from Swanbourne Primary School and Taylor Anderson from Newman Primary School. Congrats you two :)

2nd of September, 2011

HeARTlines in Mundairing

Although Children's Book Week is over for another year, the fun ain't over yet - because the HeARTlines Festival is just getting started.

This biennial festival celebrates children's literature and book illustration, and is held at the Mundairing Arts Centre in the Perth hills. This year HeARTlines is dedicated to the memory of the festival's founder, WA author Louise Schofield. Louise was an incredible woman and it's an honour to be a part of her festival this year.

I'll have original artwork from The Last Viking on display in the exhibition, and prints for sale too... the exhibition opens tonight (Friday 2nd September) and closes Sunday 9th October.


I'll also be running a school holiday cartooning workshop during the festival - here's the details:

Friday 7th October
10am-12noon
Ages 9-13
Cost: $15 ($10 for members of the Mundairing Arts Centre or Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre).
Call (08) 9295 3991 to book your place.

28th of June, 2011

The Last Viking launched

(L-R: Author Norman Jorgensen, Illustrator- me, Kris Williams, our editor Cate Sutherland, Fremantle Children's Literature Centre director Lesley Reece)

It was a dark and stormy night...

Actually, it was. Norm and I had been watching the weather forecast all week, wondering what the heavens would bring on the Friday night of our launch. By Tyr's Day, we could see that rain was likely. By Wodin's Day, rain was certain. Come Freyja's Day, when the wind didn't let up all day, we knew a storm was brewing. Thor was angry. The joke going around was that his invite had been lost on it's way to Asgard. But maybe that was true, and he thought we were snubbing him... and when you snub a Norse god, you get a once-in-10-years weather event. Thirty millimetres of rain fell in 30 minutes: the precise 30 minutes in which our guests were en route to the launch.

Thus, three hundred drenched but daring Vikings descended upon the Fremantle Children's Literature Centre to celebrate the release of The Last Viking. Kris Williams, literary Valkyrie and descendant of Danish brewers, did us the great honour of launching the book. Norman and I were blown away by the turnout- it was wonderful to see so many of our friends, family and colleagues squished into that room, ready to party with us. It was exactly how I imagine Valhalla would be.

While Norm and I signed copies of books, Normans and Saxons murdered each other on the lawn. All in a night's fun for the Grey Company Medieval Reenactment Group.



Special Thanks to Cate, Cathy, Claire, Clive and everyone at Fremantle Press; Lesley and all the lovely ladies at the Lit Centre; the gallant warriors from the Grey Company; and everyone who has supported Norm and I as we've put the book together.

There's more photos from the night on the Fremantle Press facebook page. Check it out, and like the Press while you're at it. They're always bringing out great Western Australian books from Western Australian creators. Support your local!

So now the book is out- you can buy it from all good bookshops, or from the Fremantle Press website.

1st of June, 2011

Let the Pillaging Begin

It's only three weeks until we launch The Last Viking!

The Last Viking launch
Friday June 24
6pm for a 6:30pm start
Fremantle Children's Literature Centre (Old Prison Hospital)
cnr Knutsford and Hampton Rd, Fremantle

RSVP to Fremantle Press on (08) 9430 6331 or email admin@fremantlepress.com.au

Come invade the Literature Centre and help us celebrate.

Here's the book trailer to get you in the Viking mood...

17th of April, 2011

Sun on my Stubble - workshops in the Wheatbelt

Four tanks of fuel,
5 meat pies,
6 choc milks,
9 days,
2000km of driving,
and 10 million bugs stuck to the front of the car.

These were small prices to pay when I had the opportunity to run 4 youth workshops in the WA Wheatbelt.

In early April I visited schools and youth centres in Bruce Rock, Moora, Wagin and Toodyay. I taught around 100 young people the basics of cartooning, and each student worked on their own one-page comic story.

Students in some of the areas we visited will continue on with comics in school next term, producing longer stories about issues affecting them in their towns. Topics will include 'bullying' and 'a sense of belonging'.







Many thanks to Regional Development Australia for inviting me out. It was a brilliant experience for me - much more interesting than sitting at home in my studio twiddling my thumbs - so I'm looking forward to more community-based work in the future.

10th of February, 2011

Artwork complete for The Last Viking

The illustrations for my first picture book, The Last Viking, are all done! Hooray!

The Last Viking is written by Norman Jorgensen and will be published by Fremantle Press on June 24 2011.

The supremely talented book designer Tracey Gibbs has been laying out the pages and I'm really pleased with the proofs so far.

More info on The Last Viking...

10th of November, 2010

The Seven Year Itch

You might have noticed that the cartoons on the front of the Quokka have changed. I resigned from drawing their covers a few months ago, in August, so that I could focus on picture book projects like this one.

My 1st cover was in June 2003... my last cover, Aug 2010. It's been 7 and a bit years, and it has flown by.

It's been strange not drawing the covers any more, but it's also been nice not having the weekly deadline. I do miss drawing the little guys.

Thanks to Quokka Press for giving me a space to practice and learn. And thanks to the people out there who've sent me comments and encouragement over the years.

You can see some of my favourite covers in the Quokka Gallery. Also, I posted the last year's worth of covers on my blog.

27th of June, 2010

Ever wonder how a picture book is made?

I'm working on the illustrations for my first picture book, called The Last Viking.

The book centres on Josh, a shy boy who is afraid of everything. His Pop teaches him about Vikings, those mighty warriors of the North, and Josh makes up his mind to follow in their fearless footsteps. He takes the Viking name Knut, dons his home-made armour and builds a longship. When bullies threaten Knut he must find the courage to stand up for himself- and luckily, the Viking Gods have been watching...

It's written by Norman Jorgensen- author of Jack's Island, In Flander's Fields, and the Ashe of the Outback series. It will be published by Fremantle Press in mid-2011.

Norman and I will be sharing the book-making process on a blog- come behind the scenes and see how it works! There'll be competitions to enter too.

Check it out at www.knutthelastviking.wordpress.com.

22nd of May, 2010

State Library workshop

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to spend an hour running a workshop with some talented cartoonists. We covered facial expressions, bodies, movement and animals.

The expressions section resulted in some interesting photos: see below.

Thanks to both the State Library and the Wild West Comedy Festival for having me along.

28th of May, 2010

SCBWI- Scribblers Cover a Bovine With Illustrations

Earlier this year, myself and other local members of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) painted a fibreglass cow. (Have a squiz at Frane Lessac's blog for more pictures of our group at work.)


It was an art project for the Cow Parade, which came to Margaret River in March.

The cow features paintings by SCBWI illustrators Matt Ottley, Frane Lessac, Shannon Melville, Sam Hughes, Karen Blair, Briony Stewart and Wendy Binks. The cow also features cover images from books by SCBWI authors.

The finished cow was on display at McLeod Creek Wines during the Parade...



...but is now at the State Library in the children's Mezzanine section. Stop by and say moo sometime.

10th of May, 2010

Welcome

Hello! Welcome to the new website. It's been in the works for a long time.

Thanks to Studio Robot, aka Jessee, for the awesome design.

Check the links up to the top- there's galleries, tutorials, and info on upcoming workshops. Soon I'll post some sneak-peeks at upcoming books.

If you'd like to stay up-to-date, sign up for my newsletter at the top-right. I won't spam you, I promise.

Thanks again- feel free to stop by whenever you're in the area. Got to go, must feed the quokkas.


James

james@jamesfoley.com.au