Pretend Interview with Queen Latifah and me.

WARNING: None of this happened; I drew it for the Queen Latifah Show's website two years ago after she photobombed me at BlogHer. The QLS editors decided to drop the story because they didn't want the public to think that this was a real interview that actually occurred. So I shelved it. Until now. Gosh I hope they don't sue me.

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Famous authors get invited on celebrity talk-shows to plug their new books. But I'm pretty much a nobody and it's highly unlikely that I'll ever get asked to appear on anyone's talk show. So I figured I'd do the next best thing: draw a completely made-up pretend interview! YESSSS. I am very smart.

In which a pretend Queen Latifah pretend interviews me about my book (that part is real):

QL:  We have an unusual guest today, let's give a warm welcome to JC Little, The Animated Woman!

QL:  Welcome! Welcome to the Queen Latifah Show! So... you wrote and illustrated a children's book..."The Last Snowman, by JC Little". What does "JC" stand for?

JC:  Hey, I'm making up this interview, you can't ask me that!

QL:  Sorry! Okay. Tell me about your book - you published it yourself, right, what do you call it, 'self published’?

JC:  Uh-huh. I brought a copy for you.

QL:  Tell me, JC...how does one go about marketing a self-published book? I mean, you're just one person, right? It's not like you have a big publishing machine behind you - how do you get the word out there to sell your books?

JC:  I have some friends who have helped out by reviewing my book on their blogs. But you're right: it's really hard to make a splash in the big ole' internet if you don't have a big publishing house behind you. You have to be inventive and do pretend interviews.

QL:  I'm gonna read it now...

QL:  Awww ...*sniff*...it's really funny and sweet. This is the best picture book ever; the story is heartwarming and the drawings are BOSS! This right here…this could be a best seller.

JC:  I know right?

QL:  Funnay! How do you feel about the fact that very few people will ever get to read your book, because no one's ever heard of you?

JC:  Welp....I like to think about those few people who are reading it and I hope they're enjoying it. When you’re little and you have stories read to you, you grow up with those stories inside you. You take them with you. And you remember them when you are older. Stories are what matter and I'm a story artist.

QL:  "Story artist" I like that! And I really love the way you've drawn me. I am a super cute cartoon.

JC:  It's just stick-figures...you know.

QL:  Well I wish you luck, and if it's any help, I know it's you making me say this in a pretend interview, but I really love your book, and I’m pretty sure lots of other people out there will like it too.

JC:  Aw....you're so kind, Queen Latifah.

QL:  I mean it! Thanks for being on my pretend show, and letting me pretend interview you.

JC:  You are welcome. Thanks for having me! And thanks for letting me pretend you're pretend interviewing me. Ha.

QL:  You're not gonna tell me what "JC" stands for, are you?

JC:  And spoil the mystery?

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When the pretend applause has faded you can hop on over to Amazon and check out The Last Snowman, my book that Queen Latifah has never read.

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"Motherhood" receives a book award from All Authors Magazine

You guys. Look. My wordless picture-book Motherhood has been honoured with the All Authors Certificate of Excellence.

The AACE comes from the good people over at All Authors Magazine - they advocate for all authors to reach all readers. The Certificate states that I have "encompassed the qualities that All Authors stands for: originality, talent, creativity, and most of all excellence of execution." It looks pretty official.

As an independent author and illustrator moving into the world of self-publishing can be daunting. Those who brave the industry face the task of not only creating and executing the story, but also handling the publishing, including the formatting to multiple platforms and the marketing of the book. Therefor the support and recognition of All Authors Magazine is invaluable. To be recognized for my work is such a gift, especially as there are so many worthy author illustrators self-publishing today. I'm thrilled, honoured and humbled to receive this award for my book.

All Authors Magazine also sent me a gift: this supermug will see me through my next two books, I swear!

But I think the best gift is that I'm now an award winning author. Which feels pretty good.

Motherhood by JC Little, is available in paperback and for Kindle on Amazon.

More comments and reactions to this post here.

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ELLO MONKEY: Social Media Reanimated

By now you all know about the new book. And yes, it's my fourth book in 13 months. We're a goddamn family now.

After three books they just slide right out.

