One of our Jelly Bean books David the Pizzly Bear has been awarded a red ribbon in the Wishing Shelf awards. Well done, Molly Arbuthnott and Camilla Seddon.
Archive for #childrensbooks #selfpublish #selfpublishing #writing
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce Old Clothes and Porridge by author Maureen Mullally-Clarke. This wonderful memoir looks back at a bygone age, particularly focusing on the 1930s and ‘40s.
Brought up by her grandmother in Glasgow, Maureen and her little sister Oonagh only saw their parents at eighteen month intervals. Old Clothes and Porridge tells the story of a childhood spent against the backdrop of the Depression, the launch of the Queen Mary, the Jarrow march, the abdication of King Edward VIII, the coronation of George VI, WW2 and the VE Day celebrations. Maureen says: “I wrote this book for my grandchildren. I’ve always told them about my childhood, and they have often said, “Why don’t you write it all down?”, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Candy Jar Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, says: “It is important to document our lives and the lives of our families, otherwise this information becomes lost. Old Clothes and Porridge is a personal memoir that the world will enjoy, and I’m certain Maureen’s family will treasure. More people should be encouraged to write about their lives, even if it is just for their family.”
Maureen agrees and would encourage others to write down their life stories. She continues: “Yes, I would and in fact I do. I know one woman who used to be a war correspondent and one man who had a brilliant military career. People have fascinating lives and they should be documented.”
One of Candy Jar’s most popular titles is Eileen Younghusband’s One Woman’s War, which offers a vivid insight into the life of a young woman facing the grim reality of war. Shaun Russell, Head of Publishing, says: “Old Clothes and Porridge reminds me so much of One Woman’s War. As soon as I read it, I knew Maureen’s story would touch hearts across the generations. This book is attention grabbing, well-written and also extremely funny. At this time of uncertainty this book is a joyous reminder how wonderful it is to be human. ”
After being advised by her best friend’s granddaughter of the benefits of being in control of the publishing process, Maureen decided to go with Jelly Bean. Maureen says: “It was great to receive an email from Shaun on 19th January and the books arrived on 19th March! And when you hold that book in your hands it’s like having a new baby.”
Overwhelmed by the support of her family and friends, Maureen is really delighted with the end product. She concludes: “I would like to send my gratitude to everyone who has read my book and for the lovely things they have been saying about it. I am so pleased that it now available on Amazon.”
Old Clothes and Porridge is now available worldwide through Amazon. To order the book visit: https://tinyurl.com/ycybtlg3
Jelly Bean Self-Publishing is delighted to have been awarded Self-Publishing Company of the Year at the 2020 Welsh Enterprise awards.
The Welsh Enterprise awards recognise the contribution of small to medium sized businesses to the Welsh economy.
Since its inception in 2013, Jelly Bean Self-Publishing has provided a range of publishing services to independent authors all around the world. Head of Publishing Shaun Russell is delighted to have received the commendation:
“Self-publishing has grown enormously as an industry over recent years. Thanks to the Internet, the rise of eBooks, and the refinement of Print on Demand technology, it is now viable both economically and practically for independent authors to find engaged readerships in an incredible variety of ways.”
“It’s this flexibility that is at the heart of self-publishing’s ever-increasing success, and it is something that we have always put at the heart of what we do. We never try to pigeonhole our authors or force them into a one-size fits arrangements. We tailor our work to an author’s needs, budgets and ambitions.”
“And whatever the services they require, we provide them to the same standards as we do for our award-winning traditional imprint Candy Jar Books. Not only is this, of course, only fair to the author, it’s an investment in the long-term viability of self-publishing as an industry.”
“We are delighted SME News has recognised our efforts to provide a quality self-publishing service. We see it not only as recognition for ourselves, but a testament to the many companies around the country that are working so hard to establish self-publishing as a viable route to readership for independent authors, as part of the wider publishing environment.”
“Mark my words, thanks to these efforts, in the coming years you will read more and more about authors finding success through self-publishing.”
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its fifteenth ‘Book of the Month’, Messy Dad at Christmas by Gemma Greening and illustrated by Matthew Prewett. This slightly anarchical book is a must for lovers of all things festive.
Messy Dad at Christmas is the third Messy Dad book, following Messy Dad at the Beach, and the singularly titled Messy Dad.
Gemma is adamant that the Messy Dad series is not based on her partner, although she does admit that sometimes it does veer close to the truth. She says: “Messy Dad started in the summer of 2019, when funny poems that I had written in my partner’s birthday cards were read aloud at a friend’s barbeque. I was pleasantly surprised when my friends and children were laughing and asking for more. A neighbour was listening to these funny poems from his garden, poked his head up from the fence and said, ‘I can draw, and would love to draw some pictures of Messy Dad’. The rest is history!”
