THE BEES KNEES! PASS THE KLEENEX!

As of 2019 bees are currently at a higher risk of extinction than ever before. Pesticides appear to be the main culprit for this growing issue and with her new book Little Bee’s Sneeze Nerys Beattie hopes to send an important message to children and adults alike. 

Nerys has taken time away from her three-year-old son, husband and small pack of dogs, to write and create her first ever short children’s fiction book. It follows the journey of a small bee with terrifyingly allergies to flowers. This means she cannot take part in day-to-day bee life, subsequently isolating her from the rest of the hive.

Having always wanted to write, but never having had the time before, Nerys was finally emboldened to start her labour of love after deciding to prioritise the idea she had been holding onto for as long as she can remember. She says: “Once I had thirty minutes to myself and I sat down at my desk, all of the ideas came spilling out. I started at 1pm and by 8pm I had written the entire book!”

Her first venture into children’s fiction is a real treat, shining light upon the trials and tribulations children may face, up against the backdrop of a walking, talking bee hive. Having always suffered from hay fever herself, Nerys wanted to incorporate this into her story. She also tackles issues such as bullying, running away from home and feeling excluded.

Nerys continues: “I wanted to include issues that were integral for parents to talk about with their children, but can often be tricky to handle. This book will hopefully help start the conversation. I also wanted to include bee poison as a representation of the pesticides that are killing bee communities, however, it needed to remain subtle and flow well within the storyline.”

Her collaborator on this project has been Inge Van Der Ham. Inge is a fellow colleague from over twenty years ago who reconnected with Nerys after the author posted her elation at finishing Little Bee’s Sneeze. Inge reached out and offered her skills as the illustrator for the book, and the pair then began to work alongside to bring the story to life.

Little Bee’s Sneeze is an adorable short rhyming story that shows children how our differences make us special. Nerys Beattie invites us to follow the story of a small bee who, by realising her potential, can achieve miraculous things. It is the perfect read for your children during this run up to Christmas.

If you like to publish a picture book with us and take control visit: www.jellybeanselfpublishing.co.uk

HOME SWEET HOME? OR MAYBE NOT...

Gemma Greening never had plans to become a published author. It wasn’t until a string of funny poems she had scribbled over birthday cards to her husband; mainly for the amusement of her two sons, Alfie and Oliver, snowballed into an idea for a children’s fiction book, and all of a sudden ‘Messy Dad’ was born.

Having always had a way with words; often writing short poems when she found the time, Gemma struck gold when she started stringing together silly and satirical rhymes about her frustration with her partner Ben’s lack of initiative when it came to housework.

Gemma says: “It all started as a joke to be honest. My eldest, Alfie, really likes getting involved. After showing the ideas of Messy Dad to some close friends, I gained the confidence, but I needed to decide to share it with an audience.”  

Messy Dad is a cheeky and brassy short rhyming story, with silly anecdotes. Illustrator Matt Prewett successfully heaps on the comedy, matching each verse to an equally wacky cartoon, tying the book together as dessert for your eyes. The story follows our leading man Messy Dad who happens to have some rather questionable hygiene habits and struggles to hold down the fort whilst his wife is at work. 

Gemma continues: “Having such a close bundle of kids in my life; with my three nephews, two nieces and of course my own two boys, I became inspired to create something that they could read and enjoy whilst at the same time pushing me out of my comfort zone. Although the idea came from a real life scenario, I was experiencing with my partner, he knows it’s quite exaggerated and has been really supportive throughout the process.”  

Gemma is already working on new material that continues to shine light on her lovable, funny family and hopes to have two new Messy Dad books out next year. Messy Dad will surely face challenges far trickier than just juggling the kids and the broken dishwasher. Will he succeed and become ‘Super Dad’ full-time, or will ‘Messy Dad’ prevail?

If you like to publish a picture book with us and take control visit www.jellybeanselfpublishing.co.uk

CURSE OF THE MIRROR CLOWNS BOOK LAUNCH

Candy Jar Books is pleased to announce the official release of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries novel Curse of the Mirror Clowns.

Curse of the Mirror Clowns is written by Cardiff-based film and comic writer Chris Lynch. He feels that this book gives him the opportunity to tackle a personal fear.

The book launch takes place on Saturday the 24th November from 11 until 3 o’clock exclusively at Heroes, Aliens and Monsters Comics in Tonypandy, where a meet and greet with Chris will take place. Supporting the launch, author of Kangazang, Terry Cooper, will be joining Chris.

Chris says of Curse of the Mirror Clowns: "Did you ever think you saw something, just out of the corner of your eye? It happens to me all the time and it freaks me out quite a bit. So, when I got the chance to add my own monster to the Lucy Wilson universe, I knew it had to be a monster that you couldn't always see. I also wanted it to be a clown because, if there's something that freaks me out more than things I can't see then it's something I can see – clowns. Of course, that's not all I added – there are plenty of other surprises in there that I hope people will really enjoy. It's been great fun adding my own strange and spooky elements to Lucy's world and I hope to back very, very soon."