I'm not a comics artist. I'm not a graphic novelist. What I've been doing here on my blog for the past four years, is creating little illustrated stories, like little picture-books. And now I've drawn on the picture-book format to create my first book on social media exclusively for grownups. Here it is:

ELLO MONKEY: Reanimating Social Media.

It is totally free on Gumroad: choose PDF or MOBI. Just enter "0" in the price box and the credit card window will disappear.

Why Gumroads? I want to give you this book just as if I had posted the story on my blog. Of course, if you really want to support my work, you can always throw a dollar or two my way in the "0+" option. Twist my rubber arm you crazy motherfuckers!

ELLO MONKEY is also on Amazon, set at the lowest price possible. Man, those guys don't make it easy, but they do have visibility. So if you like (or hate) this book, please get your glutes on over to leave a short review and rate this sucker.

*More ridiculous drawings of me giving birth to books*

For the record, Gumroad was easy to set up and their support on Twitter is stellar. In the future, I'm going to deliver more of my stories as 'picture-books for grownups' and 'picture-books for children' of all ages.

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New book coming soon: ELLO MONKEY

ELLO MONKEY: Reanimating Social Media.

The book will be launched this Sunday night/Monday. Here's the cover:


This is exciting. We've got permission from the Ello founders to use their logo, and some wonderful people will be providing blurbs.

There is a hitch with Amazon - those fuckers won't distribute a book for free *pouts* ...so I'm setting the book up on Gumroad for a 0+ (free) download of PDF and MOBI. It'll also be on Amazon though (for the lowest price possible) because we want the book to be found in search and theirs has range.

But the main link we're pushing will be the free one. And we're going to push it with a vengeance; honest reviews, ratings and shares on every channel will be most welcome.

I hope you're with me on this. Picture-books for grownups: it's a thing.

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Tacky Christmas photos of my books.

I'm going over the top with tacky photos of my books surrounded by Christmas decorations. If all the shops can do it, why can't I? Amateur is the new Awesome!

I used to get down on myself for sucking.

But you know what? I've sold 17 books in the last 17 days: there are at least 17 people who will see my books on Christmas morning. That may sound pathetic to some but I think I'm doing pretty well for someone who is very bad at marketing.

Those 17 books would not have sold without the help and support of those who shared my books, did book reviews and blog posts and took the time to be generally encouraging and say nice things. I love you forever and back.

And I suppose I should give some love to my bad self for even drawing those books in the first place.

"Three books in one year, JC, on top of everything else that you do. Focus on those 17 people unwrapping your books on Christmas day and smile."

*pats self on back*

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Interactive Book! PickleWeasel Picture Riddles on Kindle.

You know when you get a print book and you can hold it in your hands and turn the pages and really feel the paper between your fingertips? It's sooo lovely. I love books.

Of course, you can get the Kindle version of a book that pretends to be a paper book but it's just not the same. And why should it be? It should be different! It should be ...EXTRA.

Call to action! Buy it now on Amazon.

You guys. I'm leaking books.

PickleWeasel Picture Riddles on Kindle is EXTRA - it's got extra clues, extra surprize jokes (also known as 'easter eggs') and extra interactive "pop-ups". It has more stuff in it and it's a little more fun for older readers too.

Screencap time:

Punny hints.

Double-tap the key for the answer.

There are ten hidden pop-ups from PW in the book.

Picture-riddles are word-games: most of the hints are in the drawing, but if you need a clue, simply double-tap the lens and one will appear. The clues come in several forms - jumbled letters, number of letters, first letters, rhyming words, and punny hints (those are my faves). You can check your answer by double-tapping on the key. There are also ten hidden pop-ups from PW, so have fun finding them all.

Bonus: As you flip through the pages, PickleWeasel cavorts along the top of the screen. It's fun to make him animate.

See? It's a different reading experience than the paperback. Buy it here.
Now here's the deal - PickleWeasel Picture Riddles is enrolled in the Kindle Matchbook program - which means that if you purchase the paperback from Amazon, you'll be able to own the Kindle version for one third the price - $1.99.

PS. We've got a PickleWeasel drawing app (for ages 9+), so if you want some of that, just go here.

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Shy Author Stabs Book Store Manager With Pen.

"I'm incredibly shy, so this is difficult for me." Eek. Did I really just say that?