Gemma went on to release Messy Dad to critical and financial success. She continues: “I really should be a sales person. I can’t believe how many books I have sold. People really seem to enjoy my stories and, in particular, the character of Messy Dad. I think everybody knows someone like him. He might not necessarily be a dad; he maybe someone’s brother, uncle, grandfather, but the idleness combined with a heart of gold seems to resonate with my readers.”
With the holiday season fast approaching, Gemma is excited that Santa will not be the only bearded man that children will look forward to. Head of Publishing at Candy Jar Books, Shaun Russell, is also thrilled to see the third book released. He says: “I knew straight away that Gemma would be a fantastic advocate for Messy Dad. Her book really touched a nerve, and I’m not surprised that so many people loved the characters and situations. Her insightful humour plays well with children and adults alike. No wonder it was so popular! So when she delivered the sequel Messy Dad at the Beach I read it with some trepidation, but, of course, once again it was excellent. And thankfully Messy Dad at Christmas also delivers the goods, or perhaps I should say presents?”
2020 has been a difficult year and Messy Dad at Christmas serves up a welcome dose of laughter and pathos. Gemma concludes: “Christmas is definitely my favourite holiday and I just had to write a book on our family fun. But, as much as I love Christmas, I always feel stressed and worry about everything that needs to be done. However, last year I put my foot down and wrote Messy Dad instead.”
Will Messy Dad save the holidays? That’s for you to find out! One thing for certain, the book will certainly make you laugh (and groan) as our hero attempts to save Christmas!
Messy Dad at Christmas cost £7.99 (+ p&p) and can be ordered here.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its twelfth ‘Book of the Month’, The Adventures of Bobo by Graham and Andrea Webster. This child-
The Adventures of Bobo was a lockdown project for grandparents Graham and Andrea Webster. With not much to do, and plenty of time to do it in, they decided to finish off a story they’d created months earlier. The text was originally penned by Graham and takes the reader on an exciting journey, exploring abandonment, solitude, and ultimately friendship. Much like Black Beauty or Disney’s Incredible Journey, animals feature heavily in this story. Evoking the qualities of traditional picture books such as The Tiger that Came to Tea or the Beatrix Potter stories, the book also fits nicely within a child’s current lockdown mentality.
The book was originally written for Andrea and Graham’s granddaughter, Sophie, to highlight the importance of friendship. Graham says: “Lockdown has been a difficult for everyone, particularly children and the elderly. With the rule of six being implemented, the situation is only improving incrementally. Children, of course, have returned to school, but we believe that they are still feeling abandoned. For many of us and especially children, not being able to see our friends during lockdown has reinforced the importance of friendship. Friendship is a strong theme in our book.”
Lockdown offered Andrea a perfect opportunity to add beautiful illustrations to enhance Graham’s story. She says: “Thirty five years ago we took Elizabeth, our toddler daughter, to a local farm and she fell in love with a large brown horse. She called him Bobo in a pre-
Andrea and Graham have really enjoyed watching Sophie’s rapt response to the stories, and believe that the wider world should be able to enjoy them too. Graham continues: “It’s always been our ambition to get the book published. Lockdown has given us the chance to do this and the reception has been great. People can’t get enough of Bobo’s equine adventures. We hope that younger readers will enjoy them as much as Sophie did.”
Head of publishing at Candy Jar Books, Shaun Russell, feels The Adventures of Bobo is a sure fire winner. He says: “You can see the love and passion that has gone into each page. All children will fall in love with Bobo. Along the way they’ll learn about coping with the ups and downs of life, particularly when you are young. It inspires the reader to overcome setbacks, remain hopeful and try to do their best. Bobo did this, and eventually found his place in the world!”
The Adventures of Bobo is available to purchase from here.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its sixth ‘Book of the Month’, The Haunted Staircase by Devika Rosamund. This mind-
However, unlike the books of E Nesbit and Enid Blyton, The Haunted Staircase takes both the reader and the characters back to a realistic portrayal of Victorian servitude. Similar to Downton Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs, this book is a fascinating depiction of a bygone world, but with an added twist! What if children from the twenty-
Devika wanted to combine today’s progressive storylines, with the kind of books she used to read as a child. She says: “I always intended to write a children’s novel for 9 to 12 year olds that involved ghosts, magic and adventure, but I wanted it to be educational and fair representation of life in service.”
