Blogs by s a ellis

The holiday season is a time for warmth, joy, and the spirit of giving, and what better way to celebrate this festive time than with a thoughtful gift for the little ones? My new picture book comes to the scene as a contender for the perfect Christmas present. Within its pages, it carries magic, adventure, and lessons that transcend the holiday season. Let me walk you through the 5 reasons why this book stands out as an exceptional gift for children during the Christmas festivities.

1. Encourages Imagination and Creativity

The art of storytelling is as old as time itself, possessing the power to ignite the imagination of children like no other medium. My new picture book is crafted with creative narratives and vivid illustrations that open up a world of wonder. Each page turn is an invitation for children to explore fantastical realms and dream beyond their surroundings. It encourages them to visualize and create their own interpretations of the story, engaging their creative muscles and expanding their minds.

2. Instills a Love for Reading

The love for reading is one of the greatest gifts you can give a child. My picture book is designed to capture the attention of young readers, with simple yet captivating language, rhythmic tones, and easy-to-follow plotlines. This makes the reading experience not only enjoyable but also an educational one. As children follow along with the story, they develop language skills, discover new words, and begin to appreciate the joy that comes from reading—a habit that can benefit them for a lifetime.

3. Celebrates the Holiday Spirit

Set against the backdrop of the Christmas season, with its blend of cheer and goodwill, my picture book perfectly embodies the spirit of the holidays. The story is infused with themes of love, kindness, and generosity—core values that are synonymous with Christmas. This makes the book not just a present but also a tool for teaching children the importance of these universal virtues, fostering a deeper connection with the true essence of the holiday season.

4. A High-Quality Keepsake

In today's digital age, where screens often dominate our attention, a tangible book can become a cherished keepsake for years to come. This picture book is produced with high-quality materials and is bound to withstand the eager hands of its young readers. The care and detail that have gone into its production ensure that it remains durable, ready to be passed down through generations or revisited year after year as a treasured festive tradition.

5. Provides A Shared Experience

Reading a picture book is often a shared experience between a child and a caregiver. This shared activity can reinforce bonds and create lasting memories. My picture book is designed to be accessible to readers of all ages, making it an ideal tool for family bonding. Whether read aloud on Christmas Eve, or pored over together in the quiet moments of the holiday, this book serves as a conduit for spending quality time and fostering connections during the most wonderful time of the year.

In conclusion, my new picture book embraces all the elements that make it the ideal Christmas present for children. Its power to inspire, educate, and connect resonates deeply during the holiday season. It is more than a gift—it is an experience, an education, and a keepsake all wrapped into one. It is my hope that this book finds its way under your tree and into the hearts of the children you cherish. Celebrate the festive season with a gift that keeps on giving, a gift that will enchant the child in all of us.

My new picture book is now available, you can contact me by email

gobybysaellis@gmail.com

I am in the process of setting up an online payment system but it is not available yet. 

This is my third book about Crystal the little cornflower blue dragon who has a unique gift.

Read how she helps Father Christmas with the help of her dear friends Callis and Hebble. 

The book also has a colouring book to compliment. Both are currently available locally at The Heart Gallery and The Book Case - Market Street, Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire.

RRP £15 Story Book

RRP £8 Colouring Book

Postage £1.50 

Please make contact if you are interested, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Merry Christmas

Love S A Ellis x

Tell me what you think? The book will be available to purchase from local bookstores in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire and at the Pumpkin Festival of Hebden Bridge on 22nd/23rd October 2022. If you would like to purchase a copy please email me gobybysaellis@gmail.com

The Dragon of Hebden Bridge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NprnOTEoGI0

My daughter kept telling me to write down the stories I use to make up and tell her when she was a little girl. When Bianca was 2/3 years old I was going through a difficult time, my daughter's father was not on the scene and my father had a terrible mental illness so I could not rely on my parents for support. Money was tight so I use to make up stories to tell Bianca. She loved them and they have stayed with her throughout her life. The pandemic has been such a traumatic experience for so many and lockdown has been so restrictive, it has been a challenge to occupy your time. Bianca knew how restless I would become and convinced me to start writing down my stories. Hence, Goby the Goblin was born and it has been my panacea to get me through the pandemic. 

