Ta dah! Meet Toad Boy.

My  copies of Toad Boy have arrived! Very exciting.

If you'd like your own copy, it's available at :

http://www.blake.com.au/Blake-Novels-Set-4-Toad-Boy-p/9781741647754.htm

Toad Boy

www.perthnow.com.au

 Big week this week- I signed a contract for 'Toad Boy', my first upper primary novel which to be published in the New Year. I'll give you the details closer to the day.

In the meantime, gaze into the eyes of this cane toad and he will tell you your future. Really*. Try it.  But you have to visualise your dreams in great detail or it won't work.

Let me know how you go. 

*Actually not really. But if you visualised your dreams in great detail then technically he helped you predict your future. See? Magic. 

Illustrator Profile- Nathan Jurevicius

Peleda
Nathan Jurevicius

Thank goodness  authors don't have to illustrate their own books!

When publisher Blake asked illustrator Nathan Jurevicius to create the pictures for my story 'Making Friends with Samson' they chose someone who was destined for great things.  Since Making Friends with Samson, Nathan's  worked for Nickelodeon, Scholastic, The Wall Street Journal and many more companies worldwide.

In 2002 he created the interactive animated cartoon 'How Quest Sought the Truth', but he's best known for 'Scarygirl' -  a game, interactive cartoon, and now a graphic novel it's the story of an abandoned little girl who was found and brought up by a friendly octopus and guided by a mystic rabbit, Bunniguru.   Nathan's Scarygirl online game was released in 2009 and it now has more than a million players across the world. His latest series  'Peleda'  is currently in production with Australian Broadcasting Comission .

 (Information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jurevicius) 

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak via email to Nathan, so I started with the most important question first: 

1. How did my story 'Making Friends with Samson' change your life? 

It motivated me to study levitation from a Tibetan monk....  

2. Of course it did. I too, levitate on a regular basis, and could teach Tibetan monks a thing or two... but enough about me, tell me how you become an illustrator/graphic novel author?

I studied illustration and design at the University of South Australia. I was lucky enough to get a few commissions during school and this led to a bunch of freelance work in the publishing world - eventually becoming an editorial illustrator for various magazines/newspapers. 

3. What sort of work have you done since 'Making Friends with Samson?'

It's been very diverse - creating artwork for toys, xbox games, tv shows, films and personal exhibitions.

4. What is your favourite piece of work?

Scarygirl is my baby and very sentimental to me...I'm really loving the new project "Peleda' I'm working on too based on my owl series.

Scary Girl with Bunniguru

5. How did you come up with Scary Girl ?

Scarygirl came about 10 years ago - originally an online game concept and then I was approached to develop limited edition toys from a company in Hong Kong.
The first toy was Scarygirl. The Peleda series is something that's been in the works for about 6 years - it first began as an exhibition, then a series of limited edition
collectible figures and it's now in production as an online game and tv series with the ABC in Australia. 

6.What would you say to a young person who thinks they might like to follow in your footsteps?

Talk to as many people as possible, visit studios, publishers and other artists...don't give up. 

Thank you Nathan, great catching up with you. All the best for Peleda 

Keep an eye out for Nathan's new series Peleda on the ABC

don't you love autumn?

Autumn- when everything in nature reminds us it's time to pack away old things or let them fall in pretty colours around us, and prepare for short, dark and cold winter days ahead when all lies in wait, resting,  to re-bloom in spring.

Enjoy the orange, red and brown leaves while you can!

Merry Christmas

It's been a good year, full to overflowing with friends, family, travel, and home making. Workwise, Toad Boy is off and I'm working on my other projects.

I have a new enthusiasm for my work- perhaps now that Toad Boy is out in the world learning to fend for itself.

I'm looking forward to a New Year with pen and paper, but right now all is focused on Christmas Day.

Our house will be filled with family. I can't wait.

Merry Christmas to you.

What's Happening?

My first novel is ready for submission, short story too.  My time slip novel is quietly writing itself while I renovate my house and the knots in the plot begin to form a coherent universe of their own.

My heart project, inspired by my brave and hard working ancestors it is my precious one, set among my memories my lush green North Queensland childhood. Diving into it is like a quick trip home.

My Great Aunt Neri turns 97 next week. Auntie Babe (so named because she was the baby of the family, until Norma came along) is 93 and has a new gentleman friend. Auntie Normie (in her late eighties) still lives on 5 acres in the two story house she built with her husband Fred. He's gone now, but Normie is a vibrant as ever. She's going north with my mother this week for Neri's birthday. I wish I could go with them.

However I have to be in Italy for a wedding on Sunday, so all is not lost...

Alison, Alison, where have you been?

Turn To Clear Vision
Alison Peters NYC

Where have I been? I've been to London to visit the Queen.
No, not really, but I have been lucky enough to be doing some travelling.

This picture is one I took in New York- yep that's the Statue of Liberty in the background. I know she's the main event for tourists in NYC but I was more taken with this little message on the binoculars- 'Turn to Clear Vision'. I like to think of that as a message for life. If things are feeling a bit blurry and out of focus, turn around and look at things a new way, or turn a confusing problem upside down so you see the blurriness in a new light. It might even work to clear your vision.

I'll tell you a bit more about my travels over the next few months. In between trips I've  mostly doing my other job, which is writing for television shows.  I will tell you all about that too.

Watch this space. Or Turn to Clear Vision. Please let me know if it works for you! xx