Dico winners!

Thank you so much for taking part guys! I managed to rustle up four of these bad boys - winners are below. I'll try and find your emails, but if not please email me with addresses and who you'd like dedications to! 

Thank you for taking part and for the really kind comments, it was really fun for me!

Le dico rigolo des animaux!

I just got my advance copies of Le dico rigolo des animaux, a French animal dictionary written by Elisabeth Brami. It is llustrated by me, and published by the seriously nice people at Casterman Jeunesse. 

It's a small format, 10 x 10cm, and quite thick - 100 animals in all, including crying toads, sweating camels and, almost inevitably, a banjo-playing frog! 

Here are a selection of spreads...

 I've got two copies of this to give away, which I will sign. In French! (Not really! In English!)  If you'd like to leave a comment below (perhaps saying your favourite animal in the world!) I'll draw two names randomly this Friday at lunchtime and post them to the winners. Yay, my first competition - O please don't leave me hanging, pals!

Thank you to Mélanie Perry for hiring me and being a wonderful person to work with; I really enjoyed the whole process. And now I know more about French animal names, and I've drawn my first maggot! (Horrors.)

Raining and pouring

Bathing flamingo

I'm working on very detailed drawings at the moment, so it's nice to do some lone characters as a break. Flamingos are my bird du jour, for now.

Sketchy sketch.

Bathing beauty on white background.

With a bit of colour in the background... not sure which works better.

Foxy fun

Peggy

Farmer Pig

Book Launch at Book & Kitchen!

A few months ago, Sharon and Marta and I decided to have a book launch together, and I was so excited about the idea. It's nerve wracking organising something like this just by yourself, and hoping people will come... sharing it has been a wonderful way to do it. I've enjoyed our email threads over the past weeks, planning together, and it all culminating in our party last night. Here is the beautiful leaflet that Sharon designed:

We had the launch for our latest books at the wonderful Book & Kitchen on All Saints Road near Ladbroke Grove. It really couldn't have been a more perfect spot - Muna, who owns the shop, had made it look fantastic with her sister Maha and assistant Susannah, and because the weather was lovely people could use the garden and the pavement too. I think it's the nicest bookshop that I know, and extremely worth visiting for anyone who hasn't been yet! 

I had a super evening, despite the odd party nerve...

Here are some pics of us, again thanks to Sharon for these. 

Cut-outs in the window - here to greet you.

The board outside with our flyer!

Ready for buying and drinking.

Emily, Sharon, Marta, me and Catherine!

Thank you Sharon and Marta for being the best book launch buddies I can imagine. 

And thank you to everyone who came and supported us, it was wonderful to have you there. I could definitely contemplate doing this again... someday!