Funny, I haven’t been able to write about the whole book journey at all … to start with it all felt to special and secret, my idea, the way things were developing, a private thing, not to be widely shared incase someone with more gumption stole the concept and became an overnight publishing sensation.
Then I didn’t want to share too much incase I gave the game away and a publisher wasn’t interested, then I didn’t want to jinx things, and then after Pinter and Martin, my incredible publisher, said yes, I didn’t want to shout about things as I was so busy working on the book, and I was still convinced something would go wrong. The contract was signed, the book submitted, the illustrations painstakingly debated, discussed, altered, repainted and finished off, words crafted and completed, and then it felt like I’d be letting the cat out of the bag if I said a word about it all …
so now, here we are, the week that my book, my beautiful book (thank you amazing Jess for putting up with me, reading my mind and helping me make visual sense of my idea) is published.
I had a haircut last week, and I told the hairdresser, “my book is out next week” … and totally out of the blue, I felt euphoric.
Nearly 2 years since I first had the idea, I’ll be sitting behind a table with a small pile of books, signing them …HA! … how ridiculous is that, as if anyone will turn up … as if anyone will want my signature, as IF …
see, I still feel as if I’m dreaming… but I’m not. My book, my first book, yes there will be others, is is launching on 14th May 2015. People have been pre-ordering them and emailing me from far flung places like Texas and Scotland to tell me their order is being shipped, early this week they will be opening packets and looking at my book.
Milky Moments, my book, my vision, bought to life with remarkably beautiful illustrations, by Jessica D’Alton Goode, is published by Pinter and Martin Publishers, and it’s available worldwide. It’s a book for children, for children and their families, depicting images of children breastfeeding on every page. There’s also a bear to find on every page, his name is Eric, and lots of detail from the main pictures that is reflected in the facing pages and in the cover art … and there’s verse. A verse on every page … so much to look at and explore, and though I say it myself, it is a truly lovely book.
I was so fed up with my daughter’s books when she was tiny, and even now, every one that depicted children eating or being fed, featured an image of a bottle, or someone bottle feeding. She didn’t have a single one with an image of a baby nursing, nothing with any kind of imagery around breastfeeding… and that struck me as odd, hence the idea for Milky Moments. She has been a great test audience, she loves the book, she recognises herself in illustrations based on pictures of us nursing together, she recognises characters and always hunts for Eric, and the pair of shoes she has decided are ballet shoes!
So … there you go … Milky Moments … and it’s really really real.
Rush out, order your copy … help me save for small person’s education!! Ha … it will take a while just to pay back the small advance we had so I’m not expecting to retire any time soon … but it would be nice to pay that back and for the book to sell … she said idly day dreaming about a beach, sunshine and someone waiting on us … just from time to time.
We’re on Amazon UK and Amazon in the US (and presumably Amazon in other places), we’re on the Book Depository (which offers free international delivery) and we’re on (and please if you’re in the UK buy it from there) our publisher’s website http://www.pinterandmartin.com/milky-moments.html
I’m using #MilkyMoments when I talk about it on Twitter or Facebook, and I’m also building a wonderful ‘bank’ of reflections on and anecdotes about breastfeeding, to help show just how normal it is in a day to day kind of a way.
I’m also staying up far too late as I’m so busy getting everything ready for the launch events, which means I’m knackered, and clearly look it as someone asked me today if I was at the park with my granddaughter (how rude?).
Right bedtime, only a few days to go, and it’s all very well that I had my moustache waxed and my eyebrows tames, but if I don’t get some sleep we’ll be able to carry the books home in the bags under my eyes.
Did I mention? I’m a writer … an author … here’s my book:
