Update Tuesday 25th July 2017

ALMOST THERE - Vladi is now colouring  the final illustrations for
my book
                  The Magical Naming of Nanna Strawberry... 
                            ....and  a visit to the seaside.

This is becoming a beautiful book and readers will enjoy the
pictures. I am tweaking some small amendments and additions
to the story text which came to mind when I described  the
illustrations required.  Well done Vladi.

I have now decided to print on 70g paper for a Perfect Bind
and the cover will be 300g gloss laminated, with title
repeated along spine of book. Ir will be a proud moment for
both Vladi and myself, and possibly the print company,
Printfine, when we hold the completed book.  

More congratulations

CONGRATULATIONS to my son who has been spending a few sunny days in Blackpool and will
hopefully be enjoying the benefits of his seaside experiences for a long time to come.

CONGRATULATIONS to Vladi too for her novel creative ideas about the book layout which arrived by email today. We are well on our way to a fabulous and unique little book I am proud to publish.Audrey

CONGRATULATIONS TODAY

CONGRATULATIONS to my grand-daughters Kathatine, 21 today, and Rachel, at her Graduation.
We will remember Bastille Day 2017!  Nanna Strawberry books on hold today while I decorated the large chocolate cake I baked  yesterday. It looks good but  chocolate icing remains gooey in the warm weather.

Valdi now focusing on illustrations numbers 2, arrival at house, and 3, boarding the bus to city centre.

Determining book style

I have now received a total of three 'perfect bound' model books from the
printers and have yet to decide which paper weight to choose. Vladi has also
produced an action plan which if followed will mean the pdf can be completed
by 23 June, ready for printing.  That would be fantastic!   We have to give 7 days
notice to the printer. Now to decide whether we revert to original plan for 10 text
pages facing 10 illustrations, or it to extend the text over a few extra pages,
by a few lines here and there and show small single images on opposite page.
We are juggling with other nice ideas we also have for the spare pages..

Exciting progress, first illustration

I had a wonderful surprise when I opened my emails today. Vladi had forwarded me her first colour illustration for my comments.  It justified an instant 'Superb'.  She had caught what I had  had in mind when we discussed images in a manner and colours which surpassed expectations.  Nanna and Emma exchanging a telephone conversation watched by Sophie, the view from their windows showing blue skies, golden sun, and inclusion of some houses in the background.  Even a hint of the lighthouse at New Brighton within a small inset. Well done, Vladi , and 'Thank you'. I look forward to seeing the rest of the ten illustrations.

Self publishing update

My first priority was to contact Michelle at idesign because she had been so helpful with my book
'1984 As It Was for Me', recording my 1984 diary published 30 years later in 2014, principally for gifts.
Michelle agreed to prepare the Nanna Strawberry books for print but did not do illustrations.  The second priority became the illustrator. Ten planned per book for twelve Nanna Strawberry books  required a style appealing to young children. A combintion of simplicity and colour and above all animation to bring the text to life in their imagination. An aid to adults who may be telling the tale. Each story was anecdotal so background details required some representation of easily identifiable features. I was exploring various options, without success, when chance stepped in. While diverted to studying an on line advertisement for accommodation, one caught my attention. The applicant mentioned that she was a freelance graphic designer. I contacted her to ask if she would be interested  in illustrating the series of children's books I was about to publish. We met at my home to discuss It was clear from artistic samples that Vladi enjoyed colour and she was confident she could complete the illustrations as required. A contract was agreed a few weeks later and Vladislava Vatashka became illustrator, also graphic designer,  for the twelve books because Michelle regretfully decided her current workload did not leave enough time to for the full set.
    

Self publishing process

When I reached the decision to self-publish all my stories, including the first one without which the remainder would not be complete, I had to start from scratch. It had been my longheld hope to see my full sequence of Nanna Strawberry books in print. . Who knows, they may attract the attention of a children'a book publisher and take a different direction in the future? My first essentials were to identify a designer who would prepare the books for printing and an illustrator who could empathise with the broad range and variety of my twelve anecdotal stories and bring them to life in the eyes of a child.   Book size and style also had to be determined.. Then I would need a printer. The Writer's Year Book recommended finding one who did POD.. I studied the requirements for e-books and sales of printed books and downloaded the ISBN application forms in preparation for completion when I had all the applicable information at hand. I was ready to begin !

The Stories

THE MAGICAL NAMING OF NANNA STRAWBERRY.... and an outing to New Brighton
Nanna Audrey plans a visit to New Brighton with her grand-daughter Emma and her daughter Sophie, when she finds herself miraculously bestowed with an altogether new name by her two year old great grand-daughter who could not say her name Audrey.  'NANNA STRAWBERRY'.  They have a happy adventurous afternoon together, highlighted by Sophie's determination to call out 'Nanna Strawberry' at every opportunity. On the bus, then the Mersey ferry 'Snowdrop', at the Fish & Chip cafe, and the beach, on the Royal Iris, until all the way back home to Nanna Strawberry's house.  Even saying 'Goodbye Nanna Strawberry' when leaving.  Nanna Strawberry was very happy with her new name.