The characters use a magic spell to travel back in time where they investigate the mysterious death of a Victorian servant girl. For authenticity, Devika undertook a great deal of research about Victorian service. In particular, how so-
Devika is also a talented artist and was pleased when Candy Jar suggested including her artwork in The Haunted Staircase. She concludes: “I had a lot of fun illustrating the story myself and I hope that my writing and simple illustrations will inspire young readers to write and illustrate their own stories. I am grateful to my editor, Shaun Russell, for improving my ghost story by adding humour. I wanted the ghost to be a pleasant character, rather than an evil one, and I always make sure my stories have happy endings. I like to leave young readers with a sense of satisfaction that all the problems are solved in the end.”
The Haunted Staircase can be purchased from here.
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its fourth ‘Book of the Month’, Mo’s Fro by H E Sonko. This wonderful children’s book is the perfect antidote to the lockdown.
Mo’s Fro is modern fairy tale with a twist. It teaches children about multi-
She says: “It is important to tell stories that authentically represent British life. Our differences don’t divide us, they unite us. We’re all special, we’re all unique, we’re all valid – and so we’re all, at the end of the day, one. Getting to know each other is not something to fear; it’s an adventure that never stops. That’s the message I hope comes across to my young readers.”
Mo’s Fro features the enchanting tale of Mo and his best friend, a one-
H E Sonko continues: “I wrote Mo’s Fro for my young son. I wanted him to have a book that actually featured a character that truly represented him. I also wanted to make the story fun, and not worthy as often these books can be. As a new author I was, of course, apprehensive when I first sent the story to my friends, but was heartened when it was swiftly met with such high praise.”
Featuring vibrant full page illustrations by Dave Moreing, Mo’s Fro is a heart-
Mo’s Fro, by Hannah Sonko, is available now from: https://www.facebook.com/MoFroOfficial/
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce their new feature entitled ‘Book of the Month’, which aims to showcase new talent on a monthly basis. We will be publishing several categories. The first is children’s 7-12.
Kickstarting ‘Book of the Month’ is Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi by Rob Willsher. In his children’s book two dogs, Rory and Harlow, find a magical Taxi which transports them back in time and into a historical adventure of a lifetime.
In a recent interview, Rob explains how the idea for Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi was, in fact, more of a collaboration. He explained: “Many years ago I was a London cab driver. At the time we had some rescue dogs and on a few occasions I took one of the dogs, Toto, to work with me in the front of the taxi. That’s when my wife Fiona came up with the idea of us doing a book about a dog that travels to historical places in London, or even all around the world!”
The book’s target audience is four to eight and adheres to the National Curriculum for this age group. In the book, Rory and Harlow travel back in time and meet Alfred the Great, who defeated the Danes by sending messages to his officers, thus highlighting the importance of being able to read and write.
Rob states: “One of the greatest skills in life is the ability to read. Even if all you are reading is a tin of beans, it can take you so far in life. I hope I’m helping to encourage a new generation of readers.”
Rob is currently working on the second book in the series entitled The Woman with the Long Red Hair, which focuses on Boadicea, who was bullied by the Romans over how much land she was entitled to after her husband’s death, and is a topic that children can relate to.
Rob continues: “They are books that you can read to your child, or that your child can read to themselves. I gave Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi to a twelve to thirteen year old to read and he couldn’t put it down, saying it was nice and easy to read, especially with the pictures. Even adults have said they’ve learned something from the book!”
Head of Publishing at sister company Candy Jar Books, Shaun Russell, says: “This book has a lot of potential and I can see lots of children and parents really taking an interest. The text is a mixture of fact and fiction and, paired with beautiful illustrations by artist Patrick Coombes, it is perfect for those who are just getting into reading. Once the Candy Jar schedule has cleared up, we are hoping to bring this book out as one of our own.”
With the promise of becoming a Candy Jar publication in the near future Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi is sure to be a hit. Both entertaining and educational, the book will make a great addition to any bookshelf and is sure to give young eyes a workout!
For now Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi can be bought and enjoyed straight from the author. To order the book visit https://roryandharlows.co.uk/
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June 30, 2023Blog About Writing / Jelly Bean News / Self Publish Your Own Book / Self-Publishing Facts* In 2013 One Woman’s War won the non-fiction 2012/2013 award at the People’s Book Prize. * In 2016 and 2023 Candy Jar was shortlisted for The Cardiff Life Awards. This ceremony celebrates the best business in Cardiff, applauding what they have achieved in the past year and encouraging them to go further in the […] [...]
May 22, 2023Blog About Writing / Writing TipsIf you’ve reached the point where you’ve needed to consider how to end your piece of writing then congratulations are in order; you’ve nearly finished that labour of love which has taken hours, weeks or sometimes even years to complete. Yet this seemingly rewarding part of the process can actually cause no end of trouble […] [...]
April 1, 2023Blog About Writing / Writing Tips‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God,’ or so it seems according to John 1:1 of the King James Bible. If you were to read Genesis it states: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ Now, I am not a religious person […] [...]
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