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Author FAQ
You have questions and I have answers...
How long did it take to create The Girl in the Forest?
The Girl in the Forest took around ten months to complete. I spent eight to nine months completing the illustrations and a few extra months dealing with the actual publishing side which included formatting, sourcing printers, self-publishing, setting up socials and this website.
How long have you been drawing for?
I've been drawing my whole life but much of my creative talents stemmed from copying my older sister, who is a phenomenal artist. If you're looking for some inspiration you can take a look at these early childhood drawings and how my ability developed over the years. As you can see, anime and manga were also a massive part of my artistic inspiration.
How did you create the art style for The Girl in the Forest?
Many artists find their art style through trial and error. I don't think I've found my art style yet, but for The Girl in the Forest I chose a style I felt competent enough to replicate on each and every page. If you want to have a look at my other artworks or see what I mean by "still figuring out my style", check out my art Instagram here.
How long have you been writing for?
I've been writing seriously since around grade seven. I used to have an old computer with a giant cubic monitor that wasn't connected to the internet, and I used to come home from school and sit down and type about my favourite game at the time (Mystic Heroes). That fanfic reached around ten thousand words. I've written plenty of different things since then (not just fiction), but publishing a book has always been on my bucket list - whether it be a children's illustrated book or an adult fantasy fiction.
Is it difficult to publish a book?
I can only answer that from my own experience in self-publishing, so the short answer is: it depends on your resources. What does that mean? Well, you might look at The Girl in the Forest and think it's just a matter of writing and illustrating, then hey presto! Unfortunately, that is not the case.
There is a lot to consider, such as font copyright, the cost of an ISBN, graphic design software for markups, printer specifications, printing costs, weight of paper, binding, proof copy, shipping, online store, advertising, social media accounts, whether you will register as a business, website design, business and branding design, marketing and so forth.
So, yes and no; it can be done by one person but there are a lot of steps and important things to consider in the process. Fortunately for me, I am a diploma-qualified graphic designer—but even so, I found myself facing quite a few curveballs and new challenges. Having friends in the graphic design industry helped immensely, as did talking to other friendly, local authors. Use your resources!
How are you hoping The Girl in the Forest will impact the world?
My background is in psychology and counselling and through my education, I've learnt about the benefits of nature and being in the natural world.
I would hope that this book encourages people of all ages to spend time in nature or create a place outside to sit and enjoy the natural world. So few of us are aware of the psychological and physiological benefits of nature.
For example, did you know that walking in forests can boost white blood cell counts and improve immunity? Or that the negative ions from being near crashing waterfalls in nature have a positive effect on our very own cells? Or perhaps that seeing nature, increases our healing speed? You can find plenty of peer-reviewed journal articles on any of these topics if you want to read more.
Are you planning on writing any more books?
Absolutely! It might be a while before you see another book released but I have quite a few ideas bouncing around already.
If you want to stay up-to-date and be first to hear about any new releases, be sure to sign up to my newsletter!
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