NANNA STRAWBERRY  HAS TEA WITH SOPHIE
Nanna Strawberry remained very excited by her lovely new name, and decided to make a special badge.  She gathered together a piece of white card, scissors, red and green felt pens, and a length of green thread  to make a special strawberry which she could fix to a button on her jacket.  Sophie bounced with excitement when she saw her Nanna Strawberry at her front door. It was fun to be together again.
After playing and making the badge, as described, Nanna was invited out to tea with Sophie and her Mummy and Daddy. That was fun too. A Chinese Buffet was a new experience, made more fun by Sophie calling out her new name each time Nanna Strawberry went to choose more food from the buffet table.

NANNA STRAWBERRY GOES HORSE RIDING
'What are you doing for your birthday Nan?' asked members of her family as her special celebration approached. Nan had replied that she was proposing to have a horse mounted group photo.. 'Go for it' they replied, until she told them sheI expected them to be mounted too.  'No way' was the response, except for her grandson, Will, who had said 'Count me in Nan'.  In the end, one daughter, six grand-daughters and two grandsons joined the birthday cavalcade.  Sophie did not lose the opportunity to call to out  'Nanna Strawberry' when she arrived carrying an inflated pony balloon at the lunch which preceded the cavalcade, or from the saddle of her little pony when she saw her Nanna Strawberry riding the very high horse, Charlie. All great fun ! The last time she had ridden was sixty years ago at Ashfield Farm, home of her  future husband, a dairy farmer.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS  BILLY
Riding with her  family brought to mind the lovely ponies which belonged to Nanna Strawberry when she was young and called just Audrey, and her sister Joan,  Robin, called a bay pony, and smaller Billy, a strawberry roan..  'We had ridden them at my aunt and uncle's Moorfield Farm in Hollingworth while on holiday there. My father learned they were for sale and bought them for us.' Billy was a true character, about the same size as the pony Sophie had ridden. He was very good  at gymkhana games, similar to children's races but the children were on ponies 'Billy was very quick and nimble so he and Joan won many rosettes at the  summer pony shows we attended.'  He also had a good trick.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS SHETLAND PIP
When Nanna Strawberry and Grandad were Mummy and Daddy to their son and two daughters, they took them to the annual Liverpool Show to see the displays of cows, bulls, dogs, rabbits and other pets, and horse jumping.  There were lots of stalls too, and music everywhere. When they saw a raffle to WIN A PONY Daddy bought each of them a ticket.  Later that day, when back at home, the children kept watching out of the front window. They were waiting for the raffled pony to arrive !  Daddy had to tell them they had not won the raffle. This story describes what happens next when a Shetland pony called  Pip joined the family.

 NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS FISHING FOR CRABS
Grandad enjoyed driving his grandchildren to the seaside in his red Defender landrover which had nine seats. He carried picnic items on the back seats. The children enjoyed flying kites on Ainsdale Beach and going to the fairground in Southport. One day, Grandad drove them to New Brighton. The children were fascinated watching crabs crawl in water at the bottom of buckets.
Grandad said he would show them how to catch crabs. He had everything they needed in the landrover.  This story describes the fun they had catching crabs, then letting them go back to the lake.   The next story tells what happens when Grandad dropped his keys into the lake.


NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS FISHING FOR KEYS 
Grandad was packing their things back into the landrover, when Amy called out 'Grandad, I have just caught a crab'.  Cousin Jonathan had quickly put a fishing net under the crab and Grandad held his keys between his teeth while he helped drop the crab into the bucket of water. Suddenly, the keys dropped into the lake with a big plonking splash.  Oh dear, how would they get home now?


NANNA STRAWBERRY SHARES CHRISTMAS WITH A FAIRY
 Nanna enjoyed a delicious Christmas Day breakfast with her son and all his familybefore driving to the home of her elder daughter to share Christmas Dinner with her family, guests including her  younger daughter and all her family too.  She was greeted by an excited 'Nanna Strawberry' from a beautiful Christmas Fairy in frothy white dress, complete with wings and fairy wand. The Fairy happily led Nanna Strawberry to join the other guests. Lights sparkled on a large Christmas tree.
This story describes Christmas festivities with a cute Fairy and her cousins.

NANNA STRAWBERRY REMEMBERS THE YOUNG QUEEN
When the 2nd February came round each year, Nanna Strawberry remembered the day that the King died and his daughter, Princess Elizabeth became the new Queen.  In 1952, when Nanna was a schoolgirl, called Audrey.  A teacher had entered the classroom and asked all the girls to stand.
She had an important announcement. 'The King is dead. Long live The Queen'.  The new reign was an important part of history.  This story describes how Audrey recorded the next few days in her 1952 diary. She also mentions riding her pony.

NANNA STRAWBERRY TELLS STORIES TO BIG SISTER SOPHIE

NANNA STRAWBERRY ENJOYS EASTER FUN

NANNA STRAWBERRY GOES TO A WEDDING