The corners of my mouth twitched. Holy shit. Am I going to cry? Please don't let me cry.

I'd finally got myself to the big Indigo bookstore in downtown Montreal and got the gumption up to speak to the Store Manager. The place was bustling and he was busy, but he stopped long enough to listen.

"How can I help you?"

I gulped air. "I'm one of those authors who's wondering how to get their book on the shelf in this store." My cheeks throbbed with the blushing.

The store manager's eyes glazed over; he inhaled deeply and released a long rehearsed verbal instruction about somehow getting into the category-something-listing-thingie via the main Toronto office. As if I could do that. A tear leaked out the corner of my eye and made itself known.

But then he said there was another option. "Consignment!" he declared, his eyes softening, "here's the name and email of the person to contact..."

I dove into my purse and whipped out my trusty Micron and an old envelope and, in my excitement, I stabbed the Store Manager in the hand with my pen. In a store named after a type of ink. Fuck.

We both stared at the tiny 0.3 spot probably now tattooed on his hand.

"FUCK! I totally just stabbed you with my pen! I'm sorry!"

"Haha, it's okay," he said rubbing his wrist, "here's the email address." He was that busy.

I started scribbling the info.

"Oh and by the way..." he added,  "...they're now taking applications for February."

As if stabbing the Book Store Manager of the biggest book store in Montreal wasn't enough, you can now taste, nay, savour the bitter irony of having your beautiful hardcover books ready months in advance, but being too shy to talk to someone about getting them onto Indigo's consignment list in time for Christmas.

I draw stories. I fail at getting them out there. But I win at drawing stories about failing at getting them out there.

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If you want the hardcover edition of The Last Snowman, you have to email me directly. For now.

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Amazon Createspace self-publishing DRAMA.

Self-publishing can be full of drama. Earlier this week I submitted my book, PickleWeasel Picture Riddles, to Amazon's CreateSpace for review. They approved it and I ordered my proofs. And then...I decided to make a teeny, tiny change to the interior file: I added page numbers to the bottom of each page and then resubmitted the book for review.

They sent me this email:

This be a troll-move.

For those who do not know it, CreateSpace is Amazon's 'print-on-demand' company. In this email they are telling me they won't approve my book interior (after already approving it). Because the answers are upside down. And because it's two books in one. Or something. To be honest, I can't even "can't even" that one.

The struggle is real.

GUYS. IT'S A RIDDLE BOOK. The answers are supposed to be upside down.

Also there's bonus flippable animation in the top right corner because it's fun for kids. All this is written on the back cover and in the book description.

You know those violins in the shower scene in Psycho? I had those in my soul.

I called up CreateSpace and explained everything to a patient and polite person named "Anthony". Anthony insisted that an actual human person does look over each and every book. When I asked why it was first approved and then not, he said that one person notices things that another person doesn't.

Me: "So it's a subjective process then?"

Anthony: "Uh....it's not supposed to be. But it happens."

He promised to resubmit it for me, and to plead my case. He said it would take about two business days. I did warn him that I have a small but feisty social media army on my side.

The next day, another email:

Ashley is also very polite.

All that Dramazon for nada. And today, look what arrived:

Real live in-the-flesh-books. 

They are so pretty I want to sleep with them under my pillow.
I guess these should be ready to go on sale anytime...maybe I should wait until after Thanksgiving.

Have you guys started your Christmas shopping yet?

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PickleWeasel books are coming soon!

I've been frightfully busy getting my next four books lined up. Yup, you heard right: FOUR books. For kids. Because I somehow ended up with several hundred drawings of PickleWeasel.

101 PickleWeasels! (working title) are comin' atcha in the first book in just a few short weeks. Print and Kindle versions. In time for Christmas and gifts and stuff. The rest of the series will follow over the next year, so you can collect the whole set, just like a proper book series. I am smart.

Here is a sample layout:

As usual, PickleWeasel is acting out, and you have to guess what he, she, they are up to. Some of the words are easy and some are a little more challenging (even I learned a few new words making this book) with the option to "hide" and "reveal" the answers with your very own thumbs. Plus the answers are upside down, since I know that some of your kids pride themselves on upside down reading skills.

And just because I can, I put this flippable animation in the corner. Swaaag!

Please stay tooned.

xojc

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