Sun Herald Review of Puggle's Problem

A lovely review of Puggle's Problem by Jenny Hale appeared in the Sun Herald on 29 August.


Click on the image of the review to magnify and read:

A Puggle Is Born

Well, the auspicious date of 1st of July has arrived and flown past very quickly. Why auspicious? Because that's the day my first ever picture book, Puggle's Problem was released. I am so thrilled with how all the launch activities have gone so far.

I had a huge launch at my kids school, Balgowlah Heights Primary School on Friday 2nd July. About 250 students were packed into the library to hear me speak, to enjoy a yummy Australian-style afternoon tea and to see the special guest for the day, Penny Possum, and her carer, Eira Battaglia. By all accounts everyone had a wonderful time. Oliver Phommavanh, stand-up comedian, teacher and newly published author, launched my book and he did a wonderful job. All the parents at the school were SOOOO supportive, I can't thank them enough. And all I can keep thinking is that I'm SOOOO lucky.

On Saturday, 3rd July, I attend the Children's and Young Adult Literary Festival at the NSW Writers Centre. I'd have to say it was one of the best organised and best attended festivals I've been to. Thanks in large part to the wonderful foresight and organisation of the Festival Director, Susanne Gervay. Susanne gives so much of herself to every project she undertakes. Not only that, the Centre's staff were on hand throughout the day and it was clear they had all worked hard to make the festival a huge success.

Again, I was lucky, this time because I was included on a panel at the festival, talking about picture books alongside the delightful Jeni Mawter (fellow author) and Rochelle Manners (publisher/owner of Wombat Books).

Most of this month and next will be spent promoting Puggle's Problem. I have school visits, bookstore signings, preschool & daycare visits, radio interviews and more lined up. It's going to be a busy but fun time and I'm so glad to be where I am right now.

TTFN

Aleesah

Marketing Your Book

I've been learning a lot these last few months about how much work it takes to market a book. I have very supportive and helpful publishers, I consider that we work together as a team to bring a book to life. But I don't believe everything can be left up to the publisher when it comes to marketing a book.

With the release of my picture book, Puggle's Problem, in July 2010, I developed a very comprehensive marketing plan. Perhaps a little too comprehensive. The list seems endless, really, of all the things I can do to get my book selling. But by making a list, it helped me formalise the things I should do, the things I want to do. And, having worked through the list these last few months, trying to achieve all I'd set out to achieve, I've realised that I can't do everything.

What you need to do is focus on the things that are achievable and do them as best you can. The areas I'm focusing on are:

• School Visits
• Library Visits
• Bookstore Events
• Local newspaper and magazine interviews

Of course, these are all the traditional avenues for promoting a book. The other, more modern methods, are social networking pages like Facebook and Twitter. Also setting up a blog (like this one) and a website. They're all great for getting your name out there - but you also have to let people know you're on the web (promote your promotional tools) and that can be time-consuming, too.

One other thing I enjoyed doing was creating my first ever book trailer for Puggle's Problem. It's very simple, but I'm lucky in a way that Puggle's Problem is a picture book because I was able to use the illustrations done by Sandra Temple to enrich the trailer. For a first effort, I think it works well. It was certainly produced at an affordable budget and hopefully it sends a positive message to potential readers and buyers - and to booksellers who I hope will stock my book.

In terms of good news, I received confirmation from Manly Library that they would like me to come along as a guest author to their Winter Storytime session at 5pm on Thursday 15 July. Kids will come in pyjamas with a soft teddy to hear stories read to them, including mine. It sounds like a fun event and I can't wait to turn up in my PJs too!

I've also been invited to write an article for the ACT Writers' Centre July newsletter, which is focusing on Writing for Young Adults and Children. Now all I need to do is come up with a topic....

TTFN, catch you next time!

Publishers, Persephone & Puggles

Today I met with Sophia Whitfield from New Frontier, the company publishing my junior series for girls aged 9+: The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut. The lovely and delightful Serena Geddes, illustrator for the series, was also in the meeting.

We talked about lots of things including the book covers, how well the books were received at the Bologna Book Fair (great response there!) and our plans for marketing the series. We obviously have loads of work to do, but that's the fun of it. I'm really looking forward to September when the first book, 'Totally Twins' is released. Serena and I will be visiting schools, libraries and bookstores all around Australia.

A real thrill for me was to see the New Frontier catalogue, which has a page dedicated to the Persephone series. Just imagine, my books are in a publishers' catalogue! And when I got home, I had an email from another one of my publishers, Rochelle Manners at Wombat Books. She sent through a pdf of the Wombat Books catalogue, which is about to go to print, and it features a write up on my picture book, Puggle's Problem. So, I guess you could say that's a good day.

Well, best sign off now, lots of work to do and maybe some writing can be squeezed in there, too!