Happy Book Birthday to The Monster Under The Bed!
Initially published through Trafford Publishing in 2005, The Monster Under The Bed came in-house under my own imprint Lost in a Book, in 2010 in its second edition. It’s still a talking point at book signings, some people comment that they don’t want to scare children, while others reminisce about the monster under their own childhood bed, which can take many forms. But the monster under this particular bed is a fun twist that isn’t revealed till the last page, and far from scaring children, I’ve had positive feedback about it helping children not to be scared of the dark.
I’ve been on quite a journey with this book: my first published book, first book signings, and first book in a mainstream bookshop! That was an exciting moment, to see my book displayed in Borders in York. Seeing it on online websites was quite a buzz too, if a short lived one, as self publish books get listed as not available, or with such a long order time that customers are put off from buying them. It also brought about me cutting the ribbon at a school library opening, and reading not only The Monster Under The Bed, but also an early draft of Doodle Mayhem, and the reaction I got from that reading told me that I had something special, but that’s another story… in fact it’s three stories, the characters were too much fun for just one book, and became a series.
And so 20 years on, I now have 10 books to my name as well as articles and stories published in magazines. Most of my sales still come from book signings out in the real world, but my ongoing mission is to bring the personal experience of the book signing to my website bookshop. So here I sit behind my virtual counter, dividing my time between writing content for my website, blogging about books and self publishing, and working away on the work in progress. There’s a picture book brewing, the words are in place, but they may have to shuffle a bit as the illustrations take shape. There’s always a bit of argy bargy when words and pictures come together in a picture book; the words having to make way for the pictures to work their particular magic.
The Monster Under The Bed
A bedtime story that the little monsters in your life will love.
The Blurb:
“Mum……Mum…..There’s a monster under my bed.”
Billy sits up in the dark, he can hear something moving around in his bedroom. When his mum puts the light on there’s no monster to be seen. But when Mum goes back downstairs the noises start again.
“Get back into bed Billy,” calls Mum.
Something is making a noise, and if it isn't Billy – who can it be? Find out in this full colour picture book that’ll keep you guessing till the last page.
16 page full colour picture book
ISBN 978-0-9560232-2-3