I have realised that if you put your mind to it and become methodical and put aside an hour or so everyday, you can achieve good results, no matter what it is that you have your sites on. Just be diligent and work to a programme and don't give up.

If you have an idea, don't dismiss it and automatically think no one would be interested, this simply isn't true. You will appeal to a genre, so pick up your pen, or tap on your keyboard and start writing your ideas down, you will be amazed with what you can achieve if you stick to a plan, give yourself a timescale of when you want to complete your book and get started.

This is the first drawing I did of little Goby, I was thinking to do an Alphabet calendar for my daughter but it never materialised. Maybe I will do this one day but of course I will draw Goby as portrayed in my book. With this drawing I had not put any ears on him, I thought at the time that there was something missing and of course nearly 30 years later I give him some ears!! You will probably notice a similarity to the position of Goby from this old drawing to the new one, but of course the difference being Goby is holding Squiggle the Booquar and not a duck! And his tummy is not as big.

I have always had a vivid imagination, I think I got that from my father would was a brilliant salesman, he worked in the textile industry and could sell any cloth to anyone! I followed in his shoes and entered the world of sales and throughout my career, I believe my imagination has helped me win over many customers and helped me progress.

It has been a wonderful experience to create Goby's world and introduce you to all the characters, some being more pleasant than others, but you always have to have goodies and villains.

My favourite character of course is Goby, he is my little hero and I have to be careful I don't give too much away if you haven't read the book yet. But, Hebden has a special place in my heart too, he is a very brave and resourceful character that helps Goby along the way. There are many characters in the book that have been born out of wanting to portray something different and hopefully this is what I have achieved. I wanted to move away from the normal and create new characters that children would come to love, for example Squiggle the booquar, he is quite a character and plays quite an important part in the book. Another character that I find very cute are the impbahs, they have such smiley faces and of course can be quite impish!

Elphin is a little impbah, he may look cute but don't be misled by his appearance, he is quite a resourceful little chap and much respected within the Pumple camp. The only trouble with impbah's is how loud they can screech, this always make the goblins toes curl up in fright.

I have a villain in the book who was not always evil, circumstances made him this way and he treads a dangerous path that leads to traumatic ending. It would be interesting to hear what you think of him and how everyone treats him, please let me have your thoughts.

There is a very old and wise warlock in this story that helps the creatures from the Three Realms, he is full of mystery and magic and one who is greatly  respected and honoured for his wisdom and knowledge. The goblins need his helps on several occasions, I like the way he is admired and held in such high regard. I like to think all my characters help each other in some way, they are all connected and all have a purpose but of course, not always for the good of the goblins!!

This has been an easy decision for me, I have so many stories in my head and want to play them out in my second book about Goby. He had such a vital part in the first book but so much more to reveal in the second book! Goby does not realise how important he is and the part he has to play, of course with the help of his family and friends. I am already half way through, I have found it much easier to write this story as it is a continuation of Goby's travels throughout the Three Realms. Most of the characters have now come to life and were introduced in the first book, but I have left a couple to be introduced into the next one to keep you intrigued. The map I created for the first book shows you the Three Realms and where all the places are located but the second map will reveal more places as the story is told.

One thing I have learnt is put as much dialogue in as you can, it really brings the characters to life. You can put so much emotion into their words and create the right atmosphere, I love the banter that Garvtak and Garvoid have, it shows their deep respect and love for each other, even though they are forever jibing each other. And I try to write as if I am telling you the story not just stating facts, I think it is important to try and engage with your audience, I want parents to be expressive when they read my story to their child but I also want them to enjoy reading the story too, so I try and inject humour wherever possible to keep it light hearted and fun.

I try and include moral values for children to follow, if they like a character and the way they conduct themselves, then I hope they will try to emulate and adopt the same values in their own lives. Call it a sneaky way to educate and show them the right path.

I am thinking of writing several endings to my second book, I would like to run a little competition and involve children. I will give them the opportunity to make this decision and whichever ending gets the highest vote will be written into the book. But, I am thinking of giving a prize to the child that gives me the best reason for their decision. I might even give a first, second and third prize and make it more appealing. What this space...........................