Illustrator and fellow author, Terry Cooper, often found impersonating Captain Jack Sparrow all over South Wales, is author of the science fiction trilogy Kangazang!, the third installment of which was recently launched at Cardiff Film and ComicCon. He will be there signing copies of the book and CD (voiced by Sixth Doctor Who Colin Baker).

The final instalment of the Kangazang! trilogy, Kangazang! Small Cosmoscontinues the adventures of Jeff and Ray as they find half of the galaxy has been taken over by a militaristic army of peanuts. Meanwhile, Jeff's newborn baby, a highly advanced cyborg, is growing exponentially with terrifying potential. And Marta Vina, the galaxy's top secret agent is sent on her most important mission of all...

Head of publishing Shaun Russell states that “There will be a range of books for sale on the day, but we also wanted to provide fans with a chance to ask the authors any questions they may have. Whether they’re about the writing process, the worlds they have created or what their favourite colour is!”

Open to all ages, the book launch is a one-time only event that you won’t want to miss!

TWO OF OUR AUTHORS ARE FINALISTS IN THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE!

A North East based author of children’s literature is a finalist in the prestigious 2018 People’s Book Prize for The Book Spy. Mark Carton, from Newcastle, has been nominated as a finalist after 4 months of national public voting.

Also, London-based author Molly Arbuthnott has been nominated as a finalist for the 2018 People’s Book Prize for her heart-warming children’s book Oscar the Ferry Cat. 

The People’s Book Prize is the only national literature award decided upon entirely by the general public, therefore carries the additional credibility of being selected by the book’s own readers. The Children’s Literature Award has had several significant previous winners, including best-selling children’s author and TV presenter David Walliams for his first book Mr Stink; therefore making it a major stepping stone for first-time and emerging authors.

The Book Spy is Mark Carton’s second novel, and is a series of short stories spanning 80 years. It tells the tale of a secret children’s network of spies called the ‘Children’s Reading Intelligence Agency’ or ‘CRIA’. The Book Spies originated in World War II, set in Bletchley Park, with other stories taking place across the world – each featuring children from different generations. The stories recount the missions of children who are enlisted to join the CRIA and how they shaped world events, encouraging many children to engage in and enjoy reading.

Oscar the Ferry Cat was inspired by Molly Arbuthnott’s own family cat going missing in April 2014. The curious cat managed to open a car window by stepping on the control before the lock took full effect. The family returned to their car in Oban to find paw prints on the bonnet, but no cat. Beautifully illustrated by Agnes Treherne, young readers love following Oscar’s adventures.

The People’s Book Prize is a national competition, so The Book Spy and Oscar the Ferry Cat faced stiff competition with hundreds of titles nominated nationally this year by their publishers – as well as a long-list of 20 children’s books being put to the public vote.

Commenting on the finalist nomination for the award Mark Carton said: ‘I was delighted to get the initial nomination and having spent the early part of this year touring almost 40 schools in the North East with a ‘Book Spy Roadshow’, it was a real thrill to find out that I have been shortlisted as a finalist. The school visits showed the passion young people have for literature and great stories, and the purpose of The Book Spy is to encourage young people to share their love of reading. The school visits were wonderful, as the reception in every school was overwhelming.’

The Book Spy was published by Candy Jar Books, and head of publishing Shaun Russell commented: ‘Mark had a real passion for this story and the idea of the Children’s Reading Intelligence Agency was genius, as children love the idea of becoming spies in their own secret network. The book is a great read for 8-12 year olds and is a worthy finalist in these outstanding book awards. Everyone at Candy Jar is very proud of Mark and The Book Spy.’ The Book Spy has its own dedicated website www.bookspy.co.uk and Mark Carton has his own author site www.markcarton.co.uk which features his other work and his availability for author sessions.

Molly Arbuthnott is a primary school teacher from London. She has always loved writing and is thrilled to have been nominated as a finalist for The People’s Book Prize for her book Oscar the Ferry Cat. Agnes Treherne is a Sussex based illustrator who studied fine art at the University of Edinburgh, and provided the enchanting artwork to accompany Oscar’s story. Oscar the Ferry Cat has his very own website www.oscartheferrycat.co.uk . The story immortalizes the author’s beloved cat Oscar who was sadly never found. It follows his experiences as he navigates coming to terms with loss and forging new friendships. Proudly published by Jelly Bean Self-Publishing, this book appeals to children aged 5 – 8 years as it explores Oscar’s new living situation as he searches for his home.

On discovering her position as a finalist, Molly stated: ‘They say if you find a job you love you will not do a day’s work in your life. Every day for the last 6 months has felt like a holiday! It has been very humbling to witness the warm reception Oscar has received. I hope he will continue to touch the hearts of children – he’s against stiff competition but where there’s a will (and a cat!) there’s a way!’  

