Want to see the cover for my new children’s book?
I’m delighted to share the cover design for my new children’s book, ‘Saving Maya’ which is due out later this year.
Like all the illustrations in the book, it’s been drawn by Annabel Wilson. We’ve worked closely together during the whole writing process. Her background as a primary school teacher has gone a long way to ensuring I’ve kept on track with writing for children about what is a difficult, upsetting topic: puppy farming and animal cruelty. I haven’t shied away from the reality but within the context of a fictional tale it’s balanced with plenty of joyful, sometimes funny scenes. The book is aimed at readers aged 8 and over and we’re both confident that it’ll appeal to adults. It’s also suitable – and this has been important throughout every stage – to be used in schools to educate future puppy buyers.
The official publication date for this new children’s book is 28 September 2016, but it will be available ahead of that in line with our promise to every backer of our ‘Saving Maya’ Kickstarter campaign which has made the prompt publication of this book possible. We’ll share more on this soon. One major reason we opted to self-publish is to cut through the inevitable delays that traditional publishing entails. This book needs to be out and being read by those who one day will want to have a dog in their lives. We need to be educating them now, and for years to come. This is the beauty of literature, books hang around for years, with their messages intact and being disseminated in ways that social media never can. It’s why I write, I want to do what I can to contribute to ending the suffering of dogs in the puppy breeding industry.
For now, while we wait for the book’s release, you can visit the publisher’s website for more information on ‘Saving Maya’ and I’ll keep you posted here with all developments in the coming weeks.