The People’s Book Prize winner will be announced in May 2019 following a further public vote, at the Stationers Hall in London, with patron of the foundation Frederick Forsyth CBE presenting the awards.

BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT’S CRUMBLE LADY IS A SUBURBAN SUPERHERO!

Britain’s Got Talent legend Lorraine Bowen has written a children’s book, The Crumble Lady, based on the song that first shot her to fame on the popular ITV talent show.

Lorraine says: “I am really excited to be launching my new fiction book for children. It’s been really fun creating these crumbletastic stories with crazy characters and surreal situations! I hope that all the young readers out there like what I have done.”

Lorraine’s first venture into children’s fiction is a selection box of delicious and zany adventures about her fictional alter-ego, the Crumble Lady. Added to this, the book also features five scrumalicious crumble recipes –perfect for baking!

Lorraine joins the ranks of recent celeb authors such as Tom Fletcher and, of course, Lorraine’s biggest supporter, David Walliams.

Of The Crumble Lady, Walliams says: “My golden girl Lorraine Bowen’s talents are endless. Making crumble, singing about crumble, and now writing a book about crumble. It’s sure to become a literary classic that will go down in history as one of the greatest books concerning crumble ever written. Lorraine Bowen is a golden talent. I predict this book will win the Booker Prize!”

The Crumble Lady is yet another string to Lorraine’s bow in her mission to bring a little sunshine into the world. Over the years Lorraine has been touring with her own variety roadshow, pouring positivity wherever she can. Best known across the globe for her Golden Buzzer performance on

the television reality show Britain’s Got Talent (which has now reached over 9 million views on YouTube), Lorraine has been performing all over the UK for over a decade with live shows such as Lorraine Bowen’s Vital Organs, Lorraine Bowen’s Polyester Fiesta and most recently Be Original,

described as “an interactive musical ideasfest for 8-11 year olds” and funded by Arts Council England.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at independent publisher Candy Jar Books, says: “We’re delighted to have Lorraine on our roster, and with such a cheerful and energetic book! Lorraine is a storm of positivity in every project she undertakes, and this has been no different.”

Reminiscent of Jeremy Strong and the Horrid Henry series (with artwork by Basil M Waite) The Crumble Lady features a troupe of colourful characters living on her “not normally very normal” street in Brighton, from the Crumble Lady herself to her neighbours: policeman Constable Seaweed; Vegetable Sue, the friendly local greengrocer; Gellina Gelato, the Crumble Lady’s good friend and fellow dessert-lover; Mr Staccato, who runs the village choir; Pearl Barley, and Mrs Marge.

Shaun continues: “Lorraine’s fictional alter-ego is certainly the star of the show, and is just like the real person – fun, compassionate, and into everything! The Crumble Lady is perfectly portioned for dipping in and out whenever you need a giggle, and Lorraine seems poised to conquer the world.”

The book is released alongside Lorraine Bowen’s audio CD of the same name, featuring fifteen original tracks including The Crumble Lady Theme, Catfood Crumble, The Measuring Song and Life is Like a Crumble – so you can sing along as you read. The album is available to purchase as CD

from her website, mp3 download from Amazon plus streaming from Spotify.

The Crumble Lady is published 25th January 2018 via Amazon and Candy Jar Books http://www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/the-crumble-lady.html

Contact Info

Lorraine is a lively and entertaining interviewee and is available for appearance and performance on live and pre-recorded TV and Radio shows. Interviews can be arranged in person, by phone, Skype or

submitted in writing by contacting:

Shaun Russell at Candy Jar Books shaun@candyjarbooks.co.uk

Telephone: 02921 157202. High resolution photo and audio files available on request.

BRIAN MOSES IS BACK

Britain’s most loved children’s poet, Brian Moses, has returned with a novella bursting with adventure and mystery. After the success of his heart-warming memoir, Keeping Clear of Paradise Street, a reflection on his childhood in post-war Ramsgate, Moses couldn’t stop there with retelling the stories of his childhood.

Python tells the tale of a group of schoolboys hunting for the ghost that’s rumoured to haunt their school’s playground. Amidst the mystery of the ghost, there’s also the concern of the of a twelve-foot boa constrictor nesting in the attic of the protagonist. Whilst it very unlikely Brian’s father kept a python in his attic, he encapsulates the perfect setting of storytelling: “anything’s possible”.

Brian says: “Kids love that sense of a little danger. And if they must be shielded from such things, then literature’s precisely the place for them to give them that – that little thrill that it’s perhaps too dangerous to expose them to in real life,” and Python creates this exact effect. What better fun it is to imagine a snake in your attic rather than a real one there.

In his professional life, Brian advocates for children’s literacy by touring the country visiting schools, theatres and festivals to share his music and poetry with children. In return for his commitment, he has received appreciation from Cambridge University and the National Literacy Trust.

Brian Moses' Python can be purchased at Candy Jar Books: 

https://www.freewebstore.org/candy-jar-store/Python/p676602_17979698